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Explore Parliament Price: US$32.96 In Stock. Usually ships in 1-2 business days Platform: Windows and MacOS Category: Windows Travel And Geography MacOS Travel And Geography By: Armchair Travel Co Ltd 
A new interactive CD-ROM in Armchair Travel's World Heritage Explorer™ Series. Each disc in this series contains hundreds of fascinating movies, stories, and anecdotes, as well as full 360 degree Photographic Virtual Reality tours through the site. Microsoft Windows and Macintosh compatible. These CDs contain a full, tour of the Houses of Parliament, complete with over 10,000 images, 350 mini-movies, 72 QuickTime VR 360° panoramic photos, linking travel video between panoramas, Royal Family Trees, King Arthur Legend, and extensive biographical text and quotations. Explore Parliament - Educational Notes The Houses of Parliament and the Royal Palace of Westminster A Royal Palace has existed on this site for over 1,000 years. What stands here today is named the New Palace of Westminster, built in the 1840/50s following the destructive fire of 1834. However, some parts of the building, such as Westminster Hall, date back to its founder, William Rufus. The 'New Palace' was designed by the architect Sir Charles Barry, with interiors by Augustus Welby Pugin. ). The Palace, which is otherwise known as The Houses of Parliament, has been the home of British Government since the 11th Century when the King's Great Council of court members and knights met here to decide on matters of state - hence the origins of the British constitution laid out in Magna Carta. To this day, members of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords meet within these walls to debate upon such matters. Although since the nineteenth century the building has become more of a functional workplace than a Royal Palace, it is still used for many state ceremonies, most notably when Queen Elizabeth II opens Parliament each year. The Royal Gallery - The Royal Gallery is the second stage of the Royal progress at the State Opening of Parliament. The Queen advances down this vast room (100 ft) towards the Chamber of the House of Lords. The Royal Gallery is so called because it houses a collection of portraits and statues of Kings and Queens since George I. It is also famous for the two huge murals by Maclise which line the walls - The Death of Nelson and The Meeting of Wellington and Blücher. The Chamber of the House of Lords The Chamber in which the Lords meet to debate is also the culminating point of the Royal Procession to open Parliament. As such the chamber is also the climax of the decorative scheme, as exemplified in the richly gilded throne and canopy - the size of which emphasises the importance of Royalty above all others in the room. It is within this magnificent setting that members of the House of Lords meet to hold general debates, put questions to ministers, and consider legislation, although their power over this is limited. The Chamber of the House of Commons The Chamber of the House of Commons is where Britain's elected representatives meet to debate. It was redesigned after the Second World War by Giles Gilbert Scott on almost exactly the same plan as that devised by Charles Barry in the ninetieth century. The shape of the new room derives from that of the Chapel of St Stephen, which was for centuries the home of the Commons, until the fire of 1834. The ornate Speaker's Chair in the centre of the Chamber, along with the clerks' desk, form the dividing line between the Government and Opposition benches - the Government being on the Speaker's right. The Central Lobby The Central Lobby is the central point in the Palace between the House of Lords and House of Commons - the 'crossroads' of the Houses of Parliament. The Lobby is the place where visitors and constituents come to 'lobby' their MP. Big Ben The name Big Ben refers to the bell, rather than to the Westminster Clock. The bell was probably nicknamed after the champion boxer (of the time) Benjamin Caunt. It was designed and cast under the supervision of Edmund Beckett Denison, a leading expert on clocks and bells. The first bell was brought by sea from the North of England, but on being tested, cracked. A second bell was raised to the belfry, with some difficulty, and this too cracked, but it was found that by turning the bell and reducing the weight of the clapper it sounded satisfactorily, and has continued to do so, with minor interruptions, every hour for the last 140 years. The Terrace The east side of the palace, that which runs alongside the Thames River, is 872 ft long, and incorporates the terrace which is 678 ft long and 33 ft wide. The front of the terrace is decorated with various statues and coats of arms of British kings and queens ranging from William the Conqueror to Queen Victoria. From the terrace one can see, across the river, Westminster Bridge, County Hall, St Thomas' Hospital and Lambeth Palace. In the early 1970s the level of the terrace was raised as a precaution against flooding. System Requirements
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