The palace of Westminster, usually known as the Houses of Parliament, dates only from the 19th century, but it stands on the site of the palace founded by Edward the Confessor.
The Palace of Westminster was used both as a royal residence and as a parliament house until 1512. On October 16, 1834, the old Palace of Westminster was almost destroyed by fire. After the fire, it was decided to erect a new Palace of Westminster on the old historic site. The modern palace was begun in 1840. The foundation stone of the new building, designed by Sir Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin, was laid in 1840, and Queen Victoria opened First Parliament there in 1849. The new Palace of Westminster extends over 8 acres of ground, contains 11 quadrangles, and includes 1000 rooms and 100 staircases.
There are two towers in the Palace of Westminster: the Victoria Tower and the Clock Tower. The Victoria Tower holds the records of both the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The British flag (called the Union Jack), flying from Victoria Tower shows that Parliament is in session. The light in the Clock Tower also indicates that Parliament is in session.
The clock came into service in 1859 and was nicknamed "Big Ben". It chimes the hours to the tune of Hendel's music. Big Ben is the biggest clock bell in Britain. It weighs 13,5 tons.
The Clock Tower is 318 feet high. You have to go up 374 steps to reach the top. So the clock looks small from the pavement below the tower. The four clock dials are 22,5 feet in diameter, the hour hands are nine feel long and the minute hands are 14 feet. The bell weighs 13,5 tons and the hammer which strikes it weighs 8 tons.
The clock bell was called Big Ben after Sir Benjamin Hall, who was given the job of having the bell hoisted up.
Sir Benjamin was a very tall and stout man, whose nickname was "Big Ben". One day he said in Parliament, "Shall we call the bell St. Stephen's? St. Stephen is the name of the tower". But someone joked, "Why not call it Big Ben?" Now the bell is known all over the world by that name.