The whitewashed stone walls of the White Tower and the Tower of London invoke awe and intrigue within a spectator. The walls of the magnificent castle have witnessed the saga of the British Empire and are still standing strong today in London to narrate its history. The Tower of London, which derives its name from its central ‘White Tower’, has 22 towers in total, and is a stronghold within two concentric walls and a moat. Officially known as ‘Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London’ its origins started with the building of the White Tower in 1078. Since then, it grew over time and became the large castle it is today.
The Tower of London was meant as a Royal Residence but it ceased over time and became a place for the royal armoury and a prison. Its gruesome history goes back to its use a prison, as it held influential royalty like Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I. Later in the day, Guy Fawkes also joined the ranks of prisoners held at the Tower of London.
Today the Tower of London is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is visited by more than 2.7 million tourists each year. The castle is more than just an architectural masterpiece; it is a testament to the history of England itself!
In a Nutshell
The Tower of London experience includes not only interesting tours like the Yeoman Guards (Beefeaters) tours but also live historical enactments and storytelling events. The Tower of London tickets also include permanent exhibitions of the exquisite Crown Jewels, the regal armoury display of the ‘Line of the Kings’, as well as the ‘Coins and Kings’ collection of the Royal Mint. Right from the ‘Ceremony of the Keys’ to the feeding of ravens and walk down the battlements, the Tower of London promises a day full of history and excitement.
Hours
• Sun-Mon: 10 AM - 4:30 PM
• Tue-Sat: 9 AM - 4:30 PM
Address
St Katharine's & Wapping, London EC3N 4AB, UK
Get Directions
Tower of London Tickets
Why Visit
When William the Conqueror set about building the ‘Tower of London’ in order to establish his rule in the city, he picked a strategic spot, right beside the River of Thames on Tower Hill, so that the Tower could be seen from afar. Throughout its history, the Tower of London was expanded by future kings and queens. It literally has witnessed the Game of Thrones, and tells tales of horror, political manipulation, and palace intrigue.
Not only the stories, the physical architecture of the Tower of London made it the strongest castle keep in the world. It was a military stronghold and housed the royal armoury and boasted of the strength and valor of the British Empire. A fortress, a prison, a mint and a royal residency, the Tower of London has played many roles. It is a place that can be truly experienced only by stepping inside it, so get your Tower of London tickets and take a trip through 900 years of British history.
Your Tower of London Experience
Tower of London Crown Jewels
Rites and rituals passed on for generations have maintained a semblance of continuity in the British monarchy. While the world is moving on to different governing models, the monarchy and its unique traditions appear enigmatic. The coronation regalia or as they are commonly known, ‘crown jewels’, form a part of the monarchy's traditions. Used since the 1600s during coronations and other special occasions by the kings and queens, these jewels are the symbol of the wealth of the British Empire.
The iconic crown jewel collection is stored in the Jewel House at the Tower of London. It holds more than 140 objects, including 7 sovereign crowns and other objects like sceptres, orbs, swords, robes, and sacred plates. Some of the unique items include The Imperial State Crown, St. Edward’s Crown, the Sovereign’s Orb, and the Jewelled Sword of Offering.
The unique collection houses 23,578 gemstones sourced from all across the world, displaying the might of the empire back in its golden period. It also hosts magnificent diamonds like the world’s largest diamond – Cullinan I – as well as the famous Koh-i-noor, which now adorns the Queen’s crown.
White Tower
There was one primary purpose of the White Tower – to intimidate and unnerve invaders – and it served its purpose incredibly well! Built by William the Conqueror in the 1080s, the White Tower is the most recognisable tower in the Tower of London. The tower was a castle keep, the strongest part of a medieval castle, and was, in fact, known to be one of the strongest military holds in the Christian World.
Today, it holds the Royal Armouries Collection, including the Line of Kings exhibition. You will also find an incredible Romanesque Chapel inside known as St. Johns’ Chapel. The White Tower also has a macabre history – the top floor of the tower has an 18th century executioner block with an axe! The tower’s basement also has witnessed gore, including the torture of Guy Fawkes and the Jesuit priest John Gerard.
Yeoman Warder / Beefeater Tour
You will often spot a uniformed guard at the Tower of London, regaling groups of tourists with stories of palace intrigue, imprisonment, torture and more. These are the Yeoman Warder tours conducted at the Tower of London for free of cost in your Tower of London tickets! Nicknamed as the ‘Beefeaters’, these guards are Members of the Sovereign's Body Guard of the Yeoman Guard Extraordinary, and have been the ceremonial guards of the Tower for more than 500 years.
Currently, there are 37 Yeoman Guards at the Tower, including a woman. One of them is also the designated ‘Ravenmaster’ who takes care of the ravens at the tower. The story goes that once the ravens leave the tower, it will fall to ruins! The Beefeaters are believed to be given this name because they could have unlimited access to beef from the king’s table. Today, these Yeoman Guards are the living icons of the Tower of London and their engaging tours start every 30 minutes at the Tower of London.
Other Experiences
Exhibition: Coins & Kings
The Tower of London experience is not complete without a visit to the permanent exhibition, ‘Coins and Kings’. The exhibition is located at what used to be the site of the Mint, before it was moved out of the Tower after a financial crisis. It includes an impressive display of coins that have been used since the early 1200s. There are also outdoor installations and interactive displays which narrate the history of currency in England. You will also come across unheard stories, like the time when Isaac Newton tried to rid London of counterfeiters and the time when Charles II rejected commonwealth money. The Coins and Kings exhibition is included in the Tower of London tickets and should not be missed!
Exhibition: Lines of Kings
The Line of Kings is one of the oldest exhibitions at the Tower of London, having originally debuted in 1688. It was designed to promote ‘kingship’ and pride in the monarchy after a tumultuous period in history. The original exhibition was curated based on the morality of the kings and only few kings like Edward III and Henry VIII made it to the exhibition. Today, however there is a full representation of history of kings and noblemen. The exhibition is a display of the royal armoury and includes the full armour mounted on wooden horses. There are also many oddities and unique objects related to the armed forces of the monarchy. The exhibition is included in the price of the Tower of London tickets and is an incredible display of the strength of British monarchy.
Live Historical Re-enactments
A unique event with live historical enactments is conducted regularly at the Tower of London. The theatrical group dresses up in medieval costumes, and enacts some of the most interesting events from history. The interesting aspect is that the show also involves the audiences, making it the perfect tourist experience. While listening to an audio guide or live guide is one thing, the historical enactments ensure you will never forget about the Red Earl, Johanna Ferrour, or Sir Thomas Neville!
Tower of London - All You Need to Know
Getting to Tower of London
The Tower of London can be easily accessed by public transport plus. Most hop on hop off tour buses also stop at the Tower.
- Tube: The closest tube station is Tower Hill (Circle and District lines)
- Bus: 15, 42, 78, 100, and RV1
- Overground: The closest stations are Fenchurch Street and London Bridge
- Riverboat: The closest river access point is Tower Pier
Timings
The Tower of London is open daily except between 24th-26th December and 1st January.
Summer (1st March - 31st October)
Tuesday-Saturday: 9 AM - 5:30 PM
Sunday-Monday: 10 AM - 5:30 PM
Last admission: 5 PM
Winter (1st November - 28th February)
Tuesday-Saturday: 9 AM - 4:30 PM
Sunday-Monday: 10 AM - 4:30 PM
Last admission: 4 PM
Insider Tips
Accessibility
- Wheelchairs are available free of charge on a first come first serve basis.
- There are lifts available at the White Tower near the Raven shop and the New Armouries Café.
- Only the Jewel Tower and Crown Jewels exhibition is wheelchair accessible. Being a medieval castle, the rough stone pathways and stairs do not make it accessible for wheelchair users.
Other Tips
- There is no baggage storage facility, so travel light.
- Tripods and Selfie-sticks are not allowed.
- Guide dogs are allowed.
- Head to the Tower of London early in the day, you can also catch the opening of the complex of Tower of London at about 8:45 AM every morning. The crowds are thinner in the morning and you can get to see everything at your own pace without waiting.
- The Yeoman Warder tours start at 10 AM and one every 30 minutes after that. Don’t miss out on the experience, as the guards are witty and narrate some lesser known facts and stories.
- The Crown Jewels exhibit is often the busiest in the entire palace complex. The best way is to view it first thing in the morning and then head to the Yeoman Tour at 10 AM.
- It will take you about 2-3 hours to walk around the castle and check off all the important exhibits, so plan your visit accordingly.
- Be there for the feeding times of the ravens by the Raven master. It is believed that if the ravens fly away, the kingdom will fall to ruin! Even today there are at least 6 ravens on the campus and their wings are clipped so they don’t fly away.
- Ceremony of the Keys is a unique closing ceremony of the Tower of London. Although it is free, it has limited audience and requires advance booking which is currently done till January 2019! So if you are traveling after that keep a look out for the availability of tickets.
Tower of London Reviews
Had a great day at tower of London. My first visit inside was the crowd jewels, has just after opening was not a wait to visit. Enjoy the tour and seeing one of the tower ravens very close up
Of course this is a great place to visit. Many things to see inside the walls. The best thing for us was taking the Beefeaters Tour and learning all the true facts and fictions about the tower.
Read what others have to say about the Tower of London on TripAdvisor.
The post Discover Thousand Years of British History With Your Tower of London Tickets appeared first on Headout Blog.
Article source here:Headout Blog
No comments:
Post a Comment