The iconic Houses of Parliament (Palace of Westminster) that you see today were mainly built in the 19th century, after a devastating fire in 1834 destroyed most of the old medieval palace. Construction of the new complex began in 1840, and the main parliamentary chambers were finished in stages through the mid‑19th century.

Quick Scoop

  • The site has been a royal and political centre since at least the 11th century, with an early palace and Westminster Hall dating from 1097.
  • Most of the original medieval buildings were destroyed by fire in October 1834.
  • The present Houses of Parliament were designed in Gothic Revival style by Charles Barry, with interiors and detailing by Augustus Pugin.
  • Foundation stone for the new Palace of Westminster was laid in 1840.
  • House of Lords Chamber opened in 1847; House of Commons Chamber followed in 1852.
  • Restoration and alterations have continued ever since, including repairs after bomb damage in the Second World War.

Short answer for “when were the Houses of Parliament built?”

If you mean the current Gothic Revival building on the Thames:

  • Main rebuilding period: 1840–early 1850s, with the key dates:
    • 1840 – start of construction and laying of the foundation stone
* 1847 – Lords Chamber completed

* 1852 – Commons Chamber completed and Parliament first met there

If you look at the whole history of the site:

  • A palace existed there from the time of Edward the Confessor in the mid‑11th century.
  • Westminster Hall, the oldest surviving part, was built in 1097 and still stands today.

So, in everyday terms, when people ask “when were the Houses of Parliament built?”, they usually mean the Victorian rebuilding after 1834, mostly completed between 1840 and 1852.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.