The Palace of Westminster is the seat of Britain’s two houses of parliament, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons, and so it is more commonly known as the House of Parliament. It is located on the left bank of the River Thames in the borough of Westminster, London. The building, now considered one of the finest gothic structures in the world, has had a turbulent history which has included destruction by fire and bombing.
Westminster was originally a royal residence. In 1512, the palace suffered greatly from fire. It was rebuilt, and in 1530, when King Henry moved his residence to Whitehall Palace, the House of Lords continued to meet in Westminster Palace. In 1547, the House of Commons also moved here, and Westminster Palace became the seat of government.
Westminster was destroyed by a fire in 1834, but was rebuilt again, and work was finished by 1860. The Commons Chamber was burned out in one of the numerous air raids that targeted London during World War II, but it was restored and reopened in 1950.