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Places to visit in London: Tower of London
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The stunning landmark of The Tower of London
Most Londoners have their own favourite landmarks and I must confess that I have three, the first of which is the Tower of London. Even though I have passed it many times, I have only ever fully visited it once. From the outside it is a stunning looking structure and quite a few times I have driven past it at night when the mist rises up giving it a spooky appearance and you can easily think you had stepped back in history and expect to see the old guards still walking the battlements.
The Tower dates back to the early 1080s when William the Conqueror began to build a massive stone tower at the centre of his London fortress. Nothing like it had ever been seen before.
Through the centuries that followed, successive monarchs added to the fortifications giving it many roles as a fortress, a palace and a prison.
In modern times, Two World Wars saw the Tower in use as a prison and a place of execution. Between 1914 and 1916 several spies were held and subsequently executed there, with the last execution at the Tower taking place in 1941, the same year that Hitler’s Deputy Führer, Rudolf Hess, was held there briefly, one of the last state prisoners at the Tower.
Bomb damage was considerable during WWII and a number of buildings were destroyed, including the mid-19th-century North Bastion which took a direct hit in October 1940. During the war years the moat was used for allotments and vegetable growing and the Crown Jewels were removed to a place of safety.
Today the Tower of London is one of the world’s major tourist attractions and a World Heritage Site, attracting over two million visitors a year from all over the world.
Undoubtedly the most famous attraction of the Tower of London is the displays of the Crown Jewels – the priceless symbols of the British monarchy. However be warned that photography is not allowed in the Tower of London where the Crown Jewels are displayed.
The Crown Jewels comprises 23,578 gems, including the glistening Imperial State Crown, which alone has 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds and 5 rubies. This astonishing collection of priceless Coronation Regalia has been a highlight of any visit since the 17th century, with only one attempt to steal them.
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The Crown Jewels were nearly stolen in 1671. The dashing and impudent Irishman Colonel Blood almost carried out a successful raid on the Jewel House. Having knocked the Jewel House keeper on the head with a mallet, he squashed the arches of Charles II’s state crown so as to hide it under his cloak. He was only discovered at the last moment.Tip of the day: Before you view you should check that the Crown Jewels are not being used for a formal State occasion because looking at rows of empty display cabinets is pretty boring!
Other main attractions of the Tower include:
* The White Tower - One of the most famous castle keeps in the world, it was built, to awe, subdue and terrify Londoners and to deter foreign invaders. It’s now an iconic symbol of London and Britain and one of the world’s premier tourist attractions.
* Henry VIII – Dressed to Kill - Displayed in the historic White Tower lies a stunning new exhibition celebrating the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII becoming King of England. Some of the world's rarest arms and armor have been selected from the treasures of the Royal Armories and international collections.
* Yeoman Warders - The ‘Beefeaters’, as they are nicknamed, have long been symbols of London and Britain. It is thought their nickname is derived from their position in the Royal Bodyguard, which permitted them to eat as much beef as they wanted from the king's table.
* The Ravens - Legend says that the kingdom and the Tower will fall if the six resident ravens ever leave the fortress. It was Charles II, according to the stories, who first insisted that the ravens of the Tower should be protected. This was against the wishes of his astronomer, John Flamsteed, who complained that the ravens impeded the business of his observatory in the White Tower.
* The Fortress - Walk the battlements and explore the Tower’s history as a formidable royal fortress
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o Arbella Stuart – the cousin of James 1st was imprisoned and possibly murdered at the Tower. She reputedly still resides in The Queen's House, considered one of the most haunted buildings at the Tower of London.
o A grizzly ghost - Is there a phantom bear at the Tower? Legend has it that many years ago a huge ghostly bear appeared by the Martin Tower, scaring a guard so badly that he dropped dead of shock!
Getting to the Tower is fairly easy as many of the tourist sight-seeing bus routes past close by or you can use the London Underground system – nearest station is the Tower Hill underground station.
Inside there is a restaurant but obviously you will pay a premium for so-so food. For snacks my wife found what she considered to be some of the best chip (fries) stalls in London along near the Tower of London ticket office and even today she still remembers sitting outside snacking on fries with the magnificent sights of the Tower of London over one shoulder and Tower Bridge over the other.
I also need to mention that the Tower includes some stunning gift shops which offer some unique gifts at pretty good prices.
There are also a host of special events held at the Tower and for further information please visit their official website at http://www.hrp.org.uk/
Please allow at least 2 or 3 hours for your visit and take a camera. A couple of years ago the Tower took on their first female Yeoman Warder (all warders are ex-military) and I remember seeing her on many television news broadcasts at the time. Luckily for us while we were walking around I spotted the warder in question and my wife was able to chat with her and have a picture taken, such is the relaxed atmosphere enjoyed by visitors. - Mind you, on our way out we came across several members of a moored Royal Navy warship and my wife also had her picture taken with them too!
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The only sight you will not be able to view fully is Traitors Gate which is best seen from the Thames. This is the place where prisoners accused of treason are supposed to have passed through, including Queen Elizabeth I.
For an excellent idea of what there is to do and see at the Tower please go to the following website where you will find a list of activities based around how much time you can allocate to your visit. http://www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon/planyourvisit/suggesteditineraries.aspx.
Young or old, you are sure to find the Tower of London a place of delight.
You can email me at alanbarnard@rocketmail.com
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