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The Tower of London is an ancient fortress (1076) standing on the banks of the River Thames. Over its history it has been used as a royal palace and fortress, a prison, an arsenal, and a jewel house, amongst other things. Attracting loads of visitors from around the world, it is best to get there early if you want to avoid the crowds. You can also save time by buying your ticket in advance from any Tube station. Once inside you can enjoy a guided tour led by the Yeoman Warders (Beefeaters), who live within the Tower precincts. If you are around in the evening check out the Ceremony of the keys, when the Beefeaters lock the Tower gates and the keys are ceremoniously locked away in the Queen's house. Besides the history, and the numerous towers to explore, the biggest draw card for visitors are the beautiful Crown Jewels. You can see some of the worlds largest and most historic diamonds....but sorry ladies, they are a little too big to be made into a ring! If you don't end up doing one of the tours, you can still do a self-tour (guidebook in hand!) or pay extra for an audio-tour. We just wandered about, amazing over the Crown Jewels, exploring the towers and trying to take photos of the resident ravens. Leave a Comment Phone: 0 20 7709 0765Directions: Nearest Tube: Tower HillWebsite: http://www.armouries.org.uk/tower/
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| | | | Tower of London: The longest running show in London | Tip Rating:  | | | | |
I realise that the Tower of london is probably high on the list of must sees for visitors to London, and rightly so. with almost a thousand years of history, the priceless Crown Jewels, ravens and splendidly attired Yeoman warders, it really is a wonderful place to visit. What people are perhaps less aware of is the Ceremony of the Keys. It is by ticket only (limited numbers) but is really well worth seeing. Tickets for this ceremony are free but you need to apply 6-8 weeks in advance. Write to The Ceremony of the Keys, Waterloo Block, HM Tower of London, London, England EC3N 4AB enclosing a stamped addressed envelope or coupon-response international and stating the names of the attendees. As the Yeoman warders put it, at 700 years, it's the longest running show in town. Leave a Comment Phone: 0 20 7709 0765Directions: Tower Hill tubeWebsite: http://www.toweroflondontour.com/keys.html
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| | | | Tower of London: Tower of London: More Than a Prison! | Tip Rating: | | | | |
The Tower of London has a long and diverse history. The present White Tower is on the same site as the original wooden fort erected by Wm. the Conqueror. The moat, double drawbridge entrance, towers, and curtain wall were added in the 13th Century. Even though the Tower of London has been a fortress and royal palace for hundreds of years, most people think of it only as a prison and a place of execution. But, did you know that it's also been used as a royal mint, royal armory, royal zoo, and royal observatory? Today, the only animals in The Tower of London are six or seven ravens. They are kept because of a legend that says that the White Tower (and the Monarchy) will collapse if these ravens leave. Perhaps the real role of the White Tower is security of the Monarch. (That's why the Crown Jewels are kept there!) Many people who come to visit the Tower of London come to hear about the gore and violence. Most prisoners were kept in the Bloody Tower where the Yeoman Warders looked after them. Edward IV's two sons were put in this tower by their uncle who became Richard III! Trials took place in Westminister Hall. So, prisoners were ferried to Westminister Hall and back to the Tower along the river. Of course, crowds would wait by the river to discover the verdicts of the court, wishing to see a public execution! When the prisoner arrived back at The Tower, the executioner stood behind him and would indicate the verdict by using the head of his axe. If it pointed toward the prisoner, he was guilty; if it pointed away from the prisoner, he was not guilty. Seven people died here. Today, 40 Yeoman Warders guard the tower. The Tower of London is located just east of the City limits. Leave a Comment Phone: 0 20 7709 0765Directions: Tower Hill tubeWebsite: http://www.armouries.org.uk/tower/
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