Westminster

a district of London. It was formerly an independent city lying just above London on the left bank of the Thames. It was noted for its abbey, around which the ancient town of Westminster grew up. Westminster was a famous meeting place for church dignitaries. It was the favorite residence of William Rufus and other English monarchs. The suburb has long since become a part of the city. Westminster Hall, in which the Parliaments held their sessions, has been supplanted by the Houses of Parliament, making Westminster the political center of the nation. A famous bridge, known as Westminster Bridge, crosses the Thames here. The original structure was of stone resting on caissons, the most noteworthy that had been built up to that time. This bridge was begun in 1739 and completed in 1750. There were fifteen arches. The central span was seventy-six feet wide and fifty-eight feet above the Thames. In 1856-1862, it was replaced by the present bridge of seven iron arches, resting on granite piers. It is 1,160 feet long and eighty-five feet wide,--one of the notable bridges of the world. See Parliament