Towering over London

Great Legacies

A treasury, a prison, a zoo, a mint… the Tower of London is all this and more. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, this landmark building is situated on the northern banks of the Thames. The White Tower, which is the oldest part, was built in 1078 by William the Conqueror. The Tower of London complex has several buildings surrounded by two sets of concentric walls and a moat on the outside, as it underwent expansion in the 12th and 13th centuries. From the 14th to the 17th centuries, the king would go in a ceremonial procession from the Tower to Westminster Abbey for his coronation. The last monarch to follow this tradition was Charles II in 1661.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the tower was infamous for being used as a prison and the phrase ‘sent to the Tower’ came into being. Among the prominent personalities were Elizabeth I before she became the queen, Sir Walter Raleigh, Henry VIII’s second wife Anne Boleyn, Guy Fawkes who launched the Gunpowder Plot, Edward V and his younger brother Richard who vanished mysteriously and Lady Jane Grey who was just 17 when she was executed. During World War II, the Tower again became the place to hold prisoners of war. The last prisoner of state at the Tower was Rudolf Heiss, Adolf Hitler’s deputy.

Before it gained a grim reputation as the place for torture and execution, the Tower also served as the Royal Menagerie. Beginning with King John in 1204, who housed lions and bears, the Tower Menagerie went on to house leopards, polar bears, and elephants under Henry III. During the time of Elizabeth I, it was opened to the public and finally closed down in 1835.

In the 1660s, the Tower also became the storehouse of the Crown Jewels, which includes the Coronation Regalia, St. Edward’s Crown and the Imperial State Crown. From 1279 until 1810, the Royal Mint was also located in the Tower of London and most of the currency was made there.

Today, the Tower is a popular tourist destination, with the Crown Jewels being a star attraction. Over three million people visit it every year. The growth of buildings around it led to the site being placed in the UNESCO’s Heritage in Danger list in 2006.

Freaky Facts

The Tower is said to be haunted by the ghost of Anne Boleyn who can be seen carrying her head around.

Legend has it that there must always be six ravens at the Tower to protect the kindgom. When John Flamsteed, the first Astronomer Royal, found them disturbing, the observatory was moved to Greenwich.

Officially it is known as Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London.

The Tower is guarded by the Yeoman Warders since the 15th century. They are also known as Beefeaters, because, as the personal guards of Henry VII, they were allowed to eat as much beef as they wanted from the king’s table.