The Houses of Parliament is an iconic building in the heart of London that is easily recognisable as one of London’s most eye catching buildings. The site is actually the Palace of Westminster which is a royal palace that used to be the residence of the kings of England. The extensive building comprises of 1200 rooms, 100 stairwells, and over two miles of corridors. Amongst these is Westminster Hall which is now used for ceremonial events.

The Palace of Westminster was the residence of the kings of England between the 11th century and the 14th century. By the end of the 14th century all aspects of the court of England was located in the palace.

The Palace of Westminster has several towers, the biggest being 323 feet tall and home to the Parliamentary archives. At the north end of the Palace is the famous Big Ben, it is 316 feet tall and a must see on any visit to London.

It’s a easy decision for me as I’m from Blackpool so it’s something that I’ve grown up with from a young age. Opened on 14 May 1894 the tower was based on the Eiffel Tower. Standing at 158m (518ft 9 inches) the tower can be seen from most areas of Lancashire and even on a clear day from Liverpool and Manchester.

As well as the tower the building below is a large building with many areas including a circus, aquairum, resturants, At the top of the tower there is a walk of faith installed in 1998 which is a glass walkway that is 2 inches thick.