Tower of London, London - all you need to know

The Tower of London is a medieval castle where the Crown Jewels are kept and which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The centrepiece of the castle complex is the White Tower, built in the 11th century by William the Conqueror, around which walls and other towers were gradually erected over time.

Buy a ticket to the Tower of London

The Tower of London is one of the city’s most famous landmarks and is situated right next to the famous Tower Bridge.

The Tower’s bloody history

From the very beginning, the Tower has served as a defensive fortress. The foundations for a Roman wooden fortification were laid in 1078 by William I the Conqueror, who commissioned the construction of the stone White Tower with its four towers. To this day, it remains the main feature and attraction of the Tower complex.

Over the centuries, the fortress was gradually expanded to include further structures, massive fortifications and a wide moat, which effectively turned the Tower into a small island, as it is directly adjacent to the banks of the River Thames on one side.

In addition to the fortress, the Tower also housed prison quarters and the infamous execution site.

Whilst ordinary prisoners were executed on the public hill of Tower Hill, monarchs and the higher nobility were executed within the Tower’s walls to spare them the shame.

Legends of the ravens and Anne Boleyn

If you’re a fan of myths and legends, be sure to read some of the gruesome tales associated with this castle. The best known is probably the legend surrounding the execution of Queen Anne Boleyn, whose ghost is said to haunt the castle. It is certainly not the only one; after all, one of the castle’s towers is aptly named the Bloody Tower.

The legend of the Tower ravens is still very much alive today. According to this tale, ravens have inhabited the Tower for centuries, and when, in the 17th century, a prophecy reached King Charles II Stuart was told by a prophecy that England would fall should the ravens leave the Tower, he had the wings of all seven birds present at the time clipped.

To this day, the ravens at the Tower are kept at the government’s expense, always in a flock of eight, with one serving as a spare in case any of the seven should happen to fly away.

The ravens are fed pellets and raw meat every day.

The British Crown Jewels

One of the greatest attractions is undoubtedly the hall where the Crown Jewels of England are permanently on display: the Crown of St Edward, the Sceptre with the Cross, the Sceptre with the Dove, the Orb and the Coronation Ring. The Jewels also include other crowns, swords, spurs and cloaks, which are displayed separately in other display cases.

The Jewels have been kept at the Tower continuously since 1303, except, of course, when they are used for the coronation of a monarch at Westminster Abbey.

The British Crown Jewels are on display to the public every day.

The ‘Beefeaters’

Since time immemorial, the Tower has been guarded by a traditional guard known as the Yeomen Warders, who are responsible for the day-to-day running of the Tower.

In the past, they were responsible for defending the Tower, supplying it and ensuring its day-to-day running; even today, the Yeomen Warders, in their traditional black-and-red uniforms, remain an integral part of the Tower.

These guards are particularly well known by the nickname ‘Beefeaters’, which probably originated from a remark by Cosimo III de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany. He frequently visited the Tower and spoke rather derisively of the Yeomen Warders as ‘Beef-eaters’, that is, consumers of beef, which was the main dish they were rationed.

The similarity to the gin of the same name, which originates from London, is no coincidence. It was named after these defenders of the British monarchy. If you want to get an idea of what the Yeomen Warders’ uniforms look like, just take a look at the label on a bottle of Beefeater gin in the supermarket.

Admission and opening hours

Opening hours vary depending on the season; you can find a detailed schedule on the official website. It is open every day.

An admission fee of 38 gbp for adults, or 19 gbp for children, grants access to the entire Tower complex, including the Crown Jewels.

You do not need to buy tickets online, but doing so will usually save you at least 10–20 minutes in the queue.

We recommend purchasing via GetYourGuide, which is one of the official sales channels.

Official website:hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london

How to get to the Tower?

The Tower of London is situated on the eastern edge of central London, near Fenchurch Street station.

Nearest Underground stations:

Tower Hill– 50 metres: Circle and District lines
Tower Gateway– 100 metres: DLR line

There are also bus stops nearby:

The Tower of London – 50 metres: route 15

Hotels near the Tower

If you’ve chosen to stay in the area around the Tower, you’ll find several nice 3* to 5* hotels here, with prices that are slightly above the London average – from 226 eur per night. We’d particularly recommend the following hotels