Name tower towers. Tower of London

Throughout its long and colorful history, it has been a witness to murders, a site for wedding ceremonies, an armory, a mint, a museum, and even a menagerie. But, as the duke said, the Tower will always be remembered as "a symbol of royalty, a fortress of the monarchy and a prison for the enemies of the monarch."

Myths and facts

The Tower of London was founded in 1066 as part of the Norman conquest of England. The White Tower, which gave the name to the entire fortress, was built by William the Conqueror in 1078. The castle was used as a prison, although this was not its main purpose. Most of the time, the palace served as a royal residence.

For centuries, the Tower of London has been the center of government of the country. It was a powerful and reliable headquarters in the medieval period. The White Tower housed the armory, the treasury, the menagerie, the royal mint and the state archives. From the Tower began the solemn procession to Westminster Abbey during the coronation of monarchs.

Over its thousand-year history, the Tower has been rebuilt and expanded many times by many kings. Major changes were made during the reigns of King Richard the Lionheart, Henry III and Edward I in the 12th and 13th centuries. The current appearance of the castle received by the end of the XIII century.

The residence of kings, the most terrible prison in England, a fortress built to defend the city, a mint, a royal arsenal and even a royal menagerie - all this is the Tower of London. The castle, which played an exceptional role in the history of the English capital.

Initially, the Tower was built as a defensive fortress to intimidate the conquered Anglo-Saxon population of the island under William the First. In the future, the Tower was rebuilt more than once, received new towers and extensions, and in 1190 the first prisoner "settled" in it.

The fortress served as a prison primarily for representatives of the aristocracy, that is, enough noble prisoners. There have been times in history when members of the royal family themselves were kept in the Tower. The Tower gained its reputation as a dark place of execution and torture during the reign of Henry the Eighth. It was in this prison that his two wives, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, spent the last days before execution.

The Tower of London has retained its historical appearance to this day. Of course, now the fortress is not used as a prison, but has become a repository of royal treasures, a museum and an armory. There are also several residential apartments in the complex of buildings of the Tower, which housed the families of the staff serving the museum and the treasury, and also high-ranking guests can stay. Officially, the Tower is still considered the residence of the family of Elizabeth II, but has not been used by the royals for a long time.

The most unusual inhabitants of the castle now are ravens, bearing the title of "official residents" and standing on the official royal allowance.

Every year, the Tower of London is visited by millions of tourists who are attracted by the history of this place, the treasures stored here and the museum's old exhibits.

Photos

View of the Tower from the Shard (DncnH / flickr.com) Main entrance to the Tower of London (dynamosquito / flickr.com) Alan Piper / flickr.com Francesco Gasparetti / flickr.com Jim Linwood / flickr.com White Tower of the Tower of London (Lee Penney / flickr.com) August / flickr.com shining.darkness / flickr.com Francesco Gasparetti / flickr.com Christian Reimer / flickr.com View of the Tower from The Shard (Rick Lighthelm / flickr.com) Francesco Gasparetti / flickr .com maureen / flickr.com Inside exterior wall, Tower of London (Orangeaurochs / flickr.com) Gail Frederick / flickr.com

Throughout its existence, the castle was constantly being completed, its territory grew. The most important events for Great Britain took place here. During its history, the castle served as a fortress, royal residence and prison.

The Tower of London played a very important role in medieval England. It symbolized the royal power and the power of the state. The treasures of the king were kept here, and state criminals were kept in prison under the supervision of guards.

The Tower was founded in 1066. It was built after the conquest of England by the Normans. The Tower of London was founded by William the Conqueror. He began to strengthen his power in the field and built 36 castles. London, as a fairly large city, is no exception. Near the Thames, ancient Roman walls have been preserved, and it was decided to build a fortress in this place. The sculpture of Hadrian, the emperor of Rome, is in the modern castle, in the Tower Museum.

White Tower - The Heart of the Tower

The first building that was erected here is the White Tower. Its construction began in 1077. The work was led by the Bishop of Rochester, Gandalf. The name of the castle later came from the White Tower, since the Tower (English) is translated as a tower.

The construction called the White Tower is famous for the fact that the chronology of the Tower began with it. It was the residence of kings and the Norman keep.

White Tower Tower (Lee Penney / flickr.com)

For a long time, the Tower did not have the fortifications that can be seen today in the castle museum. The first fortifications for defense were created only in the 13th century, when, after the Crusades, England became acquainted with the Eastern tradition of building castles.

For this reason, the thickness of the walls at the White Tower is 4 meters; it played the role of a fortress. In 1097, another ruler, William II the Red, built a stone wall.

The White Tower, the construction of which was completed only in the XII century, is currently located in the center of the entire modern castle-museum and is considered the Heart of the Tower. It contains rooms for the royal family.

When the White Tower was built, it immediately began to have not only a defensive purpose, but also a prison. The first prisoner who came here was Bishop Ranulf Flambard. At the same time, he was the first who managed to escape from the custody of the guards. He managed to escape thanks to the rope, which was given to him in a bottle.

White Tower inside and out

The entrance to the White Tower was located much higher than the ground level. This is a tribute to the Norman tradition. A wooden ladder was attached to it, from which, in the event of a sudden attack, it might have been possible to quickly get rid of. As in other donjons, the White Tower has a vast basement and a well.

The lowest floor of the White Tower was assigned to the constable - ruling in the absence of the ruler in London. And also for the lieutenant who replaced the manager.

On the second floor there is the Great Hall and rooms for the royal family.

Museum inside the Tower of London

Simon Gibson / flickr.com Doug Kerr / flickr.com Doug Kerr / flickr.com Kent Wang / flickr.com Francesco Gasparetti / flickr.com PROFrancesco Gasparetti / flickr.com Francesco Gasparetti / flickr.com *SHERWOOD* / flickr.com Maria Morri / flickr.com Chapel of St. John the Evangelist (eefeewahfah / flickr.com) Crossbow exhibit inside the White Tower of the Tower (Xiquinho Silva / flickr.com) elyob / flickr.com elyob / flickr.com elyob / flickr.com Rudolf Schuba / flickr.com Rudolf Schuba / flickr.com Rudolf Schuba / flickr.com

Changes to the castle under Kings Richard and John

Before the reign of Richard the Lionheart, the Tower of London did not undergo any changes for a long time. When Richard the Lionheart occupied the royal throne, his brother John claimed the role of ruler of the state. King Richard was often on campaign, his castle in the capital was controlled by Chancellor William Longchept.

Inner side of outer wall, Tower of London (Orangeaurochs / flickr.com)

Since there was a threat of an attack on the castle by the brother of the king, the chancellor began to strengthen the protection of the Tower. For this, defensive fortifications were built, a moat with water appeared around the fortress.

Under the reign of Richard, the area occupied by the Tower increased significantly. In 1191 the castle was besieged. It was more profitable for Longchept to surrender, and John took the Tower of London.

John became king after Richard the Lionheart died. They began to call him John the Landless. He ascended the throne, but failed to win the favor of the barons. Therefore, the Tower of London was again besieged. To stay on the throne, the king was forced to make concessions. The Magna Carta was signed. Since then, the stage of constitutional monarchy has begun. But the king was in no hurry to fulfill the promise, and this led to the First Baronial War.

Tower menagerie

John Landless is also famous for having founded a menagerie in the Tower. During his reign, lions were kept here. Henry III, who ascended the throne after him, added leopards to the zoo, as well as a polar bear and a real elephant.

During the history of the castle, the menagerie was constantly replenished with various rare and exotic animals. Elizabeth I even allowed Londoners to visit the menagerie and the weapons museum. Such a zoo operated here until 1830, after which it was closed, and the animals moved to the London Zoo. In memory of the menagerie, sculptures of those animals that were kept here were exhibited in the castle.

Ravens of the Tower

Crows of the Tower - a population of ravens permanently living on the territory of the castle. This is another attraction of the castle-museum of Great Britain. Under King Charles II, a legend appeared that ravens were an important part of the castle, and without them the Tower of London could not exist.

These birds are the black guardians of the castle. Therefore, since then, a tradition has developed to take care of these ravens, which is followed to this day, and now the Raven Keeper works in the castle.

Changes under Henry III

Under Henry III, the Tower thoroughly expanded its territory. Stone walls and 9 towers were built. This area is now designated as the Courtyard. The purpose of many towers is indicated by their very names. For example, the Bell Tower. It housed the main bell. Or Archery Tower. It was engaged in the manufacture of bows and crossbows, as well as siege weapons.

View of the Tower from the Shard (Rick Lighthelm / flickr.com)

Lanthorn Tower - its name comes from the Old English word for "light" or "radiance". This tower played the role of a lighthouse for ships passing along the river. The main entrance is now in the western wall. The Wakefield and Lanthorn towers housed the chambers and other living quarters of the royal family. Between these towers a spacious room for the hall was specially built.

Also during the reign of Henry, the Bloody Tower was built. She is famous for a very sad story. Edward V and his brother, another heir to the throne, Richard of York, were killed in it. The people called them the princes of the Tower, they were imprisoned in the tower under the supervision of the guards. Nobody saw them alive, most likely they were killed.

At the time of his death, the first was 12 years old, and the second 10. Richard III ordered their execution because of possible claims to the throne (although he was their own uncle). Before the execution, the children were already officially declared illegitimate, but this did not stop Richard.

Changes under King Edward I

Under King Edward I, another line of walls grew, as well as 2 bastions. The dug ditch has a width of 50 meters and a great depth. A new main entrance has been made. Gates were divided into external and internal. A barbican was also built, which was called the Lion Tower. They kept lions in it.

Main entrance to the Tower of London (dynamosquito / flickr.com)

Under Edward, the Tower expanded to the south. The Tower of St. Thomas was built here, in which the famous Traitor's Gate was located - another of the attractions of the museum-castle. Through them, the guards brought new prisoners of the prison along the water.

The king also moved the mint to the Tower. The fortress walls of the Tower under Edward began to have loopholes for shooters - the guards of the castle. The Beauchamp Tower grew, for the construction of which, for the first time in English history, brickwork was used. To make the castle less dependent on external conditions, water mills were made. The area occupied by buildings under King Edward is now called the Outer Court.

Tower at present

After King Edward, the Tower became the way it can be seen today.

Since the time of Elizabeth, interest in visiting the Tower has grown every year. Many people wanted to visit it as a museum, including because of Ainsworth's historical novel The Tower of London. There are legends about this landmark of Great Britain. Until now, this castle is very popular among tourists.

Tower (Great Britain) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Reviews of tourists, photos and videos.

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The Tower of London has become a symbol not only of London, but of the whole of Great Britain. It occupies a special place in British history, so now the Tower is one of the most visited architectural and historical sights in the world.

In essence, the Tower is a fortress. It stands on the north bank of the Thames, is one of the oldest buildings in England and the historical center of London. The history of this fortress is varied: initially it was built as a defensive castle, and then it served as a zoo, a mint, an arsenal, a prison, an observatory, and a repository of royal jewels.

The size of the Tower is 32 by 36 meters, the height of the towers is 30 meters.

History of the Tower

The Tower was built in 1078, and in 1190 the first prisoner was imprisoned in the fortress. Only 7 executions took place in this prison for high-ranking people and royal persons, among the victims of Henry VIII's wife Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, as well as the "Queen of the Nine Days" Jane Gray. From the first years of its existence, the Tower began to acquire all sorts of rumors and legends, sometimes very sinister. Some of them can be heard during tours of this famous fortress.

Museum

Today, the Tower of London looks almost the same as in the 11th century. Its main purpose is a museum with a rich collection and an armory, where the treasures of the British crown are kept. Officially, the fortress continues to be considered one of the royal residences. There are several private apartments in which service personnel and sometimes distinguished guests live. The Tower offers excursions where the guides are beefeaters - English guards. They are dressed in dark blue Victorian uniforms, and on holidays - in luxurious Tudor costumes, which causes additional interest among tourists in the fortress.

Events at the Tower

In addition to the traditional inspection of exhibits and interiors, you can also have fun in the Tower: for example, from December 27 to December 31, the New Year is celebrated here in medieval costumes. Tourists are met by King Richard III, knights and minstrels. Even if you don't know how to skate, don't miss the opportunity to have fun at the Tower Ice Rink. People come here in the morning, as a fitness at the beginning of the day, and in the evening, when you want romance: the fortress is illuminated by lights that are reflected in the ice. The skating rink is open from November 17 to January 2, ticket prices are from 10.5 to 14.5 EUR. Prices on the page are for March 2019.

Practical Information

Below are the online prices:

• Adults - 24.7 GBP,
• children from 5 to 15 years old - 11.7 GBP, children under 5 years old - free of charge,
• tickets for students (from 16 years old), disabled people and pensioners (from 60 years old) - 19.3 GBP,
• family ticket (2 adults + up to 3 children) - 62.9 GBP,
• family ticket (1 adult + up to 3 children) - 44.4 GBP.

How to get to the Tower of London

Nearest underground station: Tower Hill (Entrance to the Tower of London 5 minutes walk). Nearest station: Fenchurch Street or London Bridge. Buses No. 15, 42, 78, 100, RV1. In addition, there are river buses and high-speed catamarans from Charing Cross, Westminster and Greenwich to the Tower Pier every 20 minutes.

Britain is one of the most significant and great powers in world history. She always amazed with her canonicity and tolerance, confidence and grandeur. Its towers, castles, cathedrals and bridges are favorite destinations for tourists on their tour of Europe. And, of course, you can't come to London and not visit the legendary Tower of London.

Situated on the north bank of the Thames, this truly grand complex rises against the grey, often overcast London skies. In size, reaching 32 meters in length and 36 meters in width, it consists of a number of different buildings. There are 20 towers 30 meters high, 2 bastions, casemates, the Church of St. Peter, the Museum of the Fusiliers, a hospital, the Queen's house, armories, barracks. As well as a beautiful green meadow and a jetty on the banks of the Thames.

This impromptu tourist town eventually developed cafeterias and souvenir shops that visitors often use as shelter from the constant British rains.

Prison or defensive fortress?

The construction of the Tower is attributed to William I, Duke of Normandy and King of England, who ruled from 1066. He, as the organizer of the Norman conquest of England, built defensive fortresses throughout the kingdom. It was in this context that the presently standing Tower appeared.

At the beginning it was a simple wooden fort, which was later rebuilt into a stone massif with the possibility of defensive actions. The follower of William I - King Henry III, continued the construction and strengthening of the Tower, erecting 9 new towers (at the moment 7 of them have survived), the courtyard and adapting the Tower to public life. So, bows and arrows for the knights of the royal army were made in the tower of the Archery Master, and one of the towers was used as a lighthouse. By order of Henry III, the walls were whitewashed, from which the fort was called the White tower - the white tower. Later, the building was simply called the Tower.

There is another thought - that in 1077 the Bishop of Rochester Gandalf erected the first white tower, which laid the foundation for historical construction. But this version is less popular and does not agree on dates with the historical data of world history.

In 1190, the Tower began to be used as an official prison - the first prisoner appeared here. It is noteworthy that only monarchs or representatives of the highest nobility were prisoners of the tower's cells.

Video - History of the Tower of London and its captives

King Edward I built a second line of walls in the Tower and equipped the main entrance. And only since the reign of Henry VIII, the prison began to fully justify its purpose. Real and imaginary traitors to the king, rebels and conspirators served their sentences here. In the Tower itself, two wives of Henry VIII were executed: Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, who were accused of treason. Also, in subsequent years, several more people were executed here, including: Jane Grey, Henry XI and Edward V.

Sometimes people were tortured within the walls of the prison. So, the legendary Guy Fawkes, under severe torture, betrayed his accomplices in the coup attempt.

In the XIII century, a moat was dug on the borders of the Tower, and three centuries later two bastions were built - Ledges Mount and Brass Mount.

At the beginning of the 18th century, the tower-bastion complex was used as a nursery, where they kept lions, leopards, elephants and even polar bears. Anyone wishing to visit the makeshift zoo had to pay the entrance fee or bring a cat or a dog as a "reception" for the inhabitants of the enclosures.

In 1843, the Tower experienced its first full-fledged reconstruction and landscaping. About ten years later, the entrance to the territory became paid, since tourist excursions to the mint and the tower with royal regalia were already in full swing here. Tower Bridge itself was built in 1894.

During the Second World War, prisoners of war were kept here. In 1940, after a bomb hit, the architectural heritage was reconstructed for several years.

The last prisoners who had to serve their sentences in a London prison were the Kray brothers - the leaders of a criminal group in the East End of London, in 1952.

Now the Tower is only a tourist and historically important object of London, within the walls of which there are museums and several apartments for accommodation of staff.

London Walls hoaxes

Like most castles in England, the Tower is legendary. A favorite theme of locals and tourists is the ghosts of the towers. There are dozens of them, but it is worth mentioning only the most famous and popular stories.

The most talked about ghost of the Tower is the spirit of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket. He was close to King Henry II, but after a conflict with the ruler, he was captured and brutally executed in Canterbury Cathedral. It is said that his spirit haunts the castle to this day and frightens visitors.

The scariest ghost is Margaret Paul. She was the Countess of Salisbury and became objectionable to the ruling dynasty because of her family tree. In fear that the countess might interfere with the royal family, it was decided to execute her. And so, in 1541, the 70-year-old countess was brought to the chopping block, but, for unknown reasons, they could not be beheaded immediately. She died only after the third blow of the executioner. Keepers of the castle gossip that the spirit of Margaret returns to the walls of the Tower every anniversary of her death with a desire for revenge.

How to get there and what to see?

More than two million tourists visit the Tower every year. If you want to join them, take care of your visa as well.

You will need: both passports, one photo, an application form, a document of solvency, a certificate from a place of work or a university, a document for movable / immovable property, a marriage / divorce certificate, confirmation of the place of residence or the booked tour.

For a mandatory visit to the Tower, you will have to pay, for example, about 340 dollars for 3 days.

If you go to the foggy capital on your own, then you will visit the Tower at a time that suits you. Moving around London on foot is not always convenient, as frequent rains and fog cause discomfort. Therefore, you can use a taxi (50-100 pounds) or the subway (0.7-4 pounds).

In summer, the complex is open from 10 to 17, in winter - from 10 to 16.30. For lovers of New Year trips, it should be noted that on December 24-26 and January 1, the entrance to the fortress is closed.

Admission is £24.5 for adults, £11 for children and £18.7 for students and seniors. You can use group tours, but more often tourists use an audio guide, which even in Russian tells fascinating stories about the Tower. The cost of such a guide is 4 pounds.

Passing through the fortress, one cannot help but look into various expositions and museums. The most popular expositions are two of them - "Row of Kings" and "Kings and Coins".

A number of kings are 10 equestrian statues in full uniform, collected back in 1688, as an attempt to raise the status of the Stuart dynasty.

Kings and Coins tells about the history of the coinage and shows rare coins that were created during the operation of the mint in 1279-1812.

Experienced tourists are advised to take a closer look at the ravenmasters - caretakers who take care of the eight ravens living on the territory of the Tower. The British believe that if the ravens leave the Tower, England will fall. Birds are watched and cared for with special diligence. For a month, about 100 pounds are allocated for each bird. Every day, the crow receives 200 grams of meat, and once a week, raw eggs and rabbit meat. Even pets of the most loving owners will envy such content.

Tourists go to London with interest to see with their own eyes the subject of legends and disputes. To wander around the towers and feel like a part of British history. To take a few photos with the guards in colorful uniforms or to witness rare cannon volleys. Yes, and the British themselves say: "If you have not seen the Tower, then you do not know anything about Great Britain."