The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, close to the historic Westminster Abbey and the government buildings of Whitehall and Downing Street.

At the north end of the Palace rises the most famous of the towers, the Clock Tower which stands at 96.3Êmetres (316 ft). The Clock Tower's fame has surpassed that of the Palace itself. The structure has largely become synonymous with Big Ben, the heaviest of the five bells it houses.