London - Tower Of London

The Tower of London, seen from the River Thames, amongst a persuasion of the water-gate called "Traitors' Gate"

Her Majesty's Royal Palace in addition to Fortress, to a greater extent than normally known every bit the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the northward banking concern of the River Thames inwards fundamental London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern border of the City of London yesteryear the opened upwards infinite known every bit Tower Hill.

A innovation of Tower of London in addition to its Liberties inwards 1597

It was founded towards the terminate of 1066 every bit component of the Norman Conquest of England. The White Tower, which gives the entire castle its name, was built yesteryear William the Conqueror inwards 1078, in addition to was a resented symbol of oppression, inflicted upon London yesteryear the novel ruling elite. The castle was used every bit a prison theatre since at to the lowest degree 1100, although that was non its primary purpose.

The master copy entrance to the White Tower was at first-floor level

A grand palace early on inwards its history, it served every bit a violet residence. As a whole, the Tower is a complex of several buildings fix within ii concentric rings of defensive walls in addition to a moat. There were several phases of expansion, mainly nether Kings Richard the Lionheart, Henry III, in addition to Edward I inwards the twelfth in addition to 13th centuries. The full general layout established yesteryear the belatedly 13th century remains despite afterwards activity on the site.

St John's Chapel, within the White Tower

The Tower of London has played a prominent role inwards English linguistic communication history. It was besieged several times in addition to controlling it has been of import to controlling the country. The Tower has served variously every bit an armoury, a treasury, a menagerie, the dwelling delineate of piece of employment solid of the Royal Mint, a world records office, in addition to the dwelling delineate of piece of employment solid of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.

The southward aspect upwards of the Waterloo Barracks

From the early on 14th century until the reign of Charles II, a procession would move led from the Tower to Westminster Abbey on the coronation of a monarch. In the absence of the monarch, the Constable of the Tower is inwards accuse of the castle. This was a powerful in addition to trusted seat inwards the medieval period. In the belatedly 15th century the castle was the prison theatre of the Princes inwards the Tower. Under the Tudors, the Tower became used less every bit a violet residence, in addition to despite attempts to refortify in addition to repair the castle its defences lagged behind developments to bargain amongst artillery.

The Tower of London's outer drapery wall, amongst the drapery wall of the inner ward merely visible behind. In the centre is Legge's Mount

The peak menstruation of the castle's utilisation every bit a prison theatre was the 16th in addition to 17th centuries, when many figures fallen into disgrace, such every bit Elizabeth I earlier she became queen, were held within its walls. This utilisation has led to the phrase "sent to the Tower". Despite its enduring reputation every bit a house of torture in addition to death, popularised yesteryear 16th-century religious propagandists in addition to 19th-century writers, alone vii people were executed within the Tower earlier the World Wars of the 20th century.

The White Tower dates from the belatedly 11th century

Executions were to a greater extent than normally held on the notorious Tower Hill to the northward of the castle, amongst 112 occurring in that place over a 400-year period. In the latter one-half of the 19th century, institutions such every bit the Royal Mint moved out of the castle to other locations, leaving many buildings empty. Anthony Salvin in addition to John Taylor took the chance to restore the Tower to what was felt to move its medieval appearance, clearing out many of the vacant post-medieval structures.

The Tower amongst the River Thames in addition to Tower Bridge to the south. The outer drapery walls were erected inwards the 13th century.

In the First in addition to Second World Wars, the Tower was i time again used every bit a prison, in addition to witnessed the executions of 12 men for espionage. After the wars, harm caused during the Blitz was repaired in addition to the castle reopened to the public. Today the Tower of London is i of the country's virtually pop tourist attractions. It is cared for yesteryear the charity Historic Royal Palaces in addition to is protected every bit a World Heritage Site.

One of the powerful French magnates held inwards the Tower during the Hundred Years' War was Charles, Duke of Orléans the nephew of the King of France. The higher upwards belatedly 15th-century epitome is the earliest surviving non-schematic moving-picture demo of the Tower of London. It shows the White Tower in addition to the water-gate.

The Two Princes Edward in addition to Richard inwards the Tower, 1483 yesteryear Sir John Everett Millais, 1878, component of the Royal Holloway moving-picture demo collection

Guy Fawkes was brought to the Tower on vi Nov 1605; after torture he signed a sum confession to the Gunpowder Plot. Fawkes's signature presently after torture (top) is a barely evident scrawl, compared amongst a afterwards instance (bottom).

The cobbled surface of Tower Hill to the northward of the Tower of London. Over a menstruation of 400 years, 112 people were executed on the hill.