Politics
Parliaments and Palaces
Lead-in questions:
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Can buildings be considered as a form of media? If so, what messages can be communicated by different types of building? Think about churches and cathedrals, railway stations, large offices and shopping malls, for example.
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What characteristics do the main government buildings usually have in large or wealthy countries? Why?
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Is it important for a country to have an impressive parliament building? Why/why not?
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- This historical fortified complex serves as the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the Russian Federation. The site originates from the first settlements in the area where the Neglinnaya River flowed into the Moskva River. From the 11th century there has been a significant fortified structure on the hill. The irregular triangle of the fortress walls encloses an area of 275,000 square metres.
- This building was designed by Frankfurt architect Paul Wallot, and the foundation stone was laid by Wilhelm I on June 9, 1884. The building was set on fire in 1933 under suspicious circumstances and partially destroyed by the Russian army in 1945. Reconstruction began in 1992, designed by British architect Norman Foster.
- This is the official residence of the President of the United States of America. It was designed by James Hoban, an Irishman, and it is modelled on the palace of a duke in Dublin. Construction began on October 13, 1792. In 1814 it was burned down by British troops.
- Designed by Imre Steindl, this building was begun in 1885 and finished in 1904. There were an average of a thousand people working on it during that time, and 40 million bricks, half a million precious stones and 40kg of gold were used in its construction. It is built in the same Gothic Revival style as the Houses of Parliament in London.
- This structure is officially known as The Palace of Westminster, even though no monarch has lived in it since the 16th century. It contains more than 1,000 rooms of which the Chambers of the House of Lords and of the House of Commons are the most important because those are where government business is conducted. Perhaps the most well known feature of the Palace is the clock tower, which houses the Great Bell of Westminster, otherwise known as Big Ben.
- This building is used for legislative and ceremonial activities by the People’s Republic of China and the Communist Party of China. It was built in 10 months by volunteers in 1958 and 1959. With floor space of more than 170, 000 square metres it has 300 meeting halls, lounges and office rooms. Each meeting hall is named after a political division of China and furnished according to the local style.
- Formally opened for business on October 9, 2004 by Queen Elizabeth II, this building was designed by the Catalan architect Enric Miralles, who died while it was being built. His design was radical and highly complex, involving a series of towers and an open-plan debating chamber. The original budget was £55 million but the final cost was £470 million.
Task 1
Task 2
Read the questions below and then put the number of the appropriate building in the box. Use the numbers from the pictures.