Tower of London, London

Tower of London, London (must see)

Nowhere in London does the past strut around quite so confidently as in the Tower of London鈥攁 moated, multi-towered, medieval mashup where history is practically haunting the place.

Originally built by the Normans over 900 years ago, the Tower has played just about every role imaginable: fortress, royal mint, palace, archive, and鈥攜ou may like it the most鈥攝oo. Yes, it once housed the Royal Menagerie, the wild precursor to the London Zoo. But make no mistake, the Tower is best known for its darker side鈥攁s a high-security VIP prison with a side hustle in executions. Nobles, queens, and even kings paced its echoing stone halls before meeting a less-than-ideal end. Some scratched their goodbyes into the walls. Others just lost their heads.

Now, if you were an important prisoner, you didn鈥檛 get dragged to Tower Hill with the commoners. Oh no鈥攜ou got the deluxe package: a private execution on Tower Green. Only seven ever received this exclusive send-off, including Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, two royal wives who found out the hard way that Henry VIII was not great with long-term commitment.

At the heart of it all is the White Tower, the magnificent structure built in 1078 by William the Conqueror. Later, Henry III decided it looked better in white鈥攈ence the name. Today, it houses the Armouries, a jaw-dropping display of medieval bling, including weapons, suits of armor, and a reminder that fashion has always been a pain.

Nearby, the Traitors鈥� Gate offered less-than-warm welcomes to infamous prisoners as they arrived by boat. And then there鈥檚 the Bloody Tower, where the two "Princes in the Tower" disappeared under mysterious circumstances鈥� conveniently clearing the way for their uncle to become Richard III. Coincidence? Mmm...

Also, don鈥檛 leave without gawking at the Crown Jewels鈥攕parkly symbols of royal power that were rebooted after the English Civil War. The current set dates from 1661 and features more gems than a royal family group chat.

And if you want the full story, join a free Beefeater tour鈥攖hey鈥檙e funny, sharp, and decked out in navy-and-red Tudor gear. Tours leave every half hour from the main gate and run for about 45-60 minutes.

Tip:
Buy tickets online to skip the queue. And do keep an eye out for the Tower鈥檚 resident ravens鈥攍egend has it that, if they ever fly off, the kingdom鈥檚 toast. No pressure, birds...

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in London. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Tower of London
Sight Location: London, England (See walking tours in London)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

City of London Walking Tour

Walking Tours in London, England

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Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
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