In London, few landmarks carry the weight of history like the Tower of London. Rising from the banks of the Thames, its stone walls have watched over kings, queens, traitors, and tourists for nearly 1,000 years. This isn’t just another London attraction-it’s the city’s oldest standing building, a royal palace, a prison, an armory, and the home of the Crown Jewels. For Londoners, it’s part of the skyline like Big Ben or the Shard. For visitors, it’s often the first stop on a history-heavy day. And for those who live here, it’s a quiet reminder of how deeply the past is woven into the present.
How the Tower Was Built-And Why It Still Stands
William the Conqueror ordered the White Tower, the central keep, in 1078. He wanted to dominate the City of London after his victory at Hastings. The Normans didn’t just build a castle-they built a statement. Made from Caen stone shipped from Normandy, its thick walls were meant to intimidate. Unlike later castles with moats and outer walls, the Tower was designed as a fortress within a city, a symbol of royal power right where the Saxons once ruled.
Over the centuries, successive monarchs expanded it. Henry III added curtain walls and towers like the Bloody Tower and the Wakefield Tower. Edward I brought in a second ring of defenses, turning it into a concentric castle-one of the first in England. By the time the Tudors were done, the Tower had grown into a complex of 13 towers, gatehouses, and courtyards, all surrounded by a moat fed by the Thames. Even today, you can walk the same paths that Anne Boleyn took on her way to the scaffold.
The Crown Jewels: More Than Just Glitter
If you’ve ever seen the Crown Jewels in a movie, you’ve seen a version of the real thing-housed in the Jewel House since the 14th century. The collection includes the 530-carat Koh-i-Noor diamond, the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross (embedded with the Cullinan I diamond), and the 17th-century State Crown worn by Queen Elizabeth II at her coronation.
These aren’t just ornaments. They’re legal instruments. The Crown Jewels are required by law to be present at every coronation. The Imperial State Crown alone contains 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and 5 rubies. The weight? Over 2.2 kilograms. You can see them behind bulletproof glass, guarded by Yeoman Warders-better known as Beefeaters-who’ve stood watch here since 1485.
For Londoners, the Crown Jewels are a point of pride. You’ll find them on postcards in Camden Market, in children’s history books at local libraries, and even in the design of the Royal Mint’s commemorative coins. They’re not just relics-they’re part of London’s living identity.
Prisoners, Plotters, and the Bloody Tower
The Tower wasn’t just for coronations and jewels. It was a prison for the powerful. Henry VI was murdered here in 1471. The Princes in the Tower-Edward V and his brother Richard-vanished in 1483, their fate still debated. Lady Jane Grey, the Nine Days’ Queen, was executed on Tower Green in 1554. And Guy Fawkes? He was tortured in the basement of the White Tower after the Gunpowder Plot of 1605.
Today, you can visit the sites where these events unfolded. The Bloody Tower, where the princes were last seen alive, still has its original 13th-century windows. The Traitors’ Gate, once the water entrance for prisoners brought in by barge from the Palace of Westminster, still opens onto the Thames. Walk through it, and you’re walking the same path as Thomas More, Sir Walter Raleigh, and even Anne Boleyn.
London’s legal history is tied to these walls. The Tower was the site of state trials before the Court of Star Chamber. Even after the monarchy moved to Buckingham Palace, the Tower remained a place where power was enforced-not just defended.
The Beefeaters: Guardians of a Living Legacy
When you see the Beefeaters in their red and gold uniforms, you’re looking at ceremonial guards-but also retired soldiers. To become a Yeoman Warder, you must have served at least 22 years in the British Army, hold the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, and have held the rank of Warrant Officer. There are only 37 Beefeaters on duty at any time.
They don’t just stand around. They give free tours-some of the most popular in London. The stories they tell aren’t from scripts. Many have read the original trial records, studied the Tower’s archives, and even traced the lineage of the Crown Jewels’ keepers. One Beefeater, retired from the Royal Artillery, once told me he still visits the Tower on his days off, just to sit in the chapel where Henry VIII’s third wife, Jane Seymour, is buried.
They’re not just guides. They’re custodians of memory. And their presence turns the Tower from a museum into a place where history still breathes.
Visiting the Tower Today: Tips for Londoners and Visitors Alike
If you’re a Londoner who’s never been inside the Tower, you’re not alone. Many locals assume it’s just for tourists. But it’s worth a visit-even if you’ve walked past it a hundred times on the Jubilee Line.
Here’s what works:
- Go early. Lines form fast. Arrive before 9:30 a.m. to beat the crowds and get the best light for photos of the White Tower.
- Book online. Skip-the-line tickets cost £30 for adults, but if you have a London Pass, you get in free. Many Tube stations sell them too.
- Take the Beefeater tour. It’s free, but only if you wait for the next one. They run every 20 minutes.
- Don’t miss the ravens. Legend says if the ravens leave, the kingdom will fall. There are seven at all times, kept by the Ravenmaster. One, named Merlina, has been here since 2008 and is known to steal tourists’ hats.
- Visit the Chapel Royal of St. Peter ad Vincula. It’s small, quiet, and holds the graves of Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, and Lady Jane Grey. Most people rush past it. Don’t.
For those who live in Southwark or Tower Bridge, it’s a 15-minute walk from the Tube. For tourists staying in Covent Garden or Leicester Square, the journey takes under 30 minutes on the District or Circle line. The Tower is not isolated-it’s part of a chain of landmarks: Tower Bridge, HMS Belfast, the Shard, and Borough Market are all within walking distance. Make a day of it. Grab a pie from Poppies Pie Shop near Tower Hill, then head inside.
Why the Tower Still Matters in Modern London
London has changed. The Tower doesn’t guard the city from invaders anymore. But it still guards its story. In a city where new skyscrapers rise every year and old pubs close for luxury condos, the Tower remains untouched. It’s not a theme park. It’s not a reenactment. It’s real.
When the Queen’s coffin passed through the Tower in 2022, it lay in state in the Chapel Royal before being taken to Westminster Hall. That moment-when the monarchy’s oldest fortress became part of a national mourning-showed how deeply embedded it is in the fabric of London.
It’s where the City’s first bank was founded. Where the Royal Mint operated for over 500 years. Where the first public clock in England was installed. Where the first public zoo was opened in the 1200s, with lions, elephants, and even a polar bear.
The Tower of London isn’t just a relic. It’s the memory of a city that never forgot where it came from. And for anyone who calls London home, that’s worth remembering.
Is the Tower of London really the oldest building in London?
Yes, the White Tower, built in 1078, is the oldest intact building in London. While there are older ruins-like parts of the Roman Wall or the foundations of St. Paul’s Cathedral-the White Tower is the only structure from the Norman period still standing in its original form, with its walls, towers, and interior largely unchanged.
Can you see the Crown Jewels without paying?
No. Access to the Jewel House requires a paid ticket. However, the exterior of the Tower, including the moat, outer walls, and the entrance gate, is visible for free from Tower Bridge Road or the Thames Path. You can also view the Crown Jewels in high-resolution images on the Royal Collection Trust website, which offers detailed virtual tours.
Are the ravens really kept at the Tower to prevent the fall of the kingdom?
The legend dates back to Charles II’s reign, when the astronomer John Flamsteed complained the ravens were interfering with his observations. The king ordered at least six ravens to be kept at all times. Today, the Ravenmaster cuts the flight feathers of their wings to keep them from flying away. There are always seven ravens-six active and one spare. If one dies, a replacement is brought in from the wild. The tradition is taken seriously: in 2021, a raven named Thor was retired after 12 years and replaced by a bird named Jubilee.
What’s the best time of year to visit the Tower of London?
Spring and early autumn are ideal. The weather is mild, the crowds are thinner than in summer, and the gardens around the Tower are in bloom. Avoid August, when Londoners are on holiday and the site gets packed with international tourists. December is quiet, and the Tower holds special evening tours with candlelight and stories of ghostly sightings-perfect for a chilly London afternoon.
Can you get married at the Tower of London?
Yes. The Chapel Royal of St. Peter ad Vincula is licensed for weddings, though only for those connected to the British Armed Forces or the Royal Household. For the public, the Tower offers wedding photography sessions and private events in the Waterloo Barracks, but legal marriages are restricted. Many couples choose to have their ceremony nearby at St. Katharine’s by the Tower, a 12th-century church just a few minutes’ walk away.
What to Do After Your Visit
After you leave the Tower, head to the south bank. Walk along the Thames Path toward Borough Market-you’ll pass HMS Belfast, the modern warship now docked as a museum. Grab a pint at The Anchor, a pub dating back to 1763, or try a pie and ale at The Pie Room, just off Tower Bridge Road. If you’re in the mood for something quieter, visit the nearby Monument to the Great Fire of London. Climb its 311 steps for a view that stretches from the Tower to St. Paul’s.
For locals, the Tower isn’t a destination. It’s a constant. A stone anchor in a city that never stops changing. And if you’ve never stepped inside, you haven’t really known London-not fully.
