Westminster

Responsible for the images that grace most London postcards, Westminster is a goldmine of historical sights. Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and more all fall within the confines of this age-old neighborhood, a necessary stop for all new visitors to the city. With so many choices, many of which require a good chunk of time, it can be difficult to decide what to visit and what to leave out. Don’t feel as though you need to hit them all; just take your time and enjoy what you can.

 Westminster Abbey

Parliament Sq. Access Old Monastery, Cloister, and Garden from Dean’s Yard, behind the Abbey. Westminster. Abbey ☎ 7654 4900, Chapter House 7222 5152; www.westminster-abbey.org. No photography. Abbey oPEN M-Tu and Th-F 9:30am-3:45pm, W 9:30am-7pm, Sa 9:30am-1:45pm, Su open for services only. Museum open daily 10:30am-4pm. Partially wheelchair-accessible. Abbey and Museum £10, students and children 11-17 £7, families of 4 £24. Services free. 1hr. tours £5 Apr.-Oct. M-F 10, 10:30, 11am, 2, 2:30pm, Sa 10, 10:30, 11am; Oct.-Mar. M-F 10:30, 11am, 2, 2:30pm, Sa 10:30, 11am. Audio tours £4 available M-F 9:30am-3pm, Sa 9:30am-1pm. AmEx/MC/V.

Originally founded as a Benedictine monastery, Westminster Abbey has evolved to become a house of kings and queens both living and dead. On December 28, 1065, St. Edward the Confessor, last Saxon King of England, was buried in the Abbey in his still-unfinished Abbey Church of the West Monastery. Almost exactly a year later, on Christmas Day, the Abbey saw the coronation of William the Conqueror. Even before it was completed, the Abbey’s twin traditions as the birthplace and final resting place of royalty had been established. Little remains of St. Edward’s Abbey: Henry III’s 13th-century Gothic reworking created most of the grand structure you see today. In 1540, Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries, expelling the monks and seizing control of the Abbey. Fortunately, Henry’s respect for his royal forbearers outweighed his vindictiveness against Catholicism, so Westminster escaped destruction and desecration. Much of the monastic artwork has been lost over time, but the structure and the vaulted Gothic architecture remain beautifully preserved. The Abbey became a “Royal Peculiar” under the direct control of Henry VIII. Under this ambiguous status, the Abbey has since become a ceremonial center for the nation. Every ruler since William I has been coronated here, and many have been married here as well. The Abbey is also a place for royal funerals. The varied uses and styles in the Abbey have combined to make an intriguing and often strange mix of statues, tombs, and plaques.

Of the many Brits buried and commemorated inside the Abbey, highlights include statesmen (and women) Henry VII, Bloody Mary, and Elizabeth I; scholars and artists in the “Poet’s Corner” (honored with plaques, but not buried there) include Geoffrey Chaucer, the Brontë sisters, Jane Austen, George Handel, and Shakespeare. Next door to the Abbey (through the cloisters), the lackluster Abbey Museum is housed in the Norman undercroft. The highlight of the collection is the array of fully dressed medieval royal funeral effigies, undergarments and all.

Old Monastery, Cloisters, And Gardens. Formerly a major monastery, the Abbey complex still stretches far beyond the church itself, including gardens and other structures. A door off the east cloister leads to the octagonal Chapter House, the original meeting place of the House of Commons, whose 13th-century tiled floor is the best preserved in Europe. The faded but still exquisite frescoes of the Book of Revelations around the walls date from this period, as do the sculpture and floor tiles. The Great Cloisters hold yet more tombs and commemorative plaques. A passage running off the southeast corner leads to the idyllic flowering Little Cloister courtyard, from which another passage leads to the 900-year-old College Gardens, which are kept in immaculate condition. ( Chapter House open daily 10:30am-4pm. Cloisters open daily 8am-6pm. Garden open Apr.-Sept. Tu-Th 10am-6pm; Oct.-Mar. daily 10am-4pm. Free. )

St. Margaret’S. Just north of the Abbey, this church enjoys a strange status: as a part of the Royal Peculiar, it is not under the jurisdiction of the diocese of England or even the archbishop of Canterbury. It was built for local residents by Abbey monks tired of having to share their own church with laymen and has been beautifully restored in the past few years. Since 1614, it has been the official worshipping place of the House of Commons—the first few pews are cordoned off for the Speaker, Black Rod, and other dignitaries. Parts of the church at times seem to be at odds with one another: the Gothic columns and arches support a decidedly un-Gothic ceiling. Also, the noticeably different styles of stained-glass windows can feel mismatched, but with good reason, since the geometric, gray-and-green-hued Piper Windows replaced those destroyed in WWII. The Milton Window (1888), in the back above the North Aisle, shows the poet (married here in 1608) dictating Paradise Lost to his daughters. Stained-glass images from the book fill the surrounding panels. Winston Churchill married his beloved “Clemmie” in the chapel. In the summer months, free lunchtime concerts are offered on a weekly basis: call to find out more information. (☎ 7654 4840. Open M-F 9:30am-3:45pm, Sa 9:30am-1:45pm, Su 2-5pm. Hours subject to change; call first. Wheelchair-accessible. Free.)

 Buckingham Palace

At the end of the Mall, between Westminster, Belgravia, and Mayfair. St. James’s Park, Victoria, Green Park, or Hyde Park Corner. ☎ 7766 7324; www.the-royal-collection.com.

Originally built for the Dukes of Buckingham, Buckingham House was acquired by George III for his new wife, Queen Charlotte, in 1761. Charlotte gave birth to 14 of her 15 children at Buckingham House. George IV, the next sovereign, decided it wasn’t nearly big enough to be a royal residence and commissioned John Nash to expand the existing building into a palace. Neither George IV nor his successor, William IV, ever lived in the palace; when the 1834 fire left Parliament without a home, William offered Buckingham. Three years later, however, Queen Victoria moved in, and it has been the royal residence ever since. The structure was too small for Victoria’s rapidly growing family, a problem that was solved by removing Nash’s Marble Arch (which now stands just north at Marble Arch) and building a fourth wall to enclose the courtyard.

The State Rooms. The Palace opens to visitors every August and September while the royals are off sunning themselves. Don’t expect to find any insights into the Queen’s personal life—the State Rooms are the only rooms on view, and they are used only for formal occasions, like entertaining visiting heads of state. Fortunately, they are also the most sumptuous in the Palace. After ascending the grand staircase, you can tour the chromatically labeled drawing rooms, bedecked in white, blue, and green. Look for the secret door concealed in one of the White Drawing Room’s mirrors—the royals enter the state apartments through this door. You’ll also see the Throne Room and the domed and glittering Music Room. The Galleries display many of the finest pieces in the Royal Collection, including works by Rembrandt, Rubens, Poussin, and Canaletto. Queen Elizabeth has graciously allowed commoners into the Gardens, home to rare flowers and birds—keep off the grass! (Enter on Buckingham Palace Rd. Ticket office ☎ 7766 7324. Tickets also available at Buckingham Palace. Open late July to late Sept. daily 9:30am-6:30pm, last admission 4:15pm. £15, students £13.50, children 6-17 £8.50, under 5 free, families of 5 £69.50. Advance booking is recommended; required for disabled visitors. AmEx/MC/V.)

The Royal Mews. The Mews wears many hats: it acts as a museum, stable, riding school, and working carriage house. The main attraction is the Queen’s collection of coaches, including the “Glass Coach” used to carry royal brides (including Diana) to their weddings, and the State Coaches of Australia, Ireland, and Scotland. The biggest draw is the four-ton Gold State Coach, which can occasionally be seen tooling around the streets in the early morning on practice runs for major events. The attendants on guard throughout the self-guided tour are gold mines of royal information, full of tips on when and where to catch glimpses of Their Royal Highnesses. Visitors can meet the carriage horses themselves, each named by the Queen. Each horse has undergone years of training to withstand the distractions of crowds, street traffic, and gun salutes. Displays regarding more modern forms of transportation (the royal fleet of Rolls Royces) and the training and garments of the carriage men are an interesting contrast. Note that horses and carriages are liable to be absent without notice, and opening hours are subject to change. (☎ 7766 7302. Open late July to late Sept. daily 10am-5pm, last admission 4:15pm; Mar.-July and late Sept. to late Oct. M-Th and Sa-Su 11am—4pm, last admission 3:15pm. Wheelchair-accessible. £7, seniors £6, children under 17 £4.50, families £18.50. AmEx/MC/V.)

Queens Gallery. “God Save the Queen” is the rallying cry at this gallery dedicated to temporary exhibitions of jaw-droppingly valuable items from the Royal Collection. Most recently, a showing of Renaissance and Baroque Italian works were on display until January 2008. Five exquisite rooms are full of various artifacts dedicated to extolling the glory of the sovereign in numerous art forms. The friendly older guards can show you the finest pieces of the Royal Collection, with the exception of the State Rooms. The rooms in this opulent museum are monochromatic and designed to look like the interior of the palace; a grand staircase and green marble pillars welcome visitors into the first room. Free audio tours typically accompany exhibits. Once purchased, passes may be registered online for 12 months of unlimited access. (☎ 7766 7301. Open daily 10am-5:30pm, last admission 4:30pm. Wheelchair-accessible. £8, concessions £7, families £22.)

Changing Of The Guard. The Palace is protected by a detachment of Foot Guards in full dress uniform, complete with highly impractical bearskin hats. “Changing of the Guard” refers not to replacing the sentries but to the exchange of guard duty between different regiments. When they meet at the central gates of the palace, the officers of the regiments touch hands, symbolically exchanging keys, and the guard is officially changed. Often, musical troops provide an accompanying soundtrack. To witness the 40min. spectacle, show up well before 11:30am and stand in front of the palace in view of the morning guards or use the steps of the Victoria Memorial as a vantage point. The middle of the week is the least crowded. (☎ 7766 7324. Apr. to late July daily, Aug.-Mar. every other day, excepting the Queen’s absence, inclement weather, or pressing state functions. Free.)

The Houses Of Parliament

Parliament Sq., in Westminster. Queue for both Houses forms at St. Stephen’s entrance, between Old and New Palace Yards. Westminster. ☎ 08709 063 773; www.parliament.uk/visiting/visiting.cfm. “Line of Route” Tour: includes both Houses. UK residents can contact their MPs for tours year-round, generally M-W mornings and F. Foreign visitors may tour Aug.-Sept. Book online, by phone, or in person at Abingdon Green ticket office (open mid-July) across from Palace of Westminster. Open Aug. M-Tu and F-Sa 9:15am-4:30pm, W-Th 1:15-4:30pm; Sept. M and F-Sa 9:15am-4:30pm, Tu-Th 1:15-4:30pm. 75min. tours depart every few min. £12, students £8, families of 4 £30. MC/V.

The Palace of Westminster has been home to both the House of Lords and the House of Commons (together known as Parliament) since the 11th century, when Edward the Confessor established his court here. William the Conqueror added Westminster Hall in 1099—a wise move, since the rest of the Palace burned down in 1834. As a result, with the exception of Westminster Hall, everything you can see today has been added in the 19th and 20th centuries. Two architects were commissioned for the rebuilding project—Classicist Charles Barry and Gothic champion Augustus Pugin—and a masterful combination of architectural styles resulted from their clash of temperaments. The exterior of the Palace is mostly Gothic, and the interior rooms and halls have a Classic dimension. Access has been restricted since a bomb killed an MP in 1979, but visitors can see some of the inside on the way to the galleries.

Big Ben And Victoria Tower. The clock tower standing guard on the northern side of the building is famously nicknamed Big Ben, after the robustly proportioned Benjamin Hall, a former Commissioner of Works. “Big Ben” actually refers only to the 14-ton bell that hangs inside the tower. The tower itself, Victoria Tower, was erected in 1834 to celebrate the emancipation of slaves in the British Empire. The tower contains copies of every Act of Parliament since 1497. A flag flown from the top indicates that Parliament is in session. When the Queen is in the building, a special royal banner is flown instead of the Union Jack.

Debating Chambers. Visitors with enough patience or luck to make it inside the chambers can hear the occasional debate among members of both the House of Lords and the House of Commons—although the architecture of the palace is more worthwhile than the debates themselves. The chambers are accessed via St. Stephen’s Hall, which leads to the octagonal Central Lobby—the best example of the Gothic and Classical coexistence. The walls have ornate mosaics from 1870 depicting the kingdom’s patron saints, while the Gothic archways hold stone sculptures of monarchs perched over the doors.

Access to the House of Lords is through the Peers’ Lobby, which smug MPs have bedecked with scenes of Charles I’s downfall. The ostentatious chamber itself is dominated by the sovereign’s Throne of State under an elaborate gold gilt canopy—only when the golden throne is occupied can the Commons and the Lords congregate. The Lord Chancellor presides over the Peers from the Woolsack, a large red cushion that is quite the unusual post for a government official. Next to him rests the nearly 6 ft. gold Mace, which is brought in to open the House each morning. The lords face each other from their red leather benches arranged around the room. (Lords Information Office ☎ 7219 3107. Chamber open Oct.-July M-Tu 2:30-10:30pm, W 3-10pm, Th 11am-7:30pm. Wait for Lords generally shorter than for Commons, although it still may not be possible to enter until after the 40min. “question time” M-W 2:30pm, Th-F 11am. Limited number of UK residents permitted for “question time.” Foreign visitors must apply several weeks in advance for “question time” tickets through their embassy in London, or wait until questions are finished for entrance. Arrive in afternoon to minimize waiting, which regularly exceeds 2hr.)

The contrast between the Lords and the House of Commons—with simple green-backed benches under an intricate but comparatively plain wooden roof—is not entirely due to the difference in class; the Commons was destroyed by bombs in 1941, and rebuilding took place during a time of post-war austerity. The Speaker sits at the center-rear of the chamber, where he keeps order in the room. The government MPs sit to his right and the opposition to his left. However, with room for only 437 of the 635 MPs, things can get hectic when all are present. The front benches are reserved for government ministers and their opposition “shadows”; the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition face off across their dispatch boxes. (Commons Information Office ☎ 7219 4272. Chamber open Oct.-July M-Tu 2:30-10:30pm, W 11:30am-7:30pm, Th 10:30am-6:30pm, occasionally F 9:30am-3pm. Hours subject to change.)

Other Westminster Sights

 St. James’S Park And Green Park. The streets leading up to Buckingham Palace are flanked by two sprawling expanses of greenery: St. James’s Park and Green Park. In the middle of St. James’s Park is the placid St. James’s Park Lake, where you can catch glimpses of the pelicans that call it home—the lake and the grassy area surrounding it comprise an official waterfowl preserve. In the back corner, closest to the Palace, is a children’s playground in memory of Princess Diana. Across the Mall, the lush Green Park is the creation of Charles II; it connects Westminster and St. James’s. “Constitution Hill” refers not to the King’s interest in political theory but to his daily exercises. If you sit on one of the lawn chairs scattered enticingly around both parks, an attendant will magically materialize and demand money. Alternatively, act like a local and bring a blanket for a picnic, at no charge. (The Mall. St. James’s Park or Green Park. Open daily 5am-midnight. Lawn chairs available, weather permitting, Mar.-Oct. 10am-6pm; June-Aug. 10am-10pm £2 for 2hr., student deal £30 for the season. Last rental 2hr. before close. Summer walks in the park some M 1-2pm, including tour of Guard’s Palace and Victoria Tower Gardens. Book in advance by calling ☎ 7930 1793.)

Westminster Cathedral. Following Henry VIII’s divorce from the Catholic Church, London’s Catholic community remained without a cathedral until 1884 when the Church purchased a derelict prison on the site of a former monastery. The Neo-Byzantine church looks somewhat like a fortress and is now one of London’s great religious landmarks. Construction began in 1895, but the architect’s plan outran available funds. By 1903, when work stopped, the interior remained unfinished. The result, however, is extraordinary. The four blackened brick domes still await mosaic inlay. The front altar is covered with an ornate marble canopy called a baldachino; above it hangs an imposing 10m cross. The brightness of the mosaics contrasts with the Colosseum-style marble arches and balconies. A lift carries visitors up the striped 273 ft. bell tower for an all-encompassing view of Westminster, the river, and Kensington. (Cathedral Piazza, off Victoria St. Victoria. ☎ 7798 9055; www.westminstercathedral.org.uk. Open daily 8am-7pm. Free; suggested donation £2. Bell tower open daily 9:30am-12:30pm and 1-5pm. Organ recitals Su 4:45pm.)

Whitehall. Whitehall refers to the stretch of road connecting Trafalgar Sq. with Parliament Sq. and is synonymous with the British civil service. From 1532 until a devastating fire in 1698, it was the home of the monarchy and one of the grandest palaces in Europe, of which very little remains. Toward the north end of Whitehall, Great Scotland Yard marks the former headquarters of the Metropolitan Police. Nearer Parliament Sq., heavily guarded steel gates mark the entrance to Downing Street. In 1735, No. 10 was made the official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury, a position that soon became permanently identified with the Prime Minister. The Chancellor of the Exchequer traditionally resides at No. 11 and the Parliamentary Chief Whip at No. 12. When Tony Blair’s family was too big for No. 10, he switched with Gordon Brown, a move that proved convenient when Brown was appointed Prime Minister in 2007. The street is closed to visitors, but if you wait long enough you might see the PM going to or coming from work. South of Downing St., in the middle of Whitehall, Edward Lutyen’s Cenotaph (1919) stands, a tall and proud commemoration to WWI’s dead. Many of the islands in the middle of the road hold statues honoring monarchs and military heroes, a testament to the avenue’s identity as the center of civil service. (Between Trafalgar Sq. and Parliament Sq. Westminster, Embankment, or Charing Cross.)

Life Guards. The most photographed men in the area, the Queen’s Life Guards, hold court in the center of Whitehall. Two mounted soldiers of the Household Cavalry, in shining breastplates and plumed helmets, guard a shortcut to The Mall and St. James’s Park. While anyone can walk through, only those with a special ivory pass issued by the Queen may drive past the gates. The guards are posted from Monday to Saturday at 11am and Sunday at 10am, until a dismount for inspection daily at 4pm—a 200-year-old tradition broken only by WWII. Beyond the Neoclassical building is the pebbly expanse of Horse Guards Parade, where the Queen ceremonially sizes up her troops during the Trooping of the Colour ceremony on the second Saturday in June. (Whitehall. Westminster, Embankment, or Charing Cross.)

Parliament Square. Conspiracy theorists will notice that this square, a center for anti-government protests over the last 250 years, is one of the few parks in the city without pedestrian access. Set in the middle of a busy traffic thoroughfare, would-be protesters must dodge traffic in all directions to reach this scruffy patch of grass. Until recently, anti-war activists displayed huge, eye-catching placards to passing motorists here, but a law instated in August 2005 has prohibited all “unauthorized” protests. The law was designed to remove a single anti-war protester, Brian Haw, who spent an impressive four years in the square despite several attempts to evict him. Despite the law, it’s still not unusual to find protesters camped out in support of their cause. If you make it to the square, you will see statues of Parliamentary greats, as well as a huge cast of honest Abe Lincoln across the road behind the square. (Across the street from Parliament and Westminster Abbey. Westminster.)

Victoria Tower Gardens. South of the Palace of Westminster and overlooking the Thames, the open lawn and magnificent backdrop make the gardens a favorite spot for MPs, tourists, professionals, and TV crews running political features. For similar reasons, it’s a first-rate picnic venue. Check out the superb cast of Rodin’s Burghers of Calais and the memorial to suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, which stands just inside the northwest gate. On the opposite side from the Palace, a tiny, slightly out-of-place Neo-Gothic gazebo commemorates the 1834 abolition of slavery on British territory. (Millbank. Westminster. Open daily until dusk. Wheelchair-accessible.)