Tower of London, England History, Travel Information, Hotels, Facts And More
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PERSONAL INFORMATION
NAME
Tower of London, England
COUNTRY
United Kingdom
ADDRESS
St Katharine's & Wapping, London EC3N 4AB, United Kingdom
TOWER OF LONDON, ENGLAND PICTURE
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About Tower of London, England
The Tower of London or Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, as it is officially known is a castle situated on the bank of the River Thames. It is comprised of several buildings that are set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat. The castle has under-went several restorations over the years. Today, it attracts many tourists from around the world to look upon and learn of British history and monarchy.
Some Lesser Known Facts About Tower of London, England
- The Tower of London has served many purposes in its 900-year history. It has been used to house the royal mint, used as a menagerie, a records office, an armory, and barracks for troops. Until the 17th century, the tower also functioned as a royal residence.
- The cluster of buildings and fortifications covers an area of 12 acres. It was built in the 1070s by William the Conqueror. The Tower took around 20 years to build. William's fortress was further expanded by Henry III and Edward I. Defensive walls with a series of smaller towers, were added to the fort, the moat was enlarged as well.
- The tower was used to imprison a wide range of prisoners, deposed monarchs to more common criminals. Two of Henry VIII's wives, Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard, were both imprisoned and later executed. Guy Fawkes was another prisoner who attempted to blow up the House of Lords in 1605 by detonating gunpowder in the cellars below.
- The site has seen much tragedy and death. Henry VI was murdered here, in the chapel of the Wakefield tower in the year 1471. Later, the children of Edward IV, 2 princesses aged 9 and 12 vanished from the tower. It wasn't until 1674 that their skeletons were discovered and determined to be the lost girls.
- It doesn't come as a surprise that a historical establishment with a complex, tragic and significant political background would be subject to haunting and stories of spirits and ghosts. Around 400 people were executed here. Though the majority of prisoners were decapitated, some were also hanged, drawn, and burned at the stake. Some legends claim that the ghost of Anne Boleyn still wanders around the grounds holding her head beneath her arm!
- There are also tales of witnessing a grizzly bear! Though it's hard to imagine an apparition of a bear, guards and keepers have reported hearing the roaring of a lion in the late hours of night. Some say the beasts from the days of zoo-keeping still linger in the shadows.
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