Parliament Buildings, often referred to as Stormont because of its location in the Stormont Estate area of Belfast, is the seat of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the devolved legislature for the region. The purpose-built building, designed by Arnold Thornely, and constructed by Stewart & Partners, was opened by Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII), in 1932. The Executive or government is located at Stormont Castle. In March 1987, the main Parliament Building became a Grade A Listed building. The scene at Stormont in Belfast, for the opening of the new Northern Ireland Parliament Buildings by H.R.H. The Prince of Wales 16 November 1932. The need for a separate parliament building for Northern Ireland emerged with the creation of the Northern Ireland Home Rule region within Ulster in the Government of Ireland Act 1920. Pending the construction of the new building, the new Parliament of Northern Ireland met in two locations; one in Belfast City Hall, where the state opening of the first Parliament by King George V took place on 22 June 1921, and the other in the nearby Presbyterian Church in Ireland's Assembly's College After the shelving of plans to build a "Ministerial Building'", the headquarters of government was in effect Stormont Castle, a baronial castellated house in the grounds and which was originally meant to have been demolished to make way for the "Ministerial Building". Stormont Castle served as the official residence of the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and was the meeting place for the Northern Ireland Cabinet
