Westminster Hall

Westminster Hall stands as the oldest surviving part of the Palace of Westminster, commissioned in 1097 by William Rufus, the son of William the Conqueror. When it was completed in 1099, it held the title of the largest hall in England, and many believe it was the largest in all of Europe at that time. Its walls are two meters thick, and to show off his absolute power, the King ordered the structure built on such a massive scale that it often dwarfed the royal household.