road forms road square main running south square parliament square street recognised centre majesty government lined numerous departments including consequently british central governmental administration geographic surrounding area taken palace residence kings henry viii destruction fire survived originally wide road led palace route south widened 18th century following destruction palace government buildings street known memorial statues monuments including britain primary war memorial popular place comedies mid-20th century geography buildings tudor period referred building light stone general term festival building included royal palace turn gave street street miles long runs main road leads runs south square past numerous government buildings including old building ends road ahead branch east branches west southern section street nearest tube stations north end westminster south numerous london bus routes run including history route connecting middle ages 12th century historian described continued suburb large beautiful gardens belonging citizens originally section road gate known street far king street gate king street residential street 16th century popular place live 17th residents including lord palace east road originally named york palace renamed reign henry_viii palace redesigned king main residence later decade married followed died palace charles owned extensive art collection palace william_shakespeare plays performances ceased royal residence moved palace damaged fire following entrance redesigned sir palace burned ground owing accident started constructed 1st earl western edge subsequently reign bought admiralty old admiralty buildings sit house site house built extension surviving portion palace burned renaissance building london later museum opened public moved street taking residence house years later charles carried way trial westminster hall wide street sufficient space erected king execution brief speech beheaded died palace great plague london people boarded coaches edge urban london attempt escape king court temporarily moved oxford avoid plague remarked diary june water court people ready town end town day grows bad plague 18th century traffic struggling narrow streets south gate led king street gate demolished turn demolished road alongside palace led destroyed widened match width present appearance street dates group houses downing street great george street destroyed government buildings time palace destroyed separation crown state important parliament necessary control military requirements pass laws government wanted distance monarch buildings physically separated palace park good place ministers work horse guards building designed built site replacing earlier guard house erected civil war building includes coach traffic pedestrian arches provide access horse guards parade central marked denotes boundary fields church parish boundaries 19th century private ran residential buildings ownership reverted crown began use public offices refer civil service involved government united_kingdom street central portion dominated military buildings including headquarters british_army royal_navy horse guards building admiralty opposite government buildings north south include horse guards main building dover house containing containing foreign government offices great george street customs parts headquarters london originally located north eastern end buildings kings scotland old grounds 19th century merged place leaving place vacant 1820s allowed sir use main headquarters forming police formally named quickly known eventually buildings damaged series bombings irish nationalists explosion terrorist attack blew hole outer wall destroyed neighbouring pub headquarters moved away downing street leads south west end named sir built row houses street leading west following number terrorist attacks road closed public security gates erected ends february provisional fired mortars van parked exploded gardens additional security measures place protect government buildings following million project undertaken project provided wider better lighting installing hundreds concrete steel security barriers held building scheduled temporary debating chamber undergo billion refurbishment programme memorials number statues memorials built commemorating military victories leaders designed sir erected southern end commemorating victory world war later memorial world wars main war memorial britain annual service held remembrance sunday led reigning monarch leading politicians national monument women world war erected short distance north middle north east end meets erected commemorates use tanks depicts world war tank crew members south horse guards avenue east home monuments north south duke cambridge commander chief british_army leader 8th duke 1st known earl memorial commander chief imperial general staff 1st slim commander 14th army governor general australia 1st chief imperial general staff culture opened north west end street site previously old ship tavern 17th century revue opened drew controversy explicit content featuring actress theatre known reviving tradition begun court palace 16th century included plays featuring actor manager 1950s 60s satirical written editor venue grade listed renamed importance centre british government political comedies based include bbc yes minister thick purple squares british monopoly board mall northumberland avenue streets converge square
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