Tower of London

The construction of the formidable Tower of London took several decades (presumably from 1066 to 1100). The founder of the fortress is William I, Duke of Normandy, one of the most significant political figures of the time. After conquering England, William decided to build powerful fortifications. Instead of the existing wooden forts, stone buildings were erected, one of the most monumental being the Great Tower. Notably, the fortress was used not only to control the movement of foreigners but also to subdue the conquered English.

The Tower of London is also one of the most famous medieval English prisons. It is believed that the first prisoner was incarcerated here in 1191. In this prison for high-ranking individuals and royal persons, there were only 7 executions in total, among the victims were Henry VIII's wives Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, as well as the "Nine Days' Queen" Jane Grey. The Tower was used as a prison during the Second World War as well. Nazi criminals were held here. The last time the Tower played the role of a fortress was in 1952 – the last prisoners were the Kray twins, famous English gangsters.

During the reign of Edward I, animals such as lions and tigers were kept in the Tower. Gradually, the royal zoo expanded, and in the 16th century, elephants, leopards, and polar bears appeared. In the early 17th century, by order of Elizabeth I, the fortress zoo became public – accessible to all city dwellers. Subsequently, the menagerie was disbanded, and the animals were relocated to specialized London zoos.

For more than 500 years, the Tower housed the main branch of the Royal Mint. One of its most turbulent periods was during the reign of Henry VIII, when coins were minted from silver requisitioned from demolished monasteries. Moreover, the Tower stored important state and legal records, as well as manufactured and stored weapons and military equipment for the king and the royal army.

Today, the Tower of London serves as a museum of history and an armory where the British Crown Jewels are located. It also hosts state guests.

The fortress is known for its guards, known as Beefeaters. Officially, they appeared in 1485 but continue to zealously guard the fortress walls to this day. There is another interesting position here – the Ravenmaster, the keeper of the ravens. From century to century, these birds have been legitimate residents of the fortress. To prevent them from flying away, their wings are regularly clipped. This is linked to the legend that says when the ravens leave the tower, the entire English monarchy will fall. Thus, such radical measures are taken.

The Tower is a large architectural complex with the shape of an irregular rectangle, consisting of six towers, two main buildings, and two rows of walls with internal rooms. The oldest part of the castle is the White Tower, one of the brightest examples of Norman architecture. The building has a quadrangular plan complemented by four corner turrets topped with rounded spires. The walls of the White Tower are supplemented with shallow arched niches, in which arched windows are placed.

All the towers of the Tower have a clear architectural silhouette and are complemented by a simple exterior finish. The main goal was to emphasize the fort's defensive function. The Chapel of St. John, located in the southeast tower of the castle, has a circular plan. The Chapel of St. John, among others, is one of the brightest examples of Norman architecture, combining pronounced strength and simplicity of forms.

The windows of the towers and buildings of the Tower are mostly arched with a pointed finish. Only some of the fort's towers are supplemented with rectangular-shaped windows, characteristic of English Gothic.

The entrance to the castle is located on the side of the Thames River, where the Traitors' Gate is located, named after the state criminals who passed through it. Next to the entrance to the fort is the Tower of St. Thomas with the king's personal chambers, built in the 13th century in the English Gothic style. The Bloody Tower, located near the White Tower, is built in a similar style. The facades of both towers are complemented by stepped battlements. One of the main decorative motifs of the towers and walls of the Tower of London are rectangular stone panels placed vertically, as well as narrow elongated cornices. These elements, traditional for English Gothic architecture, emphasize the strictness of the entire castle ensemble.