Westminster ˈwɛs(t)mɪnstə is an area of
central London, within the
City of Westminster,
England. It lies on the north bank of the
River Thames, southwest of the
City of London and 0.5 mi southwest of
Charing Cross. It has a large concentration of
London's historic and prestigious landmarks and visitor attractions, including the
Palace of Westminster,
Buckingham Palace,
Westminster Abbey, and
Westminster Cathedral.
Historically part of the parish of
St Margaret in the
City and Liberty of Westminster and the
county of
Middlesex, the name
Westminster was the ancient description for the area around Westminster Abbey – the West
Minster, or monastery church, that gave the area its name – which has been
the seat of the
government of England (and later the
British government) for almost a thousand years. Westminster is the location of the
Palace of Westminster, a
UNESCO World Heritage Site which houses the
Parliament of the United Kingdom. The nearest tube stations to Westminster are
Westminster tube station,
St James Park tube station and
Waterloo tube station.