Interior of the House of Commons, as it appeared before the Palace of Westminster (dating to the Middle Ages) was burned on 16 October 1834. The present Houses of Parliament, which are occupied by both Lords and Commons, were erected after 1840. Click here to enlarge.
The fire that destroyed the Palace of Westminster occurred on October 16, 1834, and was one of the most devastating in British history. The blaze began when tally sticks, a form of outdated accounting records, were burned in a stove in the House of Lords. The fire quickly spread, engulfing much of the medieval structure, including the House of Commons and numerous historic rooms. Despite efforts by firefighters and civilians, the building was mostly destroyed. The disaster led to the construction of the current iconic Parliament buildings, designed by Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin, in the Gothic Revival style.
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