Tower of London

Formally known as Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, this iconic city landmark was founded almost a millennium ago in 1066. London is dotted with all manner of sights and attractions, but the Tower of London is undoubtedly one of the city’s most remarkable tourist draws, given its depth of history and culture. It was the country’s new Norman ruler, William the Conqueror, who ordered that The White Tower be constructed in 1078, with the governing intention that the structure would represent William’s power and authority over his new city.

Today, the Tower of London is less of an ominous symbol and more of a highly popular landmark is known for hosting all manner of historic re-enactments and storytelling performances. The majority of tourists flock toward the Tower of London in order to catch a glimpse at the Crown Jewels, a stunning collection of over 23,500 gemstones that have been stored there for well over 300 years.

• The Tower of London is one of the world’s 911 World Heritage Sites.
• The fortress is thought to be haunted by the ghosts of Henry VI, Catherine Howard, Dame Sybil and a grizzly bear that once resided in the tower.
• In total, 22 executions took place within the Tower of London. The last person to be executed was German spy Josef Jakobs in 1941.
• The Tower of London was a formidable prison for over 800 years and housed a range of notorious prisoners such as Anne Boleyn, Guy Fawkes, Rudolf Hess and most recently, the Krey Twins.
• At least six ravens are kept in the Tower of London at all times. It is fabled that should the fortress be without any ravens, the whole kingdom will fall to ruin.
• The Tower of London accommodated a Royal Zoo for around 600 years.
• In November 2012 the keys to the Tower were stolen and never recovered. However, the locks were promptly changed!