Building the Palace

There has been much controversy, which still lingers, over the question of whether Augustus Pugin rather than Charles Barry deserves the greater credit for the architectural triumph of the Palace of Westminster.

Follow the timeline of the Palace of Westminster's architectural progress from 1834to 2000.

In 1835, a Royal Commission was appointed to study the rebuilding of the Palace and a heated public debate over the proposed styles ensued.

The Victoria Tower is the tallest tower in the Palace of Westminster. Named after Queen Victoria, it was for many years the tallest and largest stone square tower in the world, with a height of 98.5 metres (325 feet).

Explore artwork of Big Ben and the Elizabeth Tower from the Parliamentary collection.

Find out about the building of UK Parliament's famous clock tower and Big Ben bell.