The Tower of London, or Her Majesty's Royal Palace, is located in England, in the very center of London, on the banks of the Thames. Wilhelm I is considered the founder of this historical monument. Initially, it was a defensive structure. It was built along with other similar fortresses to control the country.
The Tower of London received its first prisoner in 1190. As a prison, it was used only for high-ranking people of noble birth. Among the most famous are the kings of France, Scotland and their families. Twelve-year-old Edward V, his younger brother, and Henry VI were killed here.
The Tower of London, whose history is incredibly interesting and diverse, hosted a menagerie in the 13th century. There you could see a polar bear, an elephant and three leopards. Gradually, there are more and more animals, and in 1830 they were transferred to the London Zoo.
At the very beginning of the 13th century, Henry III significantly transformed the Tower of London. Here is locatedroyal residence and luxurious buildings were built. In the northwest of the Inner Courtyard, the Coldharbour Gate was erected (they have not survived to this day). The courtyard was bounded by a wall, fortified on the southwest by Wakefield Tower, on the east by Lantern Tower, and on the north by Wardrob Tower. Lantern and Wakefield adjoined the Great Hall and were an integral part of the palace. The royal residence was located here before the arrival of Oliver Cromwell. Under him, many of the luxurious buildings were destroyed.
The Royal Mint was located in the Tower for about 500 years. The most important legal and state records were kept here, weapons and military equipment of the army and the king were made. The local treasuries kept the treasures of the entire British Empire. In the 17th century they were opened to the public. Among the exhibits there are royal scepters and precious stones that adorned the crowns. All of these items are still used by members of the royal family to this day.
Tower of London today is one of the main attractions of London. The main buildings have not changed since ancient times. To this day, it houses one of the Royal Residences.
The dried-up moat that surrounds all the buildings is crossed by a bridge that leads from the Middle Tower to Byward Tower. Here are the gates that once served as an external fortification, called the Lion Tower.
Today many buildings are open to the public. In addition to them, tourists can see an amazing collectionweapons, royal armories, the British crown jewels and the remains of the walls of a Roman fortress.
The Tower of London, whose photos are posted in huge quantities on a variety of sites, has a rich history. Local guides will be happy to tell you about it and many other things. In their capacity are yeomanry gatekeepers. In addition, they provide order and are an attraction. Every evening a solemn closing ceremony of the Tower is held. The gatekeepers participate in the handover of the keys.
