Tower of London
It is not a single tower, but a set of towers with different stories: The Beauchamp tower (with the engravings of the prisoners of the Tudor dynasty), The Bloody Tower (where the little princess was murdered), The Bowyer Tower ( arsenal for the royal guard), The Broad Arrow (the royal dressing room), the chapel of Saint John's (stay of the wife of Henry VII)...
It is also the royal chapel of Saint Peter ad Vincula (where Ana Bolena is buried), The Constable tower, The Cradle Tower (private room of Eduardo III), the space for executions, The Martin Tower (the Tower of Jewels), The Salt Tower (storage facility) and The White Tower (erected by William the Conqueror).
What to see in the Tower of London
Among the many activities you can do in this walled ensemble is the collection of historical coins in the exhibition of The Royal Mint, which covers a key period in the consolidation of British royalty between 1279 and 1812. Another event that you can not miss is the sample of The Royal Beasts.
For six centuries the Tower of London has served as a royal zoo with creatures such as polar bears. As the British Empire extended its domain the most exotic animals in the world came to this site. Nowadays the sculptures are shown, in real size, of those who once were its tenants.
Buy tickets
It is one of the most visited monuments in the city, so I recommend you book tickets in advance. You can do it online here:
Guided visit
If you want you can book a guided tour of the Tower of London that includes the Crown Jewels and the Beefeater.
History of the Tower of London
The Tower of London was built by William the Conqueror in 1066 as the defensive point of the city. The strength was increasing its facilities and attributions over the years. The bloody, heroic and stranger stories multiply throughout the history of the Tower of London during its Norman, medieval Tudor or Renaissance period. Some are almost a legend, like that of the tax collector Ranus Flambard, the first prisoner and the first one who managed to escape in 1101, who got his jailers drunk and fled with a rope.
Harry III began a large expansion of the building (1220) and Eduardo I built the tower of Santo Tomás and the drawbridge known as the Puerta del Traidor (1279). Queen Anne Boleyn died beheaded by a French executioner in 1536 by order of Henry VIII. Lady Jane Gray, the queen of the 9 days, also ran the same unfortunate fate in 1554. And Princess Elizabeth (future queen) spent time as a prisoner. In 1605, Guy Fawkes was tortured when he was found guilty of a plot against King James I and the failed attempt to blow up the British parliament.
This character is the revolutionary that represent the masks of the comic and film V de Vendetta. Other outstanding stories are the attempt to steal the crown and royal jewels by the Colonel Blood in 1671 and the last execution by hanging at the Tower Hill in 1780.
How to get to the Tower of London
By subway, the nearest stop is the Tower Hill station and if you opt for the train you will arrive at the Fenchurch street or London bridge stops. The buses of lines 15, 42, 78, 100 and RV1 and the tourist buses are another alternative as well as the boats of the Thames with stop in Tower Pier.
