Probably the most popular attraction in London, the Tower of London tells the story of England's monarchial history. People come to hear the stories of all those killed (or murdered) here or just to see the Crown Jewels. The palace was built around 1077, for William of Normandy, more commonly known in history as William the Conqueror. The Kings and Queens lived here until Queen Victoria moved into what we know as the Royal Palace, Buckingham Palace.
A large, deep moat with a drawbridge surrounds the Tower of London. Every night the Warders still pull up the bridge, and each morning they lower it. Luckily, one king was smart enough to dry up the smelly moat and turn it into a dry ditch. Once inside the complex consists of a palace in the center with townhome-like quarters, where the Warders still live, and prison cells lining the wall around the Palace.
The palace itself is referred to as the White Tower. Be ready to be surprised. It is nothing how I imagined a castle of the historical British Royalty to look like. The building is smaller, but is still the largest within the fort. Interestingly, the grand staircase into the castle is built of wood. The purpose to be able to take them down qucikly and keep the bandits away from the royality.
Of course, the main attraction of the castle is the Crown Jewels. Be ready to wait in a long line to see them! However, if you get there early in the morning, you won't have to wait more than 30 minutes to see them. Unfortunately, the original Crown Jewels, the collection that William the Conqueror started, were destroyed in the mid 1600s when Oliver Cromwell abolished the monarchy and everything else that stood as a symbol of it.
Then there are the prison cells of the towers. The walls still have engraved last writings in Latin and in English. Imagine touring through theses cells during special event evening tours. Eerie!
There is much more to explore here. There are churches, the famous Yeomen Warder tours, the old coin mint, and the tower walls to name a few. To get through everything you definitely need to set aside an entire day!
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