Whitehall

Whitehall is a street and historic area in the City of Westminster, central London. Running south from Trafalgar Square toward Parliament Street, it has long been associated with the British government and civil service. The name Whitehall is often used metonymically to refer to the government itself.

The site once housed the Palace of Whitehall, a major royal residence from the 14th through the 17th century. The palace survived various phases of construction until a fire in 1698 destroyed most of it, leaving only the Banqueting House and a few other remnants. After the fire, the area increasingly hosted government offices and ministries.

Notable landmarks on or beside Whitehall include the Banqueting House, a surviving element of the old palace, and the Cenotaph, a prominent World War I memorial. Over the centuries, numerous government departments have occupied buildings along Whitehall, reinforcing its identity as the administrative heart of the state.

The name Whitehall is used in political discourse to denote the British civil service and the central government. The street is also the scene of ceremonial events and public demonstrations related to state functions and national affairs.

See also: Whitehall (disambiguation).