Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Big Ben hangs out in the north tower of a long building (the Houses of Parliament)
that stretches along the Thames. Britain is ruled from this building, which for five centur-
ies was the home of kings and queens. Then, as democracy was foisted on tyrants, a par-
liament of nobles was allowed to meet in some of the rooms. Soon, commoners were elec-
ted to office, the neighborhood was shot, and the royalty moved to Buckingham Palace.
While most of the current building looks medieval with its prickly flamboyant spires, it
was actually built after a fire gutted the old Westminster Palace in 1834.
Today, the House of Commons meets in one end of the building. The rubber-stamp
House of Lords grumbles and snoozes in the other end of this 1,000-room complex, and
provides a tempering effect on extreme governmental changes. The two houses are very
much separate: Notice the riverside tea terraces with the color-coded awnings—royal
red for lords, common green for commoners. Alluding to the traditional leanings of the
two chambers, locals say, “Green for go...red for stop” (for tips on visiting the Houses
of Parliament, see
here
). The modern Portcullis Building (with the tube-like chimneys),
across Bridge Street from Big Ben, holds offices for the 650 members of the House of
Commons. They commute to the Houses of Parliament by way of an underground pas-
sage.
• Now look north (downstream).
