William, duke of Normandy, conquered England in 1066.
One of the first
tasks he undertook after becoming King William I was the building of a
fortress in the city of London. This structure, called the White Tower, was
begun about 1078 and completed several years later by William’s son,
William II. Today the White Tower stands at the center of an 18-acre (7-
hectare) complex of buildings that is called the Tower of London. In
addition to the White Tower, there are 19 other towers. The Thames River
flows by one side of the complex. A large moat, or shallow ditch,
surrounds it. Once filled with water, it was drained in 1843 and is now
covered with grass.
The Tower of London is one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions.The tower has served as a
fortress, a royal residence, a prison, the royal mint, a public records office, an observatory, a
military barracks, a place of execution, and the city zoo. Today it holds the crown jewels and
regalia.
As recently as 1941 the tower was used as a prison for Adolf Hitler’s deputy Rudolf Hess. Other
notable prisoners over the centuries have included Sir Walter Raleigh, who was executed there in
1618; two wives of Henry VIII : Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard; Elizabeth I before she
became queen; Sir Thomas More; and Thomas Cromwell. It was in the Bloody Tower in 1483 that
the two princes Edward V and his brother the duke of York were last seen before their
disappearance and probable murder.
Most of the buildings in the tower complex are not open to tourists. Many of the structures,
including some of the towers, serve as homes for the more than 50 families of those who work at
the tower. Among them are the yeoman warders, more familiarly known as Beefeaters, who guard
the buildings and grounds. Of the places open to visitors, the White Tower, the Jewel House
(located in the Waterloo Barracks), and the Fusilier Museum are the most popular.
1. Who launched the construction of the Tower of London ?
2. When did the construction of the Tower begin ?
3. How many towers are there at the Tower of London ?
4. What river borders the Tower ?
5. Give the different uses of the Tower.
6. List the famous prisoners.
7. Can you visit the whole Tower ? Explain.
8. What places are open to visitors ?
White Tower
At first glance, the White Tower appears to be square. In fact, no two of its walls are the same
length. The thickness of the walls ranges from 15 feet (4.6 meters) at the base to 11 feet (3.4
meters) in the upper levels. The interior of the building is divided into several rooms, most of which
are armories. These include the Sporting Gallery, containing displays of sporting weapons from the
Middle Ages; the Tournament Gallery, with jousting armor and weaponry; the Medieval Gallery,
with weapons and armor from the period prior to 1500; the 16th- and 17th-century galleries; and
the Royal Armory Gallery. Some of this collection was moved to a new museum site in Leeds in
1996. The White Tower also contains the chapel of St. John; the crypt of St. John’s Chapel; the
Mortar Room, with pieces of old artillery and other weapons; and the Cannon Room, with
examples of guns, both English and foreign.
Jewel House
The Jewel House contains one of the most spectacular collections of gems and royal regalia on
display anywhere. Included are the crown jewels of Britain. Among the items are crowns, orbs, and
scepters—all richly encrusted with jewels. The imperial state crown, worn by the monarch on state
occasions, was designed for the coronation of Queen Victoria in 1838. Among its gems is the
smaller of two Star of Africa diamonds cut from the famous Cullinan diamond, the largest diamond
that has ever been found. The larger Great Star of Africa is in the royal scepter; it weighs 530
carats.
Fusilier Museum
The Fusilier Museum has a small collection of uniforms, medals, and trophies of the Royal
Fusiliers regiment from the late 17th century to the present. It is located in a separate building on
the east side of the tower courtyard.
