The Palace of Westminster

   5.3. Other traditions

     No animals may enter the Palace of Westminster, with the exception of guide dogs for the blind; sniffer dogs, police horses, and horses from the Royal stables.

     Speeches may not be read out during debate in the House of Commons, although notes may be referred to. Similarly, the reading of newspapers is not allowed. Visual aids are discouraged in the chamber. Applause is also not normally allowed in the Commons. Some notable exceptions to this were when Robin Cook gave his resignation speech in 2003, when Prime Minister Tony Blair appeared for the last time at Prime Minister's Questions and when Speaker Michael Martin gave his leaving speech on 17 June 2009. The status of the Palace as a royal palace raises legal questions – according to Halsbury's Laws of England, it is not possible to arrest a person within the "verges" of the Palace (the Palace itself and its immediate surroundings). However, according to a memorandum by the Clerk of the House of Commons, there is no prohibition on arrest within the Palace and such arrests have been effected  

6. Culture and tourism

   The exterior of the Palace of Westminster—especially the Clock Tower—is recognized worldwide, and is one of the most visited tourist attractions in London. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) classifies the Palace of Westminster, along with neighboring Westminster Abbey and St Margaret's, as a World Heritage Site. It is also a Grade I listed building.

   Although there is no casual access to the interior of the Palace, there are several ways to gain admittance. UK residents may obtain tickets from their local MP for a place in the viewing gallery of the House of Commons, or from a Lord for a seat in the gallery of the House of Lords. It is also possible for both UK residents and overseas visitors to queue for admission on the day, but capacity is limited and there is no guarantee of admission. Either House may exclude "strangers" if it desires to sit in private. Members of the public can also queue for a seat in a committee session, where admission is free and places cannot be booked, or they may visit the Parliamentary Archives for research purposes. Proof of identity is necessary in the latter case, but there is no requirement to contact a Parliamentarian in advance. 

   Free guided tours of the Palace are held throughout the parliamentary session for UK residents, who can apply through their MP or a member of the House of Lords. The tours last about 75 minutes and include the state rooms, the chambers of the two Houses and Westminster Hall. Paid-for tours (led by London Blue Badge Tourist Guides) are available to both UK and overseas visitors during the summer recess. UK residents may also tour the Clock Tower, by applying through their local Member of Parliament; overseas visitors and small children are not allowed. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

   Соnclusion

   When visiting London, there is one landmark that you can’t help but notice, and that it is Big Ben, not named due to it’s sheer size, but after the first Commissioner of Works, Sir Benjamin Hall. It is 96.3 meters (315.9feet) high! It has four clock faces which are 23 feet squared and the minute hand alone, stands at 14 feet long. The numbers on the clock face are 2 feet tall! Now you can understand why it simply can’t be missed! It holds the record of being the “worlds largest four-faced chiming clock.” It did have the record of being the largest four-faced clock in the world, but this has since been overtaken by a clock in Wisconsin. That clock, however, does not chime!   The tower of the clock, has cells within it to imprison members of parliament for breach of parliamentary privilege, but the last recorded case of this was in 1880. The tower itself isn’t actually open to the general public, but if you have a “special” interest, you can try and make an appointment to visit it through the local MP.   Big Ben lies at the North-Eastern end of the Houses of Parliament. This magnificent building has been the home of the English parliament since before 1547 and was originally called the Palace of Westminster. This is the site that Edward the Confessor had the original palace built in the first half of the eleventh century. However, in 1547, the royal residence was moved, but the Lords continued to meet here and that is how it became the home of the English Parliament!   You can visit the Houses of Parliaments to view debates and also the Prime Minister’s question time, which is, expectedly the busiest time. If you want to arrange a visit to this, you need to book it through an MP or the embassy.   Not only are these fantastic landmarks full of history, they are also magnificent buildings and are part of the culture of London. They have survived many years, and Big Ben, especially, has survived bombings and all sorts and the lengthiest shut down of the clock for maintenance in 22 years was in 2005, and this was for 33 hours. IT has become well known for being a massive part of the New Year’s celebrations in the UK, with the countdown of the new year being on the “bongs” of the clock. Also, in films, it has become known as the biggest way to portray London, and it has been featured in many films.   All in all, you can’t really come to the Capital City of England and not visit Big Ben and the houses of Parliament. London is well known because of these landmarks, and although there are hundreds of things to view in the City, but these are by far, the biggest and best! 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Vocabulary 

1. Gothic - of or in the style of architecture prevalent in western Europe in the 12th -16th centuries (and revived in the mid 18th to early 20th centuries), characterized by pointed arches, rib vaults, and flying buttresses, together with large windows and elaborate tracery. English Gothic architecture is divided into Early English, Decorated, and Perpendicular.
2. Abbey - the building or buildings occupied by a community of monks or nuns.
3. Limestone - a hard sedimentary rock, composed mainly of calcium carbonate or dolomite, used as building material and in the making of cement.
4. Clustered – the spires and clustered roofs of the old town Architecture (of pillars or columns) positioned close together, or arranged round or half-detached from a pier: slender, lofty piers are encircled with clustered column shafts.
5. Column - an upright pillar, typically cylindrical, supports an arch.
6. Fresco - a painting done rapidly in watercolour on wet plaster on a wall or ceiling, so that the colours penetrate the plaster and become fixed as it dries.
7. Stained-glass - coloured glass used to form decorative or pictorial designs, typically by setting contrasting pieces in a lead framework like a mosaic and used for church windows.
8. Victorian - a person who lived during the Victorian period: the Victorians had a passion for documenting, cataloguing and classifying the world around them.
9. Plot - a plan made in secret by a group of people to do something illegal or harmful: there’s a plot to overthrow the government.
10. Gunpowder - an explosive consisting of a powdered mixture of saltpetre, sulphur, and charcoal, now chiefly used for quarry blasting and in fuses and fireworks.
11. Attempt - a bid to kill someone.
12. Snuff-box - a small ornamental box for holding snuff.
13. Applause - approval or praise expressed by clapping.

References 

1. http://www.parliament.uk
2. House of Commons Information Office. May 2009. 
3. Peter Ackroyd “ Biography of London”,
4. "Greenpeace protesters refuse to leave roof of Palace of Westminster". The Daily Telegraph (London). 12 October 2009.
5. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/trail/church_state/westminster_later/westminster_new_palace_02.shtml