Westminster is an area of Central London, within the City of Westminster. It is the location of the Palace of Westminster, which houses the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Westminster is situated south west of the City of London and half a mile (0.8 km) south west of Charing Cross. History The name was historically used to describe 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 E… (More on Westminster)