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The Tower of London is a royal palace, fortress, and prison on the River Thames in London, England. It’s located in the borough of Tower Hamlets, just east of the City of London.
Introduction to the Tower of London
The Tower of London, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a royal palace and fortress. It dates back to 1066 when it was founded by William the Conqueror. In addition to housing the Royal Family, it was used as a prison from 1100 to 1952 as well as an armory, a treasury, a menagerie, the home of the Royal Mint, a public record office, and the home of the Crown Jewels of England.
The Tower of London consists of several buildings set within two rings of defensive walls surrounded by a moat. It was expanded in the 12th and 13th centuries, and the general layout dates back to the 13th century. There are three wards: the Outer Ward, Inner Ward, and Innermost Ward. They take up an area of about 12 acres.
The Tower of London has been a tourist attraction since the Elizabethan period. The first ticket office opened in 1851, and was welcoming a half million visitors annually by the end of the 19th century. The Tower of London became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988.
Visiting the Tower of London
The Tower of London is open daily. The ticket booth and entrance are both on the west side. Admission during peak periods is £34.80 for adults; £27.70 for visitors aged 65+ and full-time students over 18; and £17.40 for children aged 5-17 (as of September 2024). Children under five go free. You can also purchase tickets online in advance. Allow at least two hours for your visit. The nearest tube station is Tower Hill. Check the official website for more info.
Tours at the Tower of London
Yeoman Warder tours are included in the price of admission. They start every 30 minutes and give a detailed history of the Tower. The Yeoman Warders also tell stories about famous prisoners and executions.
Audio guides cost £5 for adults and £4 for children (as of September 2023). They’re available in 12 languages plus British Sign Language.
Facilities at the Tower of London
There are plenty of opportunities for shopping at eating at the Tower of London.
Gift Shops at the Tower of London
There are six gift shops at the Tower of London. The largest is the Tower of London Shop, situated just outside the entrance. The Beefeater Shop is just inside the entrance, and where you can pick up an audio guide (see below) or guidebook as well as other small souvenirs. Other shops include the White Tower Shop, Crown Jewels Shop, Jewel House Shop, and Ravens Shop.
Restaurants at the Tower of London
Two restaurants are located inside the Tower. The New Armouries Café offers full meals while the Ravens Café offers drinks and snacks. The Jewel Kiosk serves snacks and drinks, and food carts are seasonal.
Outer Ward of the Tower of London
The Outer Ward is the section between the Tower’s two sets of defensive walls. It was created in the 13th century during the reigns of King Henry III and his son, Edward I, as they expanded the Tower outwards. Edward I completely surrounded the castle with walls and built new bastions. He also built a new entrance in the southwest corner and a new water gate on land that was previously submerged by the River Thames.
Moat
As soon as you pass through the entrance to the Tower of London, its importance as a defensive building is obvious. As you cross the bridge, you get a good glimpse of the wide moat that surrounds it. It’s 50 meters (160 feet) wide and was originally 4.5 meters (15 feet) deeper in the middle than it is today.
Byward Tower
On the other side of the bridge is the Byward Tower, which is one of 21 towers at the Tower of London. It was built by Henry III between 1238 and 1272 and was the gatehouse to the Outer Ward. Today, it serves as the main tourist entrance.
Water Lane
Once passing under the Byward Tower, you enter the Water Lane, which runs along the south side of the Tower of London parallel to the River Thames. It’s the only section of the Outer Ward visitors can really explore at ground level.
From Water Lane, you can access the Medieval Palace at St. Thomas’s Tower, the Inner Ward, and exit the complex. Just east of the Medieval Palace, you’ll find a row of cannons on display.
Bell Tower
Opposite the Byward Tower is the Bell Tower. It’s the second oldest tower in the complex and may have been commissioned in the 12th century by Richard the Lionheart. It takes its name from the small wooden turret at the top, which contains the “curfew bell”. The bell was rung to inform prisoners it was time to return to their cells. Famous prisoners held inside the Bell Tower include Sir Thomas More (1478-1535), Bishop John Fisher (1469-1535), and Princess Elizabeth (the future Queen Elizabeth I).
Royal Mint
On the west side of the Outer Ward is the former Royal Mint. The mint was moved to the tower around 1279 by Edward I and operated there until 1812. Today, the building is an interactive museum telling the history of the mint and displaying unique objects and coins.
Traitors’ Gate
The Traitors’ Gate is a water gate under St. Thomas’s Tower. It was built by Edward I and replaced the Bloody Tower as the castle’s water gate.
Prisoners were brought to the Tower of London through the Traitors’ Gate. They would pass on a barge along the River Thames under the London Bridge, where heads of executed prisoners were displayed on pikes. The prisoners would then be escorted to their cells.
Medieval Palace at the Tower of London
The Medieval Palace sits on the south side of the Tower of London. It’s made up of St. Thomas’s Tower, the Wakefield Tower, and the Lanthorn Tower.
St. Thomas’s Tower
St. Thomas’s Tower was built between 1275 and 1279 by King Edward I as a living quarters. The architect was Master James of St. George (c. 1230-1309). It sits above the Traitors’ Gate. You can see if from both the Outer Ward and the wharf.
The first room inside St. Thomas’s Tower is quite bare, containing only a few interpretive panels. The second room contains Edward I’s bedchamber, decorated with replica furniture as well as a fireplace. The furniture was built as it would have been during the reign of Edward I and based on descriptions from the King’s financial records.
Wakefield Tower
A passage over Water Lane gives access to the Wakefield Tower, which was built between 1222 and 1240. It’s the second largest tower in the complex. Edward I’s father, King Henry III, converted the Wakefield Tower into the king’s apartments. The room is decorated with a replica 13th century throne based on historic descriptions, a fireplace, and chapel.
King Henry VI died on May 21, 1471, in the chapel of the Wakefield Tower. He was imprisoned there and his death may have been ordered by King Edward IV, his rival to the throne. Details surrounding the possible murder of Henry VI are still unclear to this day.
The lower part of the Wakefield Tower was used as a prison. Today, it contains an exhibition of medieval torture devices, Torture at the Tower.
Walking the Ramparts
After exiting the Wakefield Tower, you are now on the ramparts. From there, you can get great views of Tower Bridge and the White Tower. The ramparts were the outer defensive walls of the Tower of London until the Outer Ward was built.
Lanthorn Tower
The walk on the walls continues through the Lanthorn Tower, which was built between 1238 and 1272 by Henry III as an apartment for the Queen. After the death of Edward I, kings favored living in the Lanthorn Tower. It was destroyed by fire in 1774 and restored by architect Anthony Salvin (1799-1881) in 1854. Today, it contains rare artifacts dated to the reigns of Henry III and Edward I.
Salt Tower
After passing through the Lanthorn Tower, you cross over the Queen Elizabeth II Arch to the Salt Tower. The Salt Tower, while not part of the Medieval Palace, was also built by Henry III in the late 1230s. The basement contained a dungeon while the ground floor was used for storage. The upper floor has a huge fireplace and a decorative window. Prisoners held there include the puppet king John Balliol (c. 1249-1314); John Gerard (1564-1637) and several other Jesuit priests; and Italian tutor of Elizabeth I, Giovanni Battista Castiglione (1516-1598). Many prisoners carved graffiti into the walls of the Salt Tower.
Inner Ward of the Tower of London
The Inner Ward was created during the reign of Richard the Lionheart in the last decade of the 12th century. The original Tower of London consisted only of the White Tower and the yard immediately to the south (the Innermost Ward), but Richard’s expansion effectively doubled its size. Henry III built the north and east walls in the middle of the 13th century, giving the Inner Ward the shape it has today.
To access the Inner Ward, visitors pass under the Bloody Tower. Immediately to the right is the entrance to the basement of the Wakefield Tower.
Bloody Tower
The Bloody Tower was the most infamous prison at the Tower of London. It was built between 1238 and 1272 by Henry III, and was originally the river entrance to the castle until the Outer Ward was built.
The most famous prisoner to occupy the Bloody Tower was Sir Walter Raleigh (c. 1553-1618), who was arrested and charged with treason on July 19, 1603. He was imprisoned on the ground floor until 1616, when he was released to conduct his second expedition to Venezuela in search of El Dorado. Against Raleighs orders, his men attacked a Spanish outpost, therefore violating the terms of his release. He was beheaded on October 29, 1618, at the Palace of Westminster.
On the upper floor was the cell of Edward V and his brother, Richard, Duke of York (1473-1483). Edward V succeeded his father, Edward IV, at the age of 13. He was imprisoned in the tower with his brother by his uncle, the Duke of Gloucester, who proclaimed himself King Richard III. The two boys were last seen playing in the garden below the tower in late summer 1483, and their fate is unknown. Many believe Richard III had them murdered, but there’s no solid evidence to prove his involvement.
Raleigh’s Garden
The garden in which the boys were last seen was used by Sir Walter Raleigh. Thanks to his high status, Raleigh was able exercise and grow medicinal plants while he was imprisoned. He often treated patients, including the royal family, using herbal elixirs created from plants in the garden. The plants now growing there have been chosen based on research into what Raleigh would have used for his treatments, including rosemary and mint.
Coldharbour Gate
Just past the Wakefield Tower are the ruins of a defensive wall. The wall was connected to the Coldharbour Gate, which protected the entrance to the Innermost Ward. The gate was demolished in the 1670s.
Queen’s House
Continuing clockwise from the Bloody Tower is the Queen’s House. It dates back to around 1540 during the reign of Henry VIII. Today, it’s the private home of the Resident Governor of the Tower of London and Keeper of the Jewel House.
Guy Fawkes (1570-1606) was imprisoned and tortured in the Queen’s House as he was forced to confess his plot to assassinate King James I during the State Opening of Parliament and restore a Catholic monarch to the throne.
Tower Green
The Queen’s House opens onto Tower Green. In the center is the spot where a scaffold once stood. Over the years, ten people were executed there. Seven were beheaded, including three former queens of England, and three were put to death by firing squad.
A memorial dedicated to those condemned to death by the State sits on the former scaffold site. It was unveiled on September 4, 2006, and designed by Brian Catling (1948-2022).
The seven beheaded on Tower Green were William Hastings (June 1483); Anne Boleyn (May 19, 1536), queen and wife of Henry VIII; Margaret Pole (May 27, 1541); Catherine Howard (February 13, 1542), queen and wife of Henry VIII; Jane Boleyn (February 13, 1542); Lady Jane Grey (February 12, 1554), queen; and Robert Devereux (February 25, 1601). The three executed by firing squad were Malcolm Macpherson, Samuel Macpherson, and Farquhar Shaw, all on July 19, 1743.
Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula
The seven beheaded prisoners are all buried at the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula. The current building was completed in 1520 by Lieutenant of the Tower Sir Richard Cholmondeley (c. 1460-1521) for Henry VIII. The chapel is a Royal Peculiar of the Church of England, meaning it’s under the direct jurisdiction of the monarch.
There has been a chapel on the site since before the Norman conquest. It was originally outside the walls of the Tower of London until the Inner Ward was created. Photos are forbidden inside.
Waterloo Block
The large building next to the chapel is the Waterloo Block, which was built as a barracks and could accommodate 1,000 men. The foundation was laid in 1845 by the Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852), who was the Constable of the Tower. It replaced the Grand Storehouse, which was built in 1688 and destroyed by fire in 1841.
The Waterloo Block has functioned as the Jewel House since 1994. The Jewel House is a vault housing the British Crown Jewels, which have been kept at the Tower of London probably since the reign of Henry III in the middle of the 13th century. They have been on display to the public since 1669.
The queue can seem long but it moves quickly. Along the way, there are interpretive panels telling several interesting stories about the Crown Jewels as well as some cannons on display. No photos are allowed inside the Jewel House.
Queen’s Guard
The Waterloo Block is the best place to get up close and personal with the King’s Guard (Queen’s Guard when the monarch is female). These active soldiers are posted outside the Jewel House and work with the Yeoman Warders and Tower Wardens to protect the Crown Jewels.
It’s best to give them space and not get too close to the fence. They will yell if they feel you’re invading their space. In summer, the soldiers wear red coats, while in the winter they wear long gray coats.
Fusilier Museum
Continuing clockwise around the Inner Ward is the headquarters of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and the Fusilier Museum. The regiment was formed on June 20, 1685, by King James II in order to guard the guns at the Tower of London. They later fought in wars in Belgium and Spain as well as in the American Revolution. The Royal Fusiliers moved out of the Tower in 1881, and returned for a brief period of 11 years in 1949. The building was constructed at the same time as the Waterloo Block and served as the officers quarters.
New Armouries
A storehouse, now know as the New Armouries, was built in 1663 at the southeast corner of the Inner Ward. The building houses the New Armouries Café.
Turkish Cannon
Outside the New Armouries are two cannons. The first is a Turkish bronze cannon cast in 1530 for Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent. It was intended for an Ottoman expedition to India to expel Portuguese colonists. The cannon was captured at Aden in 1839 by Captain Henry Smith of the HMS Volage and has been on display at the Tower of London since 1844.
Chinese Cannon
The other cannon is a Chinese bronze cannon captured during the Second China War (1856-1861) from forts guarding Canton (modern-day Guangzhou). It was brought back to Britain by the HMS Nelson and was formerly on display at Upnor Castle in Kent and the Rotunda in Woolwich.
White Tower
The White Tower is the oldest and most prominent building at the Tower of London. It sits at the heart of the Innermost Ward. The White Tower was built by William the Conqueror between 1077 and 1097 as a fortress and palace. Its purpose was to terrify locals and deter foreign invaders. It got its name after it was whitewashed by Henry III in 1240.
The White Tower was the Tower of London’s strongest military building and is one of the largest keeps in the world. It also provided luxurious accommodations for the king and his court, although later kings would prefer the Medieval Palace at the southern end of the complex. It diminished in importance as a royal residence by the early 14th century.
Royal Armouries
Inside is part of the Royal Armouries collection, which keeps historic suits of armor on display. Of particular interest are those belonging to Henry VIII and his horse as well as the tallest suit of armor ever made.
Chapel of St. John
Also inside is the Chapel of St. John, which is largely unchanged from the early Norman period. It was constructed from stone imported from France. Services are held in the chapel periodically throughout the year.
Ravens at the Tower of London
Finally, it would be impossible to write about the Tower of London without mentioning its most famous residents, the ravens. Legend has it that the Tower will fall if the six resident ravens ever leave. King Charles II was the first to protect them after he heard this stark warning.
Each raven wears a different colored band on its leg to make them easier to identify, and they have one of their wings clipped to prevent them from flying away. Some of the ravens were specially bred at Somerset. They’re very intelligent, but it’s better to keep your distance because they will bite if they feel threatened.
