The Houses of Parliament are newer than one might suspect – most of the current Palace of Westminster was built in the 1860s, after a fire destroyed much of the Tudor building on the same site. (The first building on the site was built by Edward the Confessor in about 1040.) The vast, rambling structure contains the chambers of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, and many offices for MPs and parliament’s staff, as well as living accommodation for the Speaker and others.

The House of Commons (decorated in green) and the House of Lords (red) are the two legislative houses of the UK governing system. In order for a Bill to become and Act of Parliament, it must be passed by both houses and signed by the monarch, although in most cases the House of Lords (made up of some hereditary peers, appointed life peers, bishops of the Church of England, and the Law Lords) has power only to delay legislation by a couple of years rather than refuse it altogether. The Speaker of the House of Commons is elected from amongst MPs, and after he is elected ceases to vote or take political positions. The Speaker of the House of Lords sits on a woolsack, representative of the source of England’s wealth for many centuries in the Middle Ages. The country’s highest court is also called the House of Lords, and is made up only of Law Lords, who are appointed by the Lord Chancellor from amongst Court of Appeal and High Court judges.

Both houses are, unusually in international terms, made up of benches which face each other across the floor. The government party’s Members of Parliament (MPs) sit on one side, all opposition parties on the other side. The floor is marked on each side by lines, and an MP may only speak when he is inside those lines. (The lines are two swords-lengths apart, a relic of a more aggressive time in politics.) It is possible to get tickets to watch the Houses in action, but this is easier if you are a UK voter and can go through your MP to get them. See here for the Houses of Parliament website on obtaining entry to the Palace of Westminster.

Big Ben is technically the name of the biggest bell in the tower at the end of the Houses of Parliament, but the tower itself is often called by the same name. The Speaker of the House of Commons had a flat in the tower, as does the Lord Chancellor (Speaker of the House of Lords, who also makes judicial appointments.)

Since my first trip to London in 1988, I have dreamed of getting into the Houses of Parliament. The Houses have been closed to the public, except the strangers gallery, due to fear of terrorism. This summer, they opened up for the first time in years.

We ordered tickets online, and they were mailed to us well in advance of our visit. We had to check in 15 minutes early, and we were split into groups of 16 to 18 people. We were then assigned a guide--in our case, Kate--and we went in one group at a time. Security was high--we were patted down, went through a metal detector, and our bags were searched.

We were shown the Sovereign's entrance, but we got to go in a trade entrance. We walked up the Royal Stairs--the queen takes the lift up these days. At the top of the stairs, there was a beautiful stained-glass window of Edward the Confessor.

The Houses of Parliament were largely destroyed by a fire in 1834. They were rebuilt in a high Gothic style. We toured into the robing room where the queen changes into her robes for the opening of Parliament. Prince Charles and Prince Philip get to use a smaller room. This room is beautiful, all maroon and gold. It has Arturian Friezes around the upper walls, extolling the values of chivalry.

The royal gallery has portraits and statues of the monarchs. There is also an interesting model of the former palace of Westminster. There are cases here with important documents, one of which is the signed death warrant of King Charles I.

Next, we went through the Houses of Lords, and Kate explained the makeup of the House, Lords Spiritual, Lord Temporal, and Life Peers. Then we got to do what the Queen can never do: we walked from the House of Lords to the House of Commons (the monarch is not welcome in the House of Commons). Charles I was the last monarch in the House of Commons, and he tried to force his way in.

We picked up some interesting trivia here. There are lines on the floor in the House of Commons. The terms "Don't Cross the Line" and "Tow the Line" had their birth in this room. The lines are to keep the two parties apart. We got to announce ourselves as we entered the House, just as the members do when the bell calling them is rung.

Our last stop was Westminster Hall, the largest remaining portion of the old palace. It has a beautiful 15th-century hammered roof. This was also the only room we were allowed to photograph. This is the room where William Wallace was condemned and Charles I sat where we stood. Monarchs have also laid in state in this room.

This was an amazing experience. If you get the chance, do it. It's a wonderful lesson in the British system of government.

The Houses of Parliament are also known as Westminster Palace. This huge building houses the House of Lords and the House of Commons, the two parts of the British legislature. This is also the building where Big Ben is. If you come at the right time, you can go on a guided tour of the building, which lasts about an hour. I went on this tour, so I know it is available at the end of September, but I don't remember other times it is available. You certainly can't get this tour all year round. On the tour you get to walk up the same stairs the Queen uses when she comes to open a new session of Parliament. You walk through the actual rooms where the House of Lords and the House of Commons meets. On my tour the guide explained in detail the workings of the legislature and the history of it. She pointed out little things, like an indentation in the door to the House of Commons that has been made over the years by the ring of the Queen's representative as he makes the ritualistic knock during the opening ceremony. This was one of the most informative and interesting tours while I was in London.

Located on the Thames (the nearby bridge is the perfect place for capturing these sights on film), the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben are a must for the London tourist. If you are willing to wait in line, you can actually listen to Parliament in session. When we were there, this event consisted of about 5 individuals yelling nastily at each other.