Editing Palace of Westminster (section)

==== Victoria Tower ====
{{Main articles|Victoria Tower}}
[[File:Palace of Westminster Victoria Tower Gardens South 2020 Tower.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|The Victoria Tower]]
The Palace of Westminster has three main towers. The largest and tallest is the {{Convert|98.5|m|ft|adj=on}}<ref name="Factsheet G11" /> Victoria Tower, which occupies the south-western corner of the palace. The tower was an integral part of Barry's original design, and he intended it to be the most memorable element, conceiving it as the [[keep]] of a legislative "castle". The tower was redesigned several times, and its height increased progressively;<ref>[[#Port|Port (1976)]], pp. 76, 109; [[#Riding|Riding and Riding (2000)]], p. 116.</ref> upon its completion in 1858 it was <!-- the second-tallest building in London (after [[St Paul's Cathedral]]) and --> the tallest secular building in the world.<ref>[[#Quinault|Quinault (1991)]], p. 81.</ref>

At base of the tower is the Sovereign's Entrance, used by the monarch whenever entering the palace to [[State Opening of Parliament|open Parliament]] or for other state occasions. The {{cvt|15|m|ft}} high archway is richly decorated with sculptures, including statues of [[Saint George|Saints George]], [[Saint Andrew|Andrew]] and [[Saint Patrick|Patrick]], and [[Queen Victoria]].<ref>[[#Fell|Fell and Mackenzie (1994)]], p. 30.</ref> The main body of the tower houses the [[Parliamentary Archives]] in {{Convert|8.8|km|mi}} of steel shelves spread over 12 floors. The archives include the master copies of all [[Acts of Parliament in the United Kingdom|Acts of Parliament]] since 1497 and important manuscripts such as the original [[Bill of Rights 1689|Bill of Rights]] and the death warrant of [[Charles I of England|King Charles&nbsp;I]].<ref>[[#Fell|Fell and Mackenzie (1994)]], p. 44.</ref> At the top of the cast-iron pyramidal roof is a {{cvt|22|m|ft}}<ref name="Factsheet G11" /> flagstaff, from which flies the [[Royal Standard of the United Kingdom|Royal Standard]] (the monarch's personal flag) when the Sovereign is present in the palace. On all other days the [[Union Flag]] flies from the mast.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2009-10/1199 |title=Early day motion 1199: Union Flag at Parliament |publisher=UK Parliament |date=29 March 2010 |access-date=19 November 2016}}</ref>