London tower. Tower of London

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There are a lot of attractions in London that attract avid travelers, but one of the main ones is the Tower. Famous Tower of London located on the north bank of the Thames. It is a fortress - several buildings of different times, around which two rows of wide fortress walls with towers are built.

The thickness of the walls in the Tower is about 4.6 meters, so it is not surprising that no one has ever managed to take it by storm.

During its long history, and the Tower was built more than 900 years ago, a variety of services were located in the fortress. The Tower of London was both a prison, which is a complex and terrifying page in the history of England, and a zoo, and a protective fortress, and a mint, and a repository of monarchs' jewels, and an observatory, and an archive in which important historical and legal papers were stored.

Now one thing remains unchanged: the Tower is a place that attracts an incredible number of tourists.

The emergence of the fortress

It is officially believed that the Tower was founded in 1078, and William the Conqueror started the grandiose construction of this castle to intimidate the population of the conquered lands. But before that, for a long time, Roman fortifications were laid on the site of the modern fortress, which are partially preserved in the castle.

In place of the wooden Roman fortifications, a stone building appeared - the Great Tower, which had the shape of a quadrangle measuring 32 by 36 meters and about 30 meters high.

In the XIII century, by order of the King, the Tower was whitewashed and began to be called the White Tower. Then towers and two rows of powerful fortress walls were erected around the castle. To strengthen the defense around the fortress, a deep moat was dug, which made the Tower of London one of the most impregnable European structures.

The White Tower was the first building on this territory, it was from it that the Tower of London began.

The Tower as a state prison

In London, the ominous glory of the Tower is still preserved, because from the moment of its foundation it became a state prison, where not only prisoners were kept, but executions took place, including open ones, put on public display.

In addition, at certain times the guards used cruel torture of prisoners. Basically, high-ranking officials, aristocrats, priests accused of treason were kept in the prison.

Among the prisoners of the Tower were the kings of Scotland, France and their families, William Penn - one of the founders of the English colony in America, who was imprisoned for religious beliefs, executed in the fortress of Henry VI, Guy Fawkes - a member of the Gunpowder Plot, who tried to overthrow King James I.

Some executions took place behind closed doors, on the territory of the fortress itself, for example, famous queens were executed like this: Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII, who was unable to give birth to his son, his fifth wife Catherine Howard, and Jane Gray, who was queen only 9 days.

Basically, the executions took place in public, on Tower Hilllocated not far from the fortress. A crowd of people, greedy for such spectacles, gathered at the execution. The guilty person's head was cut off and put on public display as a deterrent and warning. The headless body itself was buried in the cellars of the fortress.

In the 17th century, there were almost no new prisoners in the Tower Prison in London. The last public execution took place in 1747.. Then, only during the First World War, the Tower became the place of imprisonment and execution of German spies. During World War II, prisoners of war were kept in the Tower. The last prisoners in the Tower in 1952 were the Kray twin gangsters.

Tower as a peaceful place

The sinister era in the history of the Tower ended with the coming to power of John Landless, who gave rise to a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. He gave part of the power to parliament, and turned the Tower of London into a zoo. John began to keep lions in the Tower. The menagerie was replenished already under the successor of John Henry III, when he received a polar bear, an elephant and leopards as a gift.

At first, the animals were kept there only for the amusement of the king and his retinue. Gradually, new exotic animals appeared in the menagerie, and under Elizabeth I, the Tower was opened to visitors precisely as a zoo.

The history of the Tower as a zoo ended in 1830, when it was decided to close it and move the animals to a new zoo built in London in Regent's Park.

The Tower of London was still the main branch of the Mint for almost 500 years, it also produced and stored military equipment and weapons of the king and his army.

Anyone who decides to visit the Tower will be greeted by the palace guards. It has existed since 1475. Representatives of the guards brought the accused into the territory of the fortress through the gate, which is called the "Gate of Traitors".

Modern members of the guard are not so aggressive, but they are still on the alert, because the Tower of London is the repository of the royal family's jewels: the crown of England, a jeweled scepter, other regalia, as well as the largest diamond in the world, Cullinan I, are stored here.

Also, representatives of the guards carry out tours of the fortress, prison, zoo, mint. Since the 15th century, guards have been popularly called “beefeaters” (from the English “beef” - beef), to make it clearer to us, “meat-eaters.” Then the English people were starving, but the guards were always fed and received huge portions of meat. So the monarchs sought to provide themselves with reliable protection.

Anyone who was even a little interested in London, England, the Tower knows that in addition to human guards, there are bird guards in the Tower. One of the symbols of the Tower is a flock of ravens. Here, from ancient times, a legend has arisen that if the ravens suddenly leave the Tower, some kind of misfortune will fall on England.

The British, with their traditions, sacredly keep this legend, believe in it and keep six ravens on the territory of the Tower. To keep the crows from flying away, their wings are clipped. But the local crows would hardly be going to fly away somewhere, because here they are fed veal, and sometimes rabbit meat. The ravens in the Tower have names and pedigrees.

Only the thrifty English keep seven birds just in case, and they built seven bird houses. Although with such care, birds live for more than 200 years. For the proper care and care of birds, there is a separate position - Palace Watcher of Ravens.

In the museum, tourists can see various expositions dedicated to different eras in the history of the Tower. On the infamous Tower Hill, where executions were carried out, there is now a memorial complex with a pillow-shaped monument and a plaque listing the names of the executed monarchs.

Memorial to those executed within the walls of the prison - seven famous prisoners who were beheaded

Also widely known and interesting stories about the ghosts of the Tower. Even some reputable scientists do not deny the appearance of ghosts here. Sometimes it is possible to catch some entities in the camera lens. This fact attracts young people who are thirsty for adventure during Halloween.

A centuries-old tradition of the Tower is the Ceremony of the Keys. For 700 years, this ritual has been performed every day at exactly 21:53. Only once, in 1941, was he detained for half an hour during an attack on the fortress by Nazi bombers.

At this time, the keeper of the keys leaves the tower, and the Guard of the Keys goes to meet him. Guards lock the Main Gate and approach the Bloody Tower. The traditional dialogue sounds, which ends with the words "God save Queen Elizabeth." At night, the keys are at the manager's residence. Anyone can see the key ceremony by writing a letter in advance and receiving an invitation card.

Officially, the Tower is considered a royal residence. At the moment, there are even private apartments in the Tower, in which service personnel live or distinguished guests stay.

In conclusion, it should be said that there are a lot of reasons to visit the Tower. If you are going to London, no matter for what personal business, visiting the Tower is paramount. Such special impressions and atmosphere cannot be obtained anywhere in the world.

The Tower Fortress was founded at the beginning of the 11th century, during the conquest of the English lands by William I. It was a powerful defensive structure built in the form of a high four-story tower, inspiring awe and fear in the townspeople. Later, the Tower became famous as a prison for imprisoning high-ranking persons and as an ominous place for public executions.

In addition, throughout its history it served as the palace of the monarchs and the Mint, there was an archive and an observatory, military equipment was stored and there was a menagerie.

The Tower Fortress consists of several buildings of different times, around which two rows of wide fortress walls with towers are built. This is one of the oldest buildings in Great Britain, which occupies a special place in its history and is included in the list of the main attractions of London.

How to get to Tower Fortress

The Tower of London is located in East London, on the north bank of the River Thames.

Fortress Address - HM Tower of London, EC3N
The nearest metro station is Tower Hill.

Tower Museum opening hours 2019

March 1st to October 31st
- Tuesday to Saturday - from 9:00 to 17:30
- Sunday and Monday - from 10:00 to 17:30
November 1st to February 28th
- Tuesday to Saturday - from 9:00 to 16:30
- Sunday and Monday - from 10:00 to 16:30
Entrance closes half an hour before closing
Days off - from 24 to 26 December and 1 January
To view all the expositions, you should take at least 3 hours. AT summer period and especially during the days school holidays(from July 15 to September 3) the influx of visitors is especially great. To avoid queues, you need to arrive as early as possible, it is better to open the box office. It is strongly recommended to pay for tickets on the official website to avoid the queue at the box office.

The price of tickets to the Tower Fortress in 2019

When buying a ticket, you will be asked to make a donation to the Historic Royal Palaces charity. If you do not want to make a donation, then when buying on the site, do not check the "Your donation helps" box. When buying at the box office, you must say “No donation” or “Without donation”. Below is the ticket price without donation

Cost when buying on the site
- Adult - £24.70
- For children from 5 to 15 years old accompanied by adults - 11.70 pounds
- For students and persons over 60 - 19.30 pounds
- Family ticket for one adult and up to three children under 15 - £44.40
- Family ticket for two adults and up to three children under 15 - £62.90
Cost at checkout
- Adult - £27.20
- For children under 5 years - free of charge
- Children from 5 to 15 years old accompanied by adults - 12.90 pounds
- For students and persons over 60 - 21.30 pounds
- Family ticket for one adult and up to three children under 15 - £48.90
- Family ticket for two adults and up to three children under 15 - £69.20

Construction history

The Tower Fortress was built in several stages. It is officially believed that it was founded by King William I - the Conqueror, who immediately after taking the English lands began to build defensive castles here. In 1078, on the site of a wooden Roman fort, on his orders, the Tower was erected - a huge quadrangular fortress 32 by 36 meters in size and about 30 meters high.

Later, the darkened walls of the building were whitewashed and the fortress was called the White Tower.

Under King Richard the Lionheart, several more towers and two rows of fortress walls were built, and a deep ditch was dug around, over which a drawbridge was thrown. So the fortress became one of the most impregnable structures in Europe.

The most recent buildings of the citadel date back to 1377.

When the castle lost its defensive significance, the drawbridge was rebuilt into a stone one, and in 1843 the moat around the fortress was filled up and a lawn was laid out in its place.

Prisoners of the tower fortress

For the first time the fortress began to be used as a prison in 1100. The first prisoner was Bishop Ralph Flambard, who occupied spacious apartments here and ate all kinds of food. However, after he was given a rope in a jar of wine, he managed to escape from his place of imprisonment.

After 150 years, the next prisoner was Griffin, Duke of Wales, who crashed while trying to escape from the castle.

High-ranking officials became prisoners: the kings of France and Scotland, priests and aristocrats, young princes - Edward V and his brother Richard. Most of the prisoners were accused of treason or imprisoned for their religious beliefs.

During the Second World War, there were spies and dangerous criminals, the most famous of which is Rudolf Hess, a friend and deputy of Adolf Hitler, who flew to England in the midst of the so-called air war with Germany. Introducing himself as the Führer's personal envoy, he proposed to the British government to make peace with Germany. In response to this proposal, Churchill ordered that Hess be placed in the Tower. For this act, the Minister of Propaganda of the Third Reich, Goebbels, called Hess "a madman living in captivity of illusions."

The last prisoners were gangster twin brothers Ronald and Reginald Cray, who were in prison until 1952.

Executions at the Tower Fortress

The Tower is known for its brutal executions. Several thousand people were imprisoned here, and 5 people were executed on the territory of the fortress: two men and three female queens: sixteen-year-old Lady Jane Gray, who was on the throne for nine days, Anna Boleyn - the second wife and Catherine Howard - the fifth wife of King Henry VIII .

The main part of the prisoners was executed publicly on a hill located next to the fortress, where a crowd of people greedy for spectacles gathered. The basements of the fortress, where the remains of 1500 prisoners are buried, became the burial place of all the executed.

The last execution took place in 1747.

During the First World War, German spies were kept in the castle and then shot.

After visiting the museum, you can go to Tower Hill, where the executions took place. Now a memorial complex has been built there in memory of the decapitated victims.

Zoo in the Tower

At the end of the 12th century, John Landless came to power in England, giving part of his powers to parliament and laying the foundation for a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Instead of prisoners, he settled lions in the fortress and the sinister era of the Tower ended.

Soon, other animals appeared in the castle for the amusement of the king and his retinue: a polar bear and an elephant, leopards and exotic animals. Under Elizabeth I, the castle became a real zoo, which was open to visitors.

In 1830, all the animals were moved from the Tower to the rebuilt new zoo in Regent's Park.

In memory of that time, tourists will be able to see wire sculptures of animals.

Tower Museum

Currently, the castle houses the Memorial museum complex, where weapons, a collection of jewelry and other historical values are presented.

Among the exhibits are crossbows, hunting and tournament spears, knightly armor and medieval weapons.

Treasures of the British Empire are guarded by special caretakers. You will see 12 royal crowns, 11 of which are gold and one is platinum, a scepter adorned with precious stones, the famous, the largest in the world, processed Cullian I diamond, as well as other regalia.

But the most unusual attraction is the ravens, which should not be confused with ordinary ravens.

Ravens of Tower Fortress

There is a legend in England that if the Ravens are not here, then the monarchy in the country will collapse. The British remember this legend and believe in it.

Therefore, a special royal service has been organized in the citadel, which takes care of the birds: experienced officers maintain their numbers and monitor their condition. Officially, the position of such an employee is called the Palace Crow Overseer.

Each raven has a name and pedigree. Moreover, both the officers themselves and the birds are on allowance and military registration of the Royal Air Force.

To prevent the birds from flying away, their wings are clipped. But it is unlikely that the Ravens will fly away somewhere - from such a life where they feed on veal, and sometimes rabbit meat, they are unlikely to want to fly to another place.

Guardsmen in London

One of the colorful spectacles that many tourists rush to admire is the royal guards. The tradition of guarding royal palaces dates back to 1660 and is still maintained by Londoners.

After waiting for the changing of the guard, you will be able to watch how the royal guards are being divorced.

You can see this theatrical beautiful action for free, the main thing is to know the time of the changing of the guard and take the most comfortable spot for observation.

If you pass from the fortress over the Tower Bridge to St. Catherine's Dock, you will see many beautiful yachts along the way, as well as the legendary WWII cruiser Belfast moored. It is now a popular floating naval museum.

The Tower Fortress gave its name to the one built much later and located nearby

Without a doubt, everyone has ever heard of the Tower of London, because this is one of the oldest fortresses in England, which, over its long history, has been a royal residence, a prison, a zoo, a museum, and even a royal observatory!

The Tower is the most recognizable symbol of London and a must visit for every traveler. It is not simple ancient castle, this is a real storehouse of the history of London and the entire British Empire.

It is located on the north bank of the Thames and receives many tourists every year. Interestingly, the Tower is still considered the royal residence. Beefeaters live here with their families and the staff of the fortress.

History reference: bifeater (guardian of the Tower) translated into Russian means "meat-eater". They began to be called that way back in the distant 15th century, when in the famine years the guards were densely fed with meat three times a day, and the rest of the people were dying of hunger. Beefeater is a very honorary title, and not everyone is taken to the Tower Guard. At all times, Beefeaters were buried in the cellars of the Tower Chapel, this tradition continues to this day.

History of the Tower of London

The Tower was founded more than 900 years ago by William I, but long before that there was a Roman fort. The new fortress was supposed to frighten the people, and therefore, on the site of wooden buildings, a stone building grew up - the Great Tower ().

White Tower of the Tower

Here, behind thick walls of gray stone, the monarchs lived. But London grew rapidly, and soon the formidable Tower began to coexist with poor areas. The royal family did not like this neighborhood, and she moved to the Palace of Westminster. The Tower became a guard fortress and a prison.

tower - prison

The Tower has seen many executions and deaths, the bloody history of London was made here. It is known that the first prisoner was imprisoned in 1190, and since then countless prisoners passed through the casemates of the Tower until 1941, when a German spy was shot here.

The most influential people in Europe were serving their sentences and awaiting execution in the fortress. The list is quite impressive: there were French kings, and Scottish rulers, and dukes, and aristocrats ... among the most famous prisoners of the Tower, one can single out King James of Scotland, the Duke of Orlesian, Anne Boleyn, etc.

Gate of traitors

Guy Fawkes, a well-known participant in the Gunpowder Plot, Walter Raleigh, a British navigator and poet, William Penn, and many others were executed in the Tower. The darkest period can rightfully be considered the reign of Henry VIII. He was distinguished by particular cruelty and bloodthirstiness and easily sentenced to death all people objectionable to him, from politicians and priests to his own wives.

Anne Boleyn, his second wife, Catherine Howard, his fifth wife, and Jane Grey, the infamous queen for 9 days, were killed here. All of them paid with their lives for not being able to give the bloody monarch a son.

Some executions took place behind closed doors, but mostly they were public and took place on Tower Hill. Here, a crowd of onlookers could see how the condemned was cut off his head, put it on a stake and put it on public display.

The headless bodies were taken to the Tower, where they were buried in the dungeons of the fortress. More than 1,500 skeletons without skulls have been found during excavations, and this is certainly not the end.

The Tower remained a prison until the middle of the 20th century - the last prisoners were imprisoned in it in 1952. They were the Kray gangster brothers.

Peaceful functions of the Tower

royal menagerie

At the beginning of the 13th century, a royal menagerie was opened in the Tower. John Landless kept his lions in the fortress, and his successor Henry III replenished it with leopards, a polar bear and even an elephant. Later, it was replenished with other exotic animals, and under Elizabeth I it was even opened to visitors.

The menagerie existed on the territory of the Tower until 1830, after which the animals were transported to the London Zoo, and sculptures of animals were erected in the fortress, immortalizing this part of the history of the Tower.

Treasury of the Tower

The Tower of London played another important function for the Crown. The main mint of the empire was located here for more than 500 years. Precious coins were minted here, as well as documents of state importance, military equipment of monarchs and weapons of the royal army were kept.

The royal treasury on the territory of the Tower still exists and has been open to visitors since the 17th century. It is here that the royal regalia are stored, including the largest Cullian I diamond in the world. This is a truly mesmerizing place that is definitely worth a visit.

It is necessary to walk along the walls and fortress towers, turned into a fascinating museum, look at stone animals and ancient fortifications, go to the oldest church in London - St. Peter's Chapel, built in 1080.

And the White Tower today is an interactive museum that children will surely enjoy, and, of course, you can not miss the Tower Meadow - the constant place of execution of the prisoners of the Tower. Now there is a memorial there - a crystal pillow on which the names of all the people executed here are engraved.

The Tower has an armory and a military museum.

Tower of London opening hours

There are many legends associated with the Tower, because it is oldest fortress London. It is full of secrets, treasures and ghosts. Every guardian of the Tower at least once in his life encountered the ghosts of the castle, and many of them are very aggressive.

Ravens of the Tower

About these legends, as well as about the tower ravens - a separate conversation.

In 1066 Duke William of Normandy began the conquest of England. By the end of the Anglo-Saxon period, London becomes the dominant city in England, with a rich port located nearby. Royal Palace and main cathedral. Ensuring the safety of the city was the main goal of Wilhelm during his coronation, so he gives the order to start building a fortress around the city. So in 1100 the construction of the White Tower ends. The tower is protected by huge walls from the north, west and south sides. In 1377, all buildings in the Tower were completed.

Tower of London. Tower ("tower"), Tower of London (Eng. Her Majesty "s Royal Palace and Fortress, Tower of London) - a fortress built on the north bank of the River Thames, historical Center city of London. One of the oldest historical buildings in Great Britain, which for a long time served as the residence of the English monarchs, a prison, a menagerie. Now a museum.

The Tower of London is one of the main attractions of Great Britain. It hasn't changed much since the past. The symbol of the ominous past of the Tower is the place where the scaffold of Tower Hill used to be. Now a small memorial plaque has been installed there in memory of "the tragic fate and sometimes martyrdom of those who risked their lives and accepted death in the name of faith, homeland and ideals." At present, the main buildings of the Tower are a museum and an armory, where the treasures of the British crown are kept; officially continues to be considered one of the royal residences. The Tower also has a number of private apartments, which are mainly inhabited by service personnel and distinguished guests.

Throughout its history, the Tower of London has been a fortress, a palace, a repository of royal jewels, an arsenal, a mint, a prison, an observatory and even a zoo. This is one of the most popular monuments in London.

The Tower began its history in 1066. The Norman Wilhelm I (the Conqueror) captured Anglo-Saxon England and began to build fortresses everywhere for his protection. One of the first was the Tower of London in 1097. It was a donjon tower. According to one source, Wilhelm I built it in stone immediately. According to others - a wooden one, which was later replaced by a stone one - the Great Tower, which is a quadrangular structure, 32 x 36 meters in size, about 30 meters high. When later the new king of England ordered the building to be whitewashed, it was called the White Tower, or the White Tower.
In the corners there are four turrets - buttresses.

Subsequently, under the emperor Richard the Lionheart, several more towers of various heights and two rows of powerful fortress walls were erected.

A deep moat was dug around the fortress, making it one of the most impregnable fortresses in Europe.

Bayward tower with a bridge over the moat.

Middle tower between the defunct Lion Tower and Byward Tower. According to rumors, there was a zoo here.

In 1669, graceful weathercocks topped with a royal crown were installed on the turrets of the White Tower.

Edward I (1272-1307) built the outer defensive walls, Trators Gate, and completed the moat (drained in 1843) and the Middle Tower. Ledges Mount and Brass Mount, two bastions of the defensive wall, were erected during the reign of Henry VIII.

The Tower is really cozy

The Beefeaters are the guards of the Tower. Former professional military with great experience. And a wonderful commanding voice. They like to give lectures, for which they are often rewarded with applause.

The inner wall from the side of the river. At the end of the Bell Tower. At her ring, they put out the light in the Tower. On the left is the Gate of Traitors.
The inner defensive wall and its 13 towers were added during the reign of Henry III (1216-1272).

To the right is the outer wall by the river. Very cozy. Like on a medieval green street))

Inner courtyard, on the left is the White Tower.

Waterloo barracks. Royal jewels and regalia are kept here.
Cullinan-I - 530.2 carats. Transparent, colorless. Has 74 faces. Drop-shaped (pandelok). Decorates the scepter of the English King Edward VII.
Cullinan II - inserted into the crown of the British Empire.
Kohinoor - "Mountain of Light" - a diamond and a diamond, which is currently in the crown of Queen Elizabeth (Great Britain), one of the most famous diamonds in history.
And so on and so forth.

Henry III built the Water Gate, which was renamed Traitor's Gate when the Tower became a prison. Through this gate, from the Thames, convicts were brought in boats to the Tower.

Stone and glass across the river. Past and future.

Entrance from the Thames

Near Traitor's Gate sometime between 1275 and 1279. the Tower of St. Thomas was built in order to provide Edward I with new chambers.

View of the Tower Bridge from the chambers of the king of St Thomas' tower

In a small turret, which once overlooked the Thames, and now faces the Quay and Tower Bridge, there is a small chapel.

Wakefield Towers is the second largest tower in the Tower of London. It was built in the period from 1220 to 1240.
The interior of the current tower was recreated in the style of the times of Edward I according to existing descriptions and taking into account the surviving interiors of that time.

Throne replica of the Coronation Throne in Westminster Abbey

Chapel for prayer. An inscription stating that King Henry VI died here. He was imprisoned here and, according to one version, was killed with a dagger in the back during a prayer service.

Stained glass window from the inside.

Stained glass window outside.

Chinese bronze trophy cannon. Captured in the Second Chinese War 1856-1861

salt tower

Lantern tower.

Tower guard and genie. Recruited from the military with 20 years of experience.
Beefeater - Beef-eater - meat eater. Close guard. Tried the food in front of the king.
If not a joke))

Cannon of the Knights of Malta

Behind the cannon of the Knights of Malta are cages of ravens. Seven black crows (one is spare) live in excellent conditions in the fortress - in spacious enclosures. The state allocates a solid budget for the maintenance of ravens every year. Thanks to excellent nutrition, the “keepers of the Tower” are very well-fed. Their daily diet includes about 200 grams of fresh meat and blood biscuits, in addition, once a week, birds rely on eggs, fresh rabbit meat and fried croutons.
Each raven has its own name and disposition - three males Gwillum, Bran and Cedric, and three females - Hugin, Munin and Branwen.

The servants of the Tower traditionally live here to this day.
Tower Meadow is the site of many of the Tower's traditional ceremonies, including state parades, the oath ceremony for new yeoman guards, and the inauguration ceremony for a new Constable, which is held every five years to appoint a new Tower Constable.

St. Peter's Church was rebuilt during the time of the son of Henry III - Edward I. It received its present appearance during the reconstruction of 1519-20. early in the reign of Henry VIII.

The church is known for the tower prisoners buried here, incl. three queens (Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, Jane Grey) and many other representatives of the "blue" English blood.
Headless bodies were hastily buried under the nave or altar, and the graves had no tombstones. During the restoration of 1876, the found remains were transferred to the crypt.

Anne Boleyn, wife of Henry VIII, mother of Elizabeth I. Heads from the place of her execution to the Waterloo barracks.
And how well it all started. Greensleeves, the separation of England from the Pope, marriage to the king...

Place of execution. "Hold a little, oh noble visitor, where you stand, death shortened many days of life, here the fates of the most famous people were cut short. May they rest in peace while we dance through the generations, fighting and showing courage under these troubled skies." In front of the chapel of St. Peter in chains, a scaffold was erected for the execution of seven famous prisoners: William, Lord of Hastings (1483), . Anne Boleyn (1536) and Catherine Howard (1542) (the second and fifth wives of Henry VIII) were convicted of adultery, as well as helping the last lady-in-waiting Jane, then Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury (1541), a similar fate befell Lady Jane Gray . The last was Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, a young favorite of Elizabeth I.

It was believed that the "solitary" executions on Tower Meadow were less embarrassing for both the victim and the monarch, since thousands of spectators gathered to cut off heads outside the fortress on Tower Hill (usually ordinary convicts).

The executioner's ax was not a gift. No better than a butcher shop. As well as the executioner himself. Therefore, for the execution of Anne Boleyn, an executioner with a sword was discharged from France. Everything went more smoothly.

Royal Guard.

The Life Guardsman of the Tower leads the Royal Guards to change the guard.

Museum of the Royal Archers.

Martin Tower. Previously, the tower was called the Treasury, as the royal regalia were stored here (before they were transferred to the Waterloo barracks) and the Guardian himself lived. Today, there is an exhibition here that reveals the history of English royal crowns and the most famous stones set in them.

From the Tower, Tower Bridge looks like the towers of the Tower.

Tower at night from Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge. 1894. The bridge was designed by Horace Jones, it is a 244 m long drawbridge with two 65 m high towers placed on the abutments. The central span between the towers, 61 m long, is divided into two lifting wings, which can be raised to an angle of 83 °. Each of the more than 1,000 tonne wings is equipped with a counterweight to minimize the required force and allow the bridge to be opened in one minute.

Tower Bridge, being a symbol not only of London, but of the whole state, fits very harmoniously into the architecture of the central part of the city.
Previously, the bridge had a chocolate color, but for the anniversary of Queen Elizabeth 2, the bridge was repainted in blue, white and red, the color of the flag of the Royal State. But there is not much red there, so it seems to everyone that the bridge is painted blue and white.

The name of the bridge was given due to the nearby famous tower Tower, so now when one of the neighboring objects is mentioned, tourists should definitely see both sights, since they are located at a distance of several hundred meters from each other.

- one of the main attractions of London. medieval fortress, serving at different times as a prison, and a mint, and a treasure vault, and even a zoo. The castle is listed by UNESCO.

History of Tower Castle

The fortress was not built in an empty place; long before the construction, people lived and fortifications were located on the site of the future castle. Traces of people from the Iron Age were found here. Before the Roman invasion, these places were located in Celtic times, and already the Romans built a wooden fort here. Then, after the departure of the Romans, the invasion of the Saxons began, to protect against which a stone wall was already built. Well, then begins the history of the very fortress, which is now located near the center of London.

Early history

The Tower of London was founded by King William I the Conqueror. After the conquest of the Anglo-Saxons, he began the construction of stone fortresses, the first of which was the Tower. The castle was located in the south of what was then London, with one side overlooking the Thames. The place for construction was not chosen by chance, earlier one of the Roman forts was located here, parts of it were also used in the Tower.

Then the size of the fortress was much smaller, initially erected a central tower, which later became a citadel. And at the time of construction, the stone tower was surrounded by a palisade, an earthen rampart and a moat. The fortress walls were completed later.

It is believed that the Tower began to be built in 1078, although this date is inaccurate, it is confirmed both by carbon analysis and by excavations and documents. The exact date of completion of construction is not known, but it is assumed that the Bela Tower was completed no later than 1100.

The White Tower got its name from the color that its walls were painted in 1240.

The Tower of London combined several important functions. In addition to direct military defensive significance, the castle also acted as a symbol of the new power. Built on a hill, very high for that time, the tower was visible from all over London, which inspired fear in the recently conquered Anglo-Saxons. Presumably, the Tower was also the permanent residence of William the Conqueror. Well, the fortress began to fulfill its most famous role, the prison one, from the first years of its construction. The first known prisoner is Ranulf Flambard, adviser to William II and Bishop of Durham. The next king, Henry I, arrested and placed him in custody, but a curious thing happened - Flambard became not only the first prisoner, but also the first fugitive from the Tower.

First expansion

The design of the fortress remained unchanged until the reign of Richard I the Lionheart. Accounting documents by the Lord Chancellor William Longchamp on the allocation of funds for the modernization of the Tower dated approximately 1189 and 1190 have been preserved. Then curtain walls were built and a moat was dug, which unsuccessfully tried to fill with water from the Thames.

It was possible to test the new system of fortifications in action quite quickly - already in 1191 the Tower was besieged for the first time. The younger brother of Richard I - Prince John, who later became the king, known to us as John Landless - broke his promise not to enter England and laid siege to the castle in which Longchamp had taken refuge. However, then no serious battles happened, the siege lasted 3 days and Longchamp decided to surrender to John.

The next participation of the Tower in hostilities was not long in coming, already in 1214 the fortress was besieged by Robert Fitz-Walter, the leader of the barons who rebelled against the king. But John preferred negotiations to war, signed the Magna Carta and lifted the siege.

Second extension

The following kings of England actively participated in the modernization of the Tower, in particular, Henry III invested in it for 11 years, from 1216 to 1227, quite a lot of money. The king at that time had strained relations with the barons and, fearing another war for the throne, decided to build the most powerful and impregnable castle in Great Britain. At the same time, Henry did not forget about his own comfort, most of the funds went to improve the interior of the citadel. It was during the reign of Henry III in 1240 that the Tower was painted white.

Everything that was built in the Tower under Henry III is now called the "inner courtyard" of the fortress.

But the king did not forget about the military significance of the Tower, since 1238 the fortress was significantly expanded. From the land side, a new defensive perimeter was built and, finally, a full-fledged moat was dug. At that time, the contradictions between the king and the barons intensified, another civil war began and the Tower passed from hand to hand, but without fighting - but as a result of treaties and their violations. The next full-fledged siege of the fortress began in April 1267, Count Gilbert de Clare tried to take the castle, but he failed and he soon retreated, and peace reigned in England. The king died, his son, Edward I, ascended the throne, who took up the Tower even more actively.

The new king had extensive experience in sieges, gained in the Crusade, and he also feared civil wars Therefore, a lot of money was allocated for the modernization of the castle. This time, almost the entire amount was spent on improving the defensive structures - a new wall was erected with a large number of loopholes, two new bastions (in the northwest and northeast), the moat was expanded to 50 meters and still filled with water. The entrance from the south was moved to the southwest and a barbican was built to protect it, and the old gate was replaced by a brick Beauchamp tower. Edward understood that he could be under a long-term siege, so two watermills were built in the Tower for greater autonomy.

The global improvements made by Edward are now considered the "outer courtyard" of the castle. It was also under Edward that they began to keep animals in the Tower - lions.

Both kings, Henry III and Edward I, completed the Tower almost to modern look. Of course, not all buildings have been preserved, but the main part of the fortifications has survived to this day and is now available to tourists.

Middle Ages

For some time, the Tower ceases to participate in military conflicts. More prisoners get here, for the first time a woman is imprisoned in the castle walls. The Tower becomes the main prison for noble people.

But Edward II launched the Tower heavily, so that the captured nobles were not very comfortable in it. Although the number of prisoners increased due to the beginning of the Hundred Years War. As a result, Edward III allocated funds for the renovation and repair of the remaining impregnable fortress.

The time of peace came to an end and the next king of England, Richard II, had to keep the siege in the Tower. True, at that time it was only the rebellious peasants who besieged it, but when the king went to them for negotiations, they broke inside completely without the resistance of the defenders, plundered the treasury and executed several people close to the king. The situation repeated itself after 6 years, but then it did not come to a full-fledged siege, the king simply waited out the riots inside the castle.

The real war in England began in the second half of the 15th century, it is known to us as the War of the White and Scarlet Roses. Then the Tower of London was once again under siege. Despite the active use of artillery, the besiegers only managed to damage part of the buildings, but did not capture the fortifications. The siege was lifted when King Henry VI was captured. However, he soon regained power, but not for long, Henry was placed in the Tower already as a prisoner, and then executed. Although there is no exact evidence for this, it is the execution of Henry VI that is considered the first high-profile execution within the walls of the Tower.

And in 1483, a truly terrible event took place within the walls of the Tower. The heirs to the throne, the young princes Edward and Richard, were imprisoned in the castle by their uncle Richard III, who declared himself king. Both princes disappeared without a trace, most likely they were killed.

But the Tower had already begun to lose its military significance, although they tried to strengthen it to withstand artillery, in general it was too outdated for military affairs. Also, the use of the Tower for applied purposes - as warehouses, an office, etc. - made it impossible for monarchs to live within its walls.

At the beginning of the XIV century, a tradition appeared - all monarchs began the coronation procession from the Tower and ended it in Westminster Abbey. Then, when the rulers ceased to live permanently in this castle, the tradition was added to it to spend here at night before the ceremony. The last king to follow this rite was Charles II, who was crowned in 1660. But the castle was in such a terrible state that the future king did not dare to stay in it for the night.

During the reign of the Tudors, the Tower was actively used as a prison. It became a place of imprisonment for many famous personalities such as Thomas More, Elizabeth Tudor, Anne Boleyn, Guy Fawkes and many others. Prisoners were often publicly executed, this happened on a hill nearby, in total 112 people were killed there. But sometimes the sentence was executed inside the castle, this affected seven people, including three queens, the most famous of which is Anne Boleyn. Now a memorial sign has been erected at the place of execution.

The further fate of the Tower

In the 17th, 18th and XIX centuries The fortress no longer performed any military functions. Last time they tried to strengthen it at the end of the 18th century, fearing Scottish uprisings, but to no avail. And an attempt to renew the shredded ditch led to an outbreak of cholera among the garrison.

At this time, the Tower was used both as an armory, and as a quartering station for the London garrison, and as the headquarters of the artillery troops, and as a royal menagerie. All interested citizens could look at the animals, Queen Elizabeth I opened the access.

In an interesting way, the entrance fee to the zoo was charged. You could either buy a regular pass for three halfpenny, or give a cat or a dog to feed the lions.

During the First World War, the Tower was returned to the functions of a prison, and then a scaffold. Eleven German spies were shot within its walls. World War II also left its mark on the history of the castle. Firstly, the arrested Rudolf Hess was placed here, and secondly, more than a hundred arrested people passed through the Tower, who were then sent to camps. And then the last person was executed in the castle - the spy Josef Jacobs. But that's not all, the British military considered the fortress as a basis for creating a long-term defense if the German army landed in London, but, fortunately, it didn’t come to that, the Red Army, with the support of the Allies, won the Second World War.

The last prisoner was beheaded in the Tower (more precisely, on a nearby hill) in 1747, and the last executed person in general was the already mentioned spy Jacobs. And the last prisoners of the fortress were London gangsters - the Cray twins. They went to jail in 1952.

Already in 1946, the Tower of London reopened its doors to visitors. Today, in addition to the walls themselves, which have absorbed almost a thousand years of history, tourists can see a collection of weapons, jewelry, and many antiques.

Tower guards

The Tower has two special, living sights - the guards and the ravens. It is worth noting that the Tower is still considered the official residence of the monarch, and no one removed the functions of the fortress and prison from it. So the castle is constantly on duty guards, yeomen, who are called "beefeaters".

The word "beefeater" literally translates as "meat eater" or "meat eater". The main version of the origin of the nickname is that the castle garrison always received very large food rations with a huge amount of meat, which surprised even some kings.

They are responsible for the protection of the castle, the safety of the regalia and the supervision of prisoners who have long been absent from the castle. But in fact, the guards perform various ceremonial functions, in particular, the daily Ceremony of the Keys - the solemn closing of all the gates of the castle, and also take on the role of guides. Although all beefeaters are military.

These guards appeared in 1485, thanks to Henry VII, a representative of the Tudor dynasty. Now 38 guards are serving within the walls of the Tower, all of them wear historical clothes of the late 15th century with the coat of arms of the Tudor house.

Only a retired military man who has served in the army for at least 22 years, received a special award for long service and had the rank of senior non-commissioned officer or higher can become a beefeater. At the same time, there was an interesting incident - the sailors did not have the right to serve in the Tower, since they swear allegiance not to the crown, but to the Lord of the Admiralty.

But Elizabeth II changed this order, giving the post of lord to her husband, Prince Philip, who, as you know, was a sailor and went through the entire Second World War in the Navy. world war. As a result, in 2011, the first sailor joined the Tower.

In 2007, for the first time, a woman was able to become a beefeater. She met all the requirements, because the appointment was legal. But an unpleasant incident occurred - after 2 years, three of the guards were put on trial for "harassment", one was acquitted, but the other two were fired.

Ravens of the Tower

The six ravens are the second living attraction of the castle and an age-old tradition. In the Tower, for various reasons, ravens have always lived and there was a legend that when the ravens leave the Tower, the British monarchy will also fall. According to the most common version, King Charles II issued an interesting decree, according to which at least 6 ravens should always live in the castle, and in order for them not to fly away, their wings should be clipped. So it was or not, but this tradition has been maintained for quite a long time.

Often more than six crows live in a castle, this moment there are nine of them:

Bran (male, 2008);
Portia (female, 2008);
Erin (female, 2006);
Merlin (female, 2004);
Munin (female, 1995);
Hagin (female, 2008);
Rocky (male, 2010);
Grip (male, 2012);
Jubilee (male, 2012).

One of the beefeaters, who also holds the title of Ravenmaster, is responsible for the care. All birds receive a rich diet, including 170 grams of meat per day, this is not counting the rats that they themselves catch.

Fun fact: Raven Munin once escaped from the Tower and was on the run for 5 whole days until vigilant citizens discovered him in a park in Greenwich.

Usually ravens live for 10-15 years, but in captivity their lifespan is much longer, one of the Tower ravens lived for 44 years. A replacement for a dead raven is found in nurseries or one of their offspring is taken. At the same time, crows are not guaranteed lifelong residence in the castle, some birds were literally fired for misbehavior. In 1986, for example, George the crow was sent to the zoo for attacking a television antenna.

Tour of the Tower

The Tower of London, as one of the most famous landmarks in the UK, attracts many tourists. For those who came to London for the first time, a visit to this castle is always included in the excursion program. The London authorities are well aware of this, because the Tower houses many interesting expositions, and formal guards, yeomen, wear medieval clothes and act as guides.

Crown Treasures

One of the main permanent exhibitions, which has been running since the 17th century, is an exhibition of the ceremonial treasures of the British monarchy. Crowns, royal scepters, mantles, and unique precious stones are on display for visitors.

These are not just museum exhibits, these are real royal regalia, which are still used in various ceremonies.

Kings Row Exhibition and Armor Exhibition

The Tower of Kings is considered by many historians to be one of the oldest exhibition displays in the world. These ten life-size models of mounted knights, each depicting one of the English kings, were created at the end of the 17th century. Since then, the exhibition has been supplemented with several new horsemen, and in its current form it has been merged with the armor museum.

Now the exhibits are in the armory of the White Tower and are the main permanent exhibition of the Tower. In addition to mounted warriors, tourists can see the original samples of the tournament armor of kings, among which the gilded armor of Charles I stands out.

But what armor can be without weapons? Dozens of weapons are collected in the same hall - from swords, sabers and rapiers, to firearms from different times, including artillery.

medieval life

Considering that the Tower was also a permanent royal residence, it should have many rooms for the residence of the king, his guests and servants. Unfortunately, this is not entirely true - the original palace house where the monarchs lived was destroyed long ago, and the rest of the rooms, which were located even in the towers, did not retain the original interiors.

But during the reconstruction, various interiors of the Middle Ages were recreated in some rooms of the fortress. In this case, all available historical materials were used, so that the image turned out to be quite accurate.

For example, in the former reception room for guests, in the tower of St. Thomas, the royal bedroom is now recreated, and in the basement of another tower, where King Henry III held meetings, there is a reconstruction of the throne room. The exposition of elements of medieval life is presented separately.

royal menagerie

Although the animals were transported to a normal zoo 150 years ago, their memory remained in the Tower. First of all, visitors can see the sculptures of various animals, which are installed in many places. In addition, an exhibition has been opened in the Brick Tower, which tells about the history of keeping animals presented to the king in this fortress.

Chapel of St. Peter in Chains

Any fortress included a place for religious rituals and a chaplain who was constantly in the service. The Tower is no exception; on its territory there is a church founded in the 12th century and rebuilt in 1520.

It was in front of the chapel that they cut off the heads of prisoners for whom they did not want to arrange a public execution. Now there is a small memorial here, and the chapel itself is famous for its organ, assembled in the 17th century.

In the 19th century, with the development of firearms, flintlock guns appeared. They began to equip the troops, which were called "fusiliers". One of these regiments was at one time the garrison of the Tower and, formally, remains so to this day, although, of course, they have long been not armed with fusels and are stationed elsewhere.

But in memory of them, an exposition was opened that acquaints tourists not only with the history of a particular regiment, but in general tells about the time that replaced the knightly era. Among the exhibits are weapons, soldier and officer uniforms, awards, household items.

Key Ceremony

A tradition that has existed for almost 700 years and is also a kind of attraction. This is a special ritual when the yeomen, the guards of the Tower, solemnly close all the gates for the night.

The ceremony starts promptly at 21:53, but it is not so easy to see it. Although those who wish are allowed to watch and it is even free, the number of viewers is very limited and you need to sign up for the presence several months in advance.

Tower on the map

Information for visitors

	Tower of London, London, EC3N 4AB
	http://hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon
Working hours (in 2015)	Sunday and Monday from 10:00 to 17:30; Other days from 9:00 to 17:30; Entrance is allowed until 17:00. Sunday and Monday from 10:00 to 16:30; Other days from 9:00 to 16:30; Entrance is allowed until 16:00.
Visit price	Standard adult ticket - 24.5 £, children under 16 years old, students, pensioners are discounted. You can also save money by buying tickets online.
Services on site	There are several food establishments, most of which close together with the ticket offices, at 17:00 or 16:00, respectively. On the territory of the Tower, you can arrange picnics with takeaway food from establishments inside the castle. Also in the Tower there are several jewelry stores where you can buy various little things, such as key chains and mugs, as well as real knightly armor.
Attractions nearby	Tower Bridge (near the castle, bridge over the Thames), Museum of London (approximately 2 km), Barbican (approximately 2.5 km), St. Paul's Cathedral (approximately 2 km).