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Tower of London

The White Tower which was the original building. Made from white sandstone type rock, the Tower is four stories high with arched windows and cut outs where the archers could protect the castle.

The Tower of London is an amazingly well-preserved medieval castle. Built by William the Conqueror in 1078 it has served as a royal palace, a fortress, a prison, a menagerie, the royal mint, and still today holds the crown jewels for Queen Elizabeth. It is infamous for the executions – especially during the time of Henry VIII – but only a few were held inside the Tower grounds. Most executions were held on Tower Hill, now just across the busy street.

The Tower of London showing the outer wall with two rounded sections and connecting walls inside of the moat. The moat is now filled with flowers.

The Tower as a Royal Palace in Medieval Times

Garderobe is a small private niche cut into the stone wall outside of the great hall. A private "toilet" with a window, a place to sit, and a hole that drained away from the castle into the river below.
Garderobe (early inside toilet!)
Kings four-poster bed with curtains surrounding the bed. Posters are painted green and curtains are a dark opulent red. Bed has a cream colored railing with gold knobs.
King’s bedchamber
Kings bedchamber with a view of the fireplace and a table with a bench. Walls are painted white with blocks filled with simple flowers and vines.
King’s bedchamber
The kings bedchamber has a large fireplace with a brightly painted mantle. In front of the fireplace is a table set for dining or working. Two large candles and a book are on the table. Behind the bed the wall is lined with dark red drapes.
King’s bedchamber
Kings Chapel with wooden pews facing the altar. The large, high stone columns circling the room with windows lining the outside walls. The room has high ceiling with a dome like structure at the top.
King’s chapel
Altar carved from stone in the King's Chapel. A large gold cross and two candles are on the altar.
King’s chapel
An open window with a view of the Thames river and the Tower Bridge.
View of the Thames River and Tower Bridge
Image of the throne in the Tower of London. There is a white, high-backed chair with decorative gold cushions. The front is painted with two gold lions laying on the floor. Chair is raised on a red fronted platform with candle sticks on both sides.
The Throne Room

The Tower as a Prison

Image of carving in the wall of the Tower from 1571. Shows elaborate Latin and Greek monogram of Christ's name along with several lines of prose. All of this is neatly and clearly carved into a 2 x 3 foot section of the wall.
A section of the Tower wall with elaborate carvings by at least one prisoner dating to the 1550s. A 5'x2' section with five distinct carvings and writings.
Carvings in the Tower wall by different prisoners from the 1550s.
Several rooms and sections of the Tower of London were used as prison cells for hundreds of years. Below is the Traitors Gate where the prisoners were brought to the Tower down the Thames River. Above are two samples of the carvings that the prisoners left behind. There are hundreds of inscriptions around the Tower some as simple as a date, others as elaborate as these with verses and images.
Traitors gate - the gate leading into the Tower from the Thames River. A rounded stone arch with a wooden gate and narrow stairs leading up to the Tower.
Traitors Gate

Tower of London Today

Image of Kay wearing a pretend suit of armor. The armor in silver with gold trim includes a breastplate, arm coverings, and waist to knee coverings with straps around the legs.
Kenny wearing a suit of armor.
Kay standing with a Tower Beefeater. The Beefeater is wearing the uniform and a top hat. The uniform is blue with red trim on a long jacket and pants.
Kenny and Kay standing on the outer wall of the Tower with the relatively new Tower Bridge spanning the Thames River in the background.
Jodi and Kay in front of White Tower.
Jodi and Kay at the Tower
Jodi looking out a window in the Royal Palace section of the Tower.
Jodi in the Tower
Jodi standing with flowers and Tower of London behind.
Jodi outside the Tower
Jodi standing in front of the White Tower.
Jodi at the White Tower
Jodi with a Beefeater. The Beefeater's Blue and Red trimmed uniform has a large E II R with a crown on top. That stands for Queen Elizabeth the II
Jodi and a Beefeater
Kenny, Jodi and Kay with the Thames River and Tower Bridge in the background.
Kenny, Jodi and Kay – Thames River and Tower Bridge

Tower of London from Outside

Braille at the Tower of London

Close up of a bronze tactile map of the Tower of London with uncontracted braille labels.
Bronze relief map with braille labels
Bronze tactile map showing the tower of London with braille labels.
Bronze tactile map of the Tower of London