Pictures all courtesy of Unsplash
It is interesting to learn that the British House of Parliament, known as the Palace of Westminster, is in a dire state of repair. The mother of parliaments is in desperate need of renovation and restoration. The Elizabeth Tower, which houses Big Ben, has been restored at great cost, and the possibility of doing the same with the rest is a necessity but would require a great deal of time and expense.
The building obviously has historic and global importance and is vast as it covers an area of eight acres. It also has elaborate carvings, stained glass windows, and important decorations. It apparently costs in the region of 3 million pounds a week to maintain it, and yet it is a hazardous place with the possibility of a severe fire starting someday. There have been 25 fires in the building since 2016, all, admittedly, minor. The vaults below the main floors are full of wires and pipes, with puddles, tape, foil, warning signs and old tins to catch the drips. There is also asbestos in the building to which 117 people were accidentally exposed and who will require regular health checks for the next 40 years.
The building was burnt to the ground in 1834 and was rebuilt in a Gothic/Elizabethan style. It took until 1876 for all the work to be completed. Prior to completion, the Lords were able to move into their chamber in 1847, and the MPs moved into the Commons in 1852. The Commons chamber has never been big enough to accommodate all MPs, and after being bombed in the Second World War, it was decided to keep it as it was before. Its smallness creates an intimacy but is not really suitable for genuine work to be accomplished; such work is done in the many rooms in the Palace.
