HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT TOUR - London 2015 - page 205

longest at the start of each day's session (when the most fiery debate often occurs),
and usually enormous on Wednesdays, when the prime minister normally attends. The
later in the day you enter, the less crowded (and less exciting) it is. Visiting after 18:00
is risky, as sessions tend to end well before their official closing time, and visitors
aren't allowed in after the politicians call it a day.
Choosing a House: If you only visit one of the bicameral legislative bodies, I'd choose the
House of Lords. Though less important politically, the Lords meet in a more ornate
room, and the waiting time is shorter (likely less than 30 minutes). The House of Com-
mons is where major policy is made, but the room itself is sparse, and waiting times
are longer (30-60 minutes or more). If you just want to see the grand halls of this
majestic building (without visiting either of the legislative chambers), you won't have
any waiting once you're through security.
Tours : On Saturdays year-round and when Parliament is in recess (during much of Aug
and Sept), you can get a behind-the-scenes peek at the chambers of both houses
by taking a tour—either with an audioguide or a live guide. The advantage of a
tour is that you can linger and see a few more rooms (audioguide- £ 17.50, guided
tour- £ 25, 1.5 hours, Saturdays 9:15-16:30 and selected days during recess, generally
Mon-Sat—but days and times vary, so confirm exact schedule on the Parliament
website at www.parliament.uk ) . Book ahead by calling 0844-847-1672 or through
www.ticketmaster.co.uk ; the on-site ticket office (open 8:45-16:45 on tour days only)
is located next to the Jewel Tower, opposite the south end of the Houses of Parliament.
The TI across from St. Paul's Cathedral plans to sell tour tickets, too.
Length of This Tour: Aside from the sometimes lengthy lines and security rigmarole
(which can eat up an hour or more), it takes less than an hour to tour the interior and
drop in—briefly—on a parliamentary session.
Starring: A grand building and a gaggle of chattering parliamentarians.
BACKGROUND
The Palace of Westminster has been the center of political power in England for nearly a
thousand years. Around 1050, King Edward the Confessor moved here to be next to his
newly constructed “minster” (church) in the “west”—Westminster Abbey. The Palace be-
came the monarch's official residence, the meeting place of his noble advisors (or parlia-
ment), and the supreme court of the land. In the 1500s, Henry VIII moved down the block
to Whitehall Palace (now destroyed, see here ) , and later monarchs chose to live at Kens-
ington and Buckingham Palaces. But Westminster Palace remained home to the increas-
ingly powerful Parliament.