The old castle in London is now a museum. Tower in London. History of the Tower of London. Tower - a place of imprisonment in modern history

The Tower of London - a fortress, today's historical center of London, located near the London Tower Bridge, was built at the beginning of the eleventh century by William the Conqueror.

Originally it was a wooden structure, but already in the thirteenth century the Tower was rebuilt into a stone fortified castle, a complex used as a defensive citadel. At different times, the premises and territory of the castle-fortress served as a royal residence, and as a prison, and as mint, and even like a zoo. The Tower, which has a strategic location on the Thames, today looks like a serious military stronghold of twenty towers connected by walls of considerable thickness.

They hid in the Tower of London during the most troubled times royal dynasties Britain, if it was dangerous to stay in the Palace of Westminster. Here political opponents disliked by the crown were kept in captivity (and some were even executed). The most famous tower of the Tower of London is the White Tower.

Tower of London, White Tower

This is the oldest part of the castle, which was built back in 1097. For a long time she was also considered the most tall building in London (its height is 27.4 m (90 ft)). The walls of the White Tower are 4.6 m thick. During the reign of Henry III, the facades of the tower were whitewashed, and so the name was fixed. The round turret of the White Tower served as an observatory for a long time. The tower also contains the beautiful 11th century Chapel of St John the Evangelist. There are also two active historical exhibitions in the White Tower, a visit to which is included in the price of tickets for the Tower of London: these are the collections of the Royal Armories and the 300-year-old exhibition Line of Kings.

Other towers of the Tower of London

In the thirteenth century, during the reign of Henry III, when the territory of the fortress was significantly expanded, two more defensive walls were built around it. The inner wall has thirteen towers, the outer wall has six more. These towers were mainly used as prisons for those who posed a threat to the royal monarchy.

Widely known among them is the Bloody Tower, where many royals of England lost their heads. Among them, the most famous prisoners are two princes, sons of King Edward IV, imprisoned by the brother of their father, who later ascended the throne under the name of King Richard III.

St. Thomas's Tower, which is located near the Bloody Tower, is famous for the fact that prisoners were brought here by boat, through the so-called Traitor's Gate.

The most important prisoners were often kept in the Beauchamp Tower, sometimes even with their personal servants. The inscription preserved on the wall of this tower indicates that Lady Jane Gray was imprisoned here, who became Queen of England for only nine days, then executed on the territory of Tower Green.

The popularity of Tower Green can be explained by the fact that it has become a kind of memorial for those executed or killed by order of the state. Execution of a death sentence within the walls of this tower or on the territory next to it meant a privilege: the execution procedure did not take place under the jeering of an idle crowd, but was carried out in silence and solitude. The most famous of those executed on or near the Tower Green memorial site were three queens: Anne Boleyn (aged about 30), the second wife of Henry VIII, killed on her husband's orders because she had no children; Catherine Howard (aged 20), fifth wife of Henry VIII and Lady Jane Gray (aged 16).

Thomas More was imprisoned in Bell Tower for refusing to recognize King Henry VIII as head of the Church of England. Here he remained until his execution by order of Henry VIII. For some time, even Queen Elizabeth I was imprisoned in the same tower.

Yeoman Warders of the Tower

To get to the Tower of London through the main entrance, you will have to find the Byward Tower, where all guests are greeted by beefeaters or yeoman wardens (jailers). Nowadays, they not only guard the tower, but also conduct excursions around the territory of the fortress. There are about 40 beefeaters in total. They wear historical clothes: in holidays- red, in regular ones - blue. By the way, just recently the first woman in history was hired for this position.

One of them (beefeaters) - the Ravenmaster - performs a responsible function: he monitors the ravens living on the territory of the Tower of London, regularly clips their wings, and feeds them. According to legend, if the crows leave the Tower, the fortress and the British crown will be defeated, therefore, since time immemorial, King Charles II issued a decree according to which all the birds of the Tower are under royal protection.

One of the special ceremonies that exists in the Tower, takes place every night. This tradition has been unshakable for 700 years. Visitors are allowed to observe it if they have special permission. And every night going group of 40-50 people those who want to see this medieval action.

The Changing of the Guard ceremony at the Tower of London, which has existed since the 13th century, boils down to the symbolic handing over of the keys to the castle.Ceremony of the Keys has been taking place in the Tower for the last 700 years always at the same time. Even during the Second World War it was not cancelled, only its participants were dressed in protective uniforms. The only time the key handover ceremony was delayed by half an hour was in 1941, when the Tower came under direct attack by Nazi bombers.

For visitors it all starts at 21:20. First, they are told the history of the castle, and then, strictly according to schedule, the Ceremony begins. It is very short and consists of the ceremonial closing of all the gates in the Tower of London. The head gatekeeper, in Tudor garb, carrying a lantern with a candle inside in one hand and a bunch of keys in the other, goes around the castle, locking all the doors. The walk starts from the Byward Tower.

Byward Tower

The gatekeeper first goes to the Traitors' Gate, where he is joined by four more guards, one of whom will carry the lantern further. Then the whole procession heads to the outer gate. All the sentries at their posts salute the Queen's Keys. The gatekeeper closes the outer gate and they go back to close the gates of the remaining towers.

Lanthorn Tower

At exactly 21.53, the Keeper of the Keys, dressed in Tudor garb, emerges from Byward Tower. The Key Guard is coming towards him - yeomen, dressed in the uniform of beefeaters (servants of the Tower). Having walked around the circle, the gatekeeper and his escort return to the Traitors' Gate, where a sentry is waiting for them, and the usual dialogue takes place.

The guards lock the Main Gate and go to the Bloody Tower. When they finally arrive under the arch of the Bloody Tower, the guard stops them with the words:
— Stop who's coming?
— Keys, - answers the Key Guard.
— Whose keys?
— Queen Elizabeth's Keys.
— Come in, Queen Elizabeth's keys. Everything is quiet.

Security passes through the arch, Keeper of the keys raises his Tudor hat into the air and says:
— God save Queen Elizabeth.
Everyone answers:
— Amen.
Then everyone goes through the last post. When a guard passes along Water Lane, he is always stopped by sentries and asked for the password. Then the guards go up the Brudvark stairs, salute the queen, accept the keys from the chief beefeater responsible for keeping the keys, and begin their service. The keys are taken to the residence of the Governor of the Tower, where they are kept at night.Exactly at 10:00 p.m., the bugle signal “All Clear” sounds when the clock strikes.

Visitors are escorted to the exit at 22.05.

The short show is especially colorful thanks to the historical costumes of the Tudor era, in which all participants are dressed. Despite the fascinating external form, the Ceremony of the Keys is of an important practical nature, since the treasures of the British monarchs are kept in the Tower, the yeomen are the real guards.

Today this is one of the most ancient military rituals. According to legend, King Edward III of England ordered the Tower guards to lock the gates at night. However, when he arrived at the Tower in the middle of the night, he found the gates open! From this moment on, the Tower always closes its gates at night and this ritual is solemn and unchanged for centuries. There is another version of the origin of this ritual.

Edward III's grandson King Richard II, who reigned at the end of the 14th century, provoked the Peasants' Revolt of 1381 under the leadership of Wat Tyler. The people, exhausted by plague epidemics, the Hundred Years' War, heavy taxes and religious strife, rebelled! The rebels even captured the Tower. After the mutiny was quelled, the Tower Wardens were assigned armed guards to lock the gates.

This ritual is documented in the “Code for Officers and Servants of Civil and Military” dated October 12, 1555. During the reign of Mary Tudor, the same zealous Catholic who drenched England in blood, in whose honor the famous cocktail “Bloody Mary” appeared. Every evening, at seven minutes to ten (purely English punctuality), the Chief Warden of the Yeoman Tower (the same one as Beefeater), in the traditional red vestment and bonnet (a Tudor hat), leaves the Byward Tower. In one hand he carries an ancient lantern with a candle inside, in the other - the Royal Keys. He moves along the Water Lane towards the Traitor Gate. Here a guard of four soldiers from the Royal Guard regiment awaits him. The Chief Warden Yeoman hands the lantern to the soldier, and the procession heads towards the Outer Gate. This is followed by a tour of the entire Tower, after which the guard returns to the Gate of Traitors, where a sentry awaits them at the arch of the Bloody Tower. Here a ritual exchange of passwords takes place. Next, the Chief Warden Yeoman and his guard pass through the arch of the Bloody Tower and climb the stairs on the back flight, which by this moment are lined up with guards and sentries of the Tower. After this, the command for guard duty follows, the clock strikes 10 o'clock, and the bugler plays the evening roll call. The ceremony is over. The Tower of London is believed to be locked at night.

To attend the Ceremony of Keys, you need to have tickets, which will be sent to you free of charge by mail. Accordingly, in order to receive them, you need to write a letter at least 2 months in advance to: The Ceremony of the Keys, HM Tower of London, London EC3N 4AB.

The letter must indicate:
— Names of all invitees ( in the period from April 1 to October 31, the group should not exceed 6 people, and from November 1 to March 31 - 15)
— 2 possible dates for attending the ceremony, no earlier than 2 months in advance (if visiting in July-August - 3 months in advance)
— Envelope with a signed return address and the required number of British stamps or international IRC response coupons.
Instead of an IRC coupon, you can prepay for a letter online on the UK Royal Mail website www.royalmail.com
How to write a letter to receive an invitation to the Ceremony of Keys

History of the Tower of London

The Tower of London is the best preserved castle in Europe, and the castle is “venerable”, it is more than 900 years old! The Tower has never been taken by storm; the thickness of the castle walls is more than 4.6 meters. The Tower of London was both the home of kings and a prison for persons of noble origin, including royalty.

To even tell a short history Tower, it will take a very long time, because it began long before the official foundation in 1066. The founder of the castle was William the Conqueror, but long before that, Roman fortifications were founded on the site of the modern Tower, and today's castle preserves parts of them.

In 1066, Duke William of Normandy began his conquest of England. Towards the end of the Anglo-Saxon period, London became the dominant city in England, with a rich port located nearby Royal Palace and the main cathedral. Ensuring the safety of the city was William's main goal during his coronation. He gives the order to begin construction of a fortress around the city. Thus, in 1100, the construction of the White Tower was completed. The Tower is protected by huge walls on the north, west and south sides. In 1377, all buildings in the Tower were completed.

Large-scale reconstruction and strengthening of the Tower was carried out by Henry III, reconstruction began in 1238, despite young age King, he was only 9 years old, this is the most ambitious work to strengthen the Tower. During the reconstruction, a new defensive wall with nine new towers appeared. In 1240 the walls of the tower were painted in White color, later the Tower received a new name - the White Tower.

Over its 900 years, the Tower is both the residence of kings and the mint, state archive, where many historical and legal documents were kept.

Tower of London - a prison for royalty

The fact that the Tower was a state prison from the day of its foundation brought it an ominous reputation; the first prisoner was imprisoned in the fortress in 1190. Over the centuries, the walls of the Tower have witnessed human grief and tragedy.

Famous prisoners were imprisoned in the fortress: King James I of Scotland, John II, King of France and the French Prince Charles of Orleans, Henry VI; children were not spared; it was here that the murder of two little princes Edward V and Richard took place. Three were executed on the grounds of the Tower English queens, two of them Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard were the wives of Henry VIII, as well as the “queen for 9 days” Jane Gray.

Although thousands of prisoners were thrown into the Tower, only five women and two men were beheaded within the fortress, which saved them from the shame of public execution. Three of these women were queens: Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard and Jane Grey, who lasted only nine days on the throne. Most of the other executions - mainly beheadings - took place on nearby Tower Hill, where huge crowds of fans of such spectacles flocked. The severed head was placed on a stake and displayed on London Bridge as a warning to others. The headless body was taken to the Tower and buried in the cellars of the chapel. In these cellars it was buried in total more than 1,500 tel.

In some cases, usually only with official permission, prisoners were tortured into admitting their guilt. In 1605, Guy Fawkes, who attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament and the King during the Gunpowder Plot, was strung up on the Tower rack before being executed, forcing him to reveal the names of his accomplices.

At the beginning of the 13th century, John the Landless kept lions in the Tower. However, the royal menagerie arose when John's successor, Henry III, received three leopards as a gift from European monarchs, polar bear and an elephant. Although the animals were kept for the amusement of the king and his retinue, one day all of London witnessed a unique spectacle when a tethered bear rushed into the Thames to catch a fish. Over time, the menagerie was replenished with an even larger number of exotic animals and during the time of Elizabeth I it was open to visitors. In the 1830s, the Tower Zoo was abolished and the animals were moved to new zoo, which opened in London's Regent's Park.

In the 17th century, England and the Tower were for some time in the hands of Oliver Cromwell and the parliamentarians, but after Charles II was re-enthroned, the Tower prison was not particularly replenished. The last beheading took place on Tower Hill in 1747.

From the very foundation of the Tower, its prisoners and buildings were carefully guarded. But specially selected palace guards appeared in 1485. In those days, prisoners were often brought down the river and brought into the Tower through the “Traitor's Gate.” As the accused was led out of the trial, observers watched to see where the prison guard's ax was pointed. The blade pointed at the prisoner foreshadowed another execution.

However, this was not the end of the Tower's history as a state prison. During the First World War, 11 German spies were imprisoned and executed in the Tower. During World War II, prisoners of war were temporarily held there, among whom Rudolf Hess spent several days. The last victim executed within the walls of the fortress was Josef Jacobs, accused of espionage and executed in August 1941.

For more than 500 years, the main department of the royal mint was located in the Tower. One of its most turbulent periods came during the reign of Henry VIII, when coins were minted from silver requisitioned from ruined monasteries. In addition, important government and legal records were kept in the Tower, and weapons and military equipment of the king and the royal army were also manufactured and stored.

Ghosts of the Tower

London with its history is considered the leader in the number of ghosts living in it. It is full of ghosts of kings and queens, and of course the Tower, with its tragedies and bloody executions, was no exception.

It is said that the ghost of King George II often looks out of the windows, watching the weather vane. The beheaded Anne Boleyn often walks through the park of the fortress; the ghosts of children and the murdered twelve-year-old King Edward V with his nine-year-old brother Richard have also been seen here. But these are legends, it’s up to you to believe in them or not, but the Tower of London is also centuries-old traditions, ceremonies, the holding of which has remained unchanged for centuries.

Black Ravens of the Tower

According to legend, the first black birds appeared in the Tower more than five hundred years ago. Crows are notorious scavengers. Perhaps they were attracted by the foul smell of the corpses of people executed in the castle, whose bodies were left hanging on the walls for many months.

But people are more inclined to believe beautiful legends. Here is one of them, which was popular in the Tudor era and has successfully survived to this day. In 1553, a raven flew to the window of Queen Jane Gray, imprisoned in the Tower, and cawed “Vivat”. A few days later she was executed by order of Bloody Mary.

Almost fifty years later, in 1601, a raven peered into the window of Queen Elizabeth’s favorite Duke of Essex, imprisoned for rebellion, shouted “Vivat” three times and flew away. Surprised Essex told his relatives about this event. A few days later, Elizabeth signed the death warrant, which was soon carried out. Since then, the black raven has been a harbinger of terrible punishment, he invariably appeared to those who were doomed, this happened until the Tower became just a museum.

Black crows that live in countless numbers in the Tower of London are not only the main legend, but also real symbols of the castle.

There is now a belief that as long as winged guards live in the Tower, the British crown will prosper. Charles II issued a decree according to which at least six black ravens were to be kept in the castle at all times, and a special keeper was to keep them. It is said that the king complained to the royal astronomer that the birds were dirtying his telescope and should be destroyed. But when he was told the legend that the life of the ravens was directly related to the survival of the monarchy, he changed his mind. Charles moved his observatory to Greenwich, where it is still located, and the crows are kept in the Tower, provided with food and care.

This tradition is strictly observed today; a substantial budget is allocated for the maintenance of seven ravens (one in “reserve”). Each raven has a name and a spacious enclosure, each with its own character. Their daily diet includes about 200 grams of fresh meat and blood biscuits; once a week the birds are given eggs, fresh rabbit meat and fried croutons. Tourists enjoy watching living legends.

A special beefeater, the Ravenmaster, is responsible for keeping the ravens.The work day of Derrick Coyle, the world's only raven guardian, begins at 4.30 am. He opens the bird cages and releases one by one all six ravens living in the Tower. Feeds them, checks them to make sure nothing happened to them overnight, looks after them during the day, feeds them again in the middle of the day, and transfers them to their cages around 9 pm. Cages are essential to protect birds from wild cats and foxes.

Coyle greets each of them by name - Baldrick, Munin, Thor, Hugin, Gwillum and Branwen. The keeper himself gives the names to the crows.

Derrick Coyle has four assistants, they replace him in case of vacation or illness.
Since the crows are on duty, they, like everyone else, obey the commandant of the Tower. Not long ago, one of the ravens for unworthy and aggressive behavior in relation to visitors, was first put under house arrest by the commandant, then deprived of allowances and sent to the zoo.

To prevent crows from flying away, their right wing is clipped. They can fly, but not high, and are not able to fly over the fortress wall.

There are many monuments in the world, the very name of which breathes medieval history. In Paris it is Notre Dame Cathedral; Moscow is proud of its Kremlin. The past can tell a lot Tower, or Tower of London(English) HerMajesty'sRoyalPalaceandFortress,TowerofLondon) is a fortress located in the historical center of London on the north bank of the River Thames. Over the long centuries of its existence, Tower Castle has served as a palace, a mint, a fortress, a prison, a treasury for royal regalia and jewelry, a zoo, an arsenal, and an observatory. Now the Tower is historical monument and a symbol of London, attracting numerous tourists from all over the world. Since 1988, the Tower has been protected by UNESCO.

What is the Tower of London famous for? More on this below.

History of the Tower.

The emergence of the fortress dates back to the time of the conquest of England by the troops of William I, Duke of Normandy. To intimidate the inhabitants of London, a temporary wooden fort was erected in 1078 on the ruins of ancient Roman fortifications. Subsequently, its walls were replaced with stone ones, and by 1097 the construction of the Tower of London was completed.

The new fortress was rectangular in shape with walls 32 and 36 meters long, which rose to a height of almost 30 meters. A little later, following the order of one of the rulers of England, the structure was whitewashed, and the fortress acquired a second name - the White Tower. Construction was continued by King Richard the Lionheart, who ordered the construction of additional defensive towers Tower, erect two rows of walls and dig a deep ditch. Thanks to this, the Tower of London became one of the impregnable fortresses of the Old World.

Prisoners of the Tower.

Information about the first prisoner held in the Tower dates back to 1190. From that moment on, it became a place of detention for people of high position, belonging to noble families, as well as royalty. During the troubled times of the Reformation, the fortress acquired ominous fame. Many people were imprisoned, severely tortured and subsequently executed within its walls. royal family, which could pose a threat to the peace of the English throne. This cup did not pass over Anne Boleyn and her brothers, Mary Stuart, Walter Raleigh and other famous personalities.

Despite the fact that thousands of people were prisoners of the Tower, only five persons with royal blood flowing in their veins were executed on its territory. The rest lost their lives on Tower Hill, in front of a large crowd of onlookers. The bodies were buried in the basements of the fortress chapel. The last beheading occurred in 1747. After the gangsters Kray brothers left the fortress in 1952, it ceased to serve as a prison.

Zoo.

For several centuries, there was a zoo in the fortress, which began with animals donated by Emperor Frederick II. The menagerie was constantly replenished with new animals. During the reign of Elizabeth I, any citizen could visit it on any day except Sunday for a nominal fee. In the 30s of the 19th century, the zoo moved to a new location.

Mint.

For almost five centuries, a mint operated in the fortress, where they minted silver coins. Trusting the strong and impregnable walls of the Tower, weapons were manufactured and stored there, and in its vaults there were very important documents of national importance.

Tower guards.

The prisoners of the Tower and the valuables stored in the fortress needed good protection. Almost until the end of the 15th century, this was done by ordinary soldiers, and only from 1485 these functions were transferred to specially trained palace guards. The position of a guard at the Tower of London still exists today. Dressed in the uniforms of the guards from the reign of Queen Victoria, they not only guard the castle, but also give visitors tours of the castle grounds.

The Tower Ravens are a legend.

Since ancient times there has been a legend according to which England is safe as long as black crows live in the fortress - Tower symbol. As soon as they leave it, misfortune will befall the country. To prevent this, the ravens of the Tower of London have their wings specially clipped, and there is a special position of bird keeper to look after them. All birds have their own “personal business” and are officially employees of Her Majesty the Queen. In total, 6 ravens live in the Tower, plus 2 in reserve. Each bird has its own name. Like any employee, a bird can be fired from its position, for example, for bad behavior that is not consistent with its status as a “royal raven”.

Tower of London at present.

Time has no power over this symbol of Great Britain. The Tower Fortress has remained virtually unchanged over the past centuries. Today, as many years ago, it belongs neither to the residential areas of the city nor to the working outskirts, but is the property of the crown, as one of the royal residences.

Castle Tower - excursions.

Tourists visiting the Tower Fortress are offered various options excursions. You can take a walking tour along the fortress walls and listen to a guide talk about the history of the construction of the structures and how they were used since the 13th century. Looking into the White Tower, the first tower of the complex, which served to protect members royal family, you can get acquainted with a unique collection of medieval armor and tools that were used to torture Tower prisoners.

Treasures of the Tower.

A mandatory part of all excursions is a visit to the repository of treasures belonging to the British Crown. After viewing the collection, you can get acquainted with the regalia and jewelry of the royal family, which they still use today.

Interesting fact: in the Martin Tower, visitors will find an exhibition of diamonds that are used to make royal jewelry, including the Cullinan, the largest cut diamond in the world.

You can see the living conditions of the English rulers of the 13th century in the medieval palace. There is also an exhibition telling about the stages of restoration of the royal premises. Taking a walk along Vodny Lane and the Western Entrance, visitors will learn about methods of defending the fortress during an enemy attack. They can also follow the path of the prisoners who entered the Tower Fortress.

All excursions include a visit to Tower Meadow. This is an ominous place where more than one thousand residents of England lost their lives. Nearby is the Collegiate Church of St. Peter, where services are held for those executed on this site.

And to visit the Fusiliers Museum, you will have to pay an additional fee. It will introduce visitors to the history of the Royal Regiment.

Order in the Tower is maintained by the Constable, to whom the guards hand over the keys to the fortress every evening. To watch this ceremony, you need to register several months in advance.

After visiting the Tower of London, you can buy souvenirs in a shop located nearby.

Have you been to the Tower? Tell us about it in your comments!

Great Britain attractions await all travelers on their way to the Land of Foggy Albion. And, it must be said, there are a lot of them. The Tower of London is held in special esteem by tourists and local residents alike due to its rich historical past. Literally from English “Tower of London” - “tower”. If we talk about the actual structure, it is a majestic fortress, which is located on the northern bank of the Thames.

Mysterious and alluring place

England may be rich in attractions, but this particular building is one of the oldest in the whole country. The Tower of London is rightfully considered the historical center of the capital of Great Britain. If you take an interest in the history of this mysterious (and even gloomy) place, you can learn a lot of interesting things. Thousands of tourists flock to this place in order to touch the most ancient structure in England and get acquainted with its inexplicable facts of the past.

Rich historical past

Even during the Norman Conquest, this fortress towered over the Thames. Over the entire long history of its existence, the residence of the king and his court was located here; there was once a treasury here, and the mint produced money for the whole country. However, even less serious ones were assigned to the fortress. different times"responsibilities". So, an observatory and a zoo were located here. But many heard that it was in this place that the noble prisoners of the Kingdom waited for their sentence and believed in the best in those days when the Tower was a prison. Truly, no other London attraction can boast of such a rich past.

The walls of this fortress were also reconstructed more than once, and the building itself was repeatedly completed and refurbished. This led to the fact that over the many centuries of its existence the fortress significantly changed its original appearance.

Tower of London: today

The fortress is famous for its guards, who are called beefeaters. They officially appeared in 1485, but they jealously guard the fortress walls to this day. There is another interesting position here - Ravensmaster - keeper of the ravens. From century to century, these birds are the legal residents of the fortress. And to prevent the birds from flying away, their wings are constantly clipped. This is due to a legend that says: when the ravens leave the tower, the entire English monarchy will fall. So the caretakers are taking such radical measures.

Next to the Tower of London, as if in continuation of the complex, there is an equally famous

The Tower of London (in English “the Tower of London”) is one of the most outstanding architectural monuments in Great Britain. For several centuries of its existence, it was an arsenal, a treasury, a place for storing royal jewelry, but it became most famous for its prison. Behind its high, thick walls, the lives of an infinite number of people ended, among whom were kings and dukes, rebels and rioters. And each of them knew the truth - whoever owns the Tower owns Britain. We invite you to plunge into the history of the great rise and fall of the monarchy.

Panorama of the Tower of London

History of the Tower of London

The history of this place is almost a thousand years old and goes back even further Norman conquests. The Tower was built in 1078 as a fortress for the Norman Duke and then the British King William the Conqueror. After his victory over King Harold at the Battle of Hastings, he took the royal throne. However, troubled times and constant fear of English reprisals forced the king to create a reliable fort that would provide him with peace. With the coming to power of Henry III, in the 13th century, the Tower of London turned from a gloomy fortress into a full-fledged residence. He gave orders to create a treasury, a church and an office. Gardens and walking paths appeared on the territory. And it was at this time that the Tower of London was painted in its already familiar white color.

During the reign of King Henry, the Tower began to be used as a prison, but during the same period it served as a palace in which important guests were received. They often visited the monarch with gifts in the form of livestock. It was for her that Henry III ordered the construction of the Lion Tower - a mini-zoo, where leopards, donated by the French king, even lived.

Another grandiose building adjacent to the castle is the bridge. It is distinguished by its design: suspended with an adjustable part. This year marks 124 years since its construction. During its existence, it repeatedly became cultural center city, because art exhibitions are held in special pedestrian corridors of the twin towers, and there is also a permanent exhibition dedicated to the history of the building. So the Tower of London and the bridge became the face of the capital.

Tower of London today

Although the history of the prison ended at the end of the 20th century, the fortress still retains most of its traditions today. One of them is the Key Ceremony. Every morning the palace is opened to visitors by Beefeaters - guards of the Tower of London. They received this unofficial name due to their history of serving the royal family. The guards guarding the king received a significant advantage - they could eat the same meat as him. This is where this strange phrase “beef eater” comes from – someone who eats beef. These men also stood out for their appearance: A bright red uniform similar to Tudor era clothing.

Another integral component of the Tower of London is the ravens, the guardians of the kingdom. One of the local legends says that the British monarchy will exist as long as these birds live in the Tower. That is why the winged family is looked after here individual employee security Crows even have their wings clipped to prevent them from flying away in search of another home.

After the gates are closed, the building begins to live its own life. ordinary life, becoming a cozy home for the guard and her family. However, can a place that has become a dungeon for hundreds of people be completely calm?

In the evening, an atmosphere of wary silence hangs over the castle, from time to time it is broken by the cawing of crows. Adding to the eeriness of the Tower of London are the descriptions of its guards. They talk about ghosts and spirits they have seen over the years. Legends of the Tower of London disturb your sleep local residents. Beefeaters even claim that after dark they try to avoid going into certain parts of the fortress.

How many guilty and innocent souls remain forever within the stone walls of this castle? How many of them are buried within these walls? Despite all the publicity tourist place how much does the Tower hide? interesting facts? There are many, and we will share a few of them with you.

The castle became Anne Boleyn's prison for life. The queen who was beheaded here, accused of treason during her lifetime, continues to wander the corridors even after her death. They say that her ghost periodically goes to the church where Anna was reburied.

Visitors are intimidated by ghostly bears. The guards say that from time to time guests are frightened by the ghost of a bear that once got out of the zoo and scared one of the inhabitants of the castle to death.

The peace of visitors to the Tower is disturbed by photographs in which the ghosts of two little boys appear. At the end of the 15th century, two princes, aged 10 and 12, disappeared in the fortress. Almost a hundred years later, their burials were discovered, and recently scientists found out that their relative King Henry VI was the killer of the royal heirs. Restless souls still walk around the Tower.

The last execution in the castle took place less than 80 years ago. During World War II, German spy Joseph Jacobs was shot in the fortress. And although Great Britain abandoned the death penalty almost twenty years later, in the 60s of the last century, the bloody history of the Tower ended there.

Great Britain almost lost its symbol during the German bombing. In the 1940s and 1941s, London suffered devastating damage from Nazi bombing. At the same time, all the crows living in the Tower, except one, died from stress. If you believe the legend, the fortress, and at the same time the monarchy, were one step away from collapse.

Where is the Tower: address, opening hours and excursions

The Tower of London is located at St Catherine's & Wapping, London EC3N 4AB. You can get to it by metro. The nearest station is Fenchurch Street, 5 minutes from the fortress, London Bridge station is a 15-minute walk.
The Tower is open from 09:00 to 17:30 on weekdays and from 10:00 on weekends. However, please note that tourists are allowed to enter until 17:00.

Entrance tickets can be purchased online and printed yourself. Electronic tickets are cheaper than those purchased directly on the spot. Entry cost for adults is about 23 pounds, for children from 5 to 16 years old - 11 pounds. Children under 5 years old can enter free of charge. There are also discounts for students, people with disabilities and seniors.

Ganna Koval