The Tower of London is a 900-year-old castle and stronghold in central London known for hosting the crown jewels as well as sheltering many famous and notorious inmates. It is one of the world's most important museums and research centers.
The tower continues to play an important role in the life of the nation today, providing security for the royal family and government officials, as well as housing some of Britain's most important cultural treasures. It also operates as a major tourist attraction, with over 5 million visitors per year.
The first stone tower was built by William the Conqueror between 1067 and 1071 on land he had conquered in England. The original wooden structure was 60 feet high with walls about 30 inches thick. It included a small courtyard area inside the tower where prisoners could be housed.
By 1166, when the second stone tower was completed, the kingdom had become a permanent fixture on the English landscape. This new tower was similar in design to the first, but was much taller, reaching a height of 120 feet. It too contained a prison system that came to include cages for locking up dangerous criminals such as robbers.
In 1547, after the execution of Henry VIII, the tower became home to his illegitimate son Edward VI and then to his brother Richard III until 1674.
The Tower of London is a 900-year-old medieval castle and UNESCO World Heritage Site in London, England. When was the Tower of London constructed? In 1066, the first foundations were erected, which were thought to be a wooden fence made of lumber. However, it has since been rebuilt using stone and mortar several times over. The current structure is the third version. It was built between 1171 and 1220 by King Henry III.
The earliest evidence of human activity at the site dates back to 870 AD. By 925 AD, a royal hunting lodge had been established there. In 1066, the building we know today as the Tower of London was completed.
Why do they call it the Tower of London? The name comes from the large tower at its center, which was used as a prison until the 17th century. Before that time, it was known as the White Tower or, more commonly, just the Tower.
The Tower has been the site of many executions over the years including those of Charles II after he lost his throne in 1660 during the English Civil War and Princess Diana after her death in 1997.
Today, visitors can walk through the historic walls of the castle and see some of the exhibits that highlight different aspects of British history.
The London Tower The Tower of London's History Royal Palace, mighty stronghold and prison all in one. This grand palace was built to protect the city of London from invasion by land or sea. The first fortress on this site was built by William the Conqueror in 1066 after he defeated the Londoners in battle. In 1547, Henry VIII ordered that the old fortress be replaced with a new one to make sure no enemy could capture the city again. The new fortress was even more impressive than the old one and became a symbol of England's power and prestige.
Although today people usually think of Buckingham Palace when they hear the word "Palace", London's original palace was actually much grander. It was known as "The White Tower" because it had five white towers, one inside the other. The innermost tower was where prisoners would have been kept in cells. There were also courts and prisons elsewhere within the fortress walls. The new palace was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and was an exact copy of the Louvre in Paris. It was made out of wood but since burned down in 1698. A new palace was then built using materials from the old one. This new palace was also designed by Wren and was called "The Palace of Versailles".
The Tower of London is nearly a thousand years old, having been erected about 1070 and still standing tall today. William the Conqueror erected the White Tower in 1078, giving it its name. For the most part, the Tower has served as a jail. In the 16th century, it became known as "the worst prison in England". Today, it remains a popular destination for tourists looking to see some of Britain's oldest surviving architecture.
The White Tower is a large building with a white exterior made of limestone. It stands 33 meters (108 feet) high and covers an area of about 40,000 square meters (430,000 square feet). The tower has been used for many purposes over the years including housing knights at the time of King Henry VIII, serving as a museum, and even as an observatory. It has been recorded that there are more than 7,000 rooms inside the Tower itself.
The Tower has been attacked several times, once being burned down by French soldiers who were angry about what had happened at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. During World War II, the Germans used the Tower as a prison camp for people taken hostage during the war. After the war, the Tower was restored to its original condition.
Today, visitors can enter the White Tower via two entrances: one on the first floor and another on the second floor.
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