We made several trips past the Tower of London during our three days in London and this post is just a short bit about it along with the photos we took.

The Tower of London, officially His Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. 

As the most secure castle in the land, the Tower guarded royal possessions and the royal family in times of war and rebellion. But for 500 years monarchs also used the tower as a luxurious palace.  The Tower has also been a visible symbol of awe and fear.

It was founded towards the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest. The White Tower, which gives the entire castle its name was a resented symbol of oppression inflicted upon London by the new Norman ruling class. The castle was used as a prison from 1100 until 1952, although that was not its primary purpose.  A grand palace early in its history it served as a royal residence. As a whole, the Tower is a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat. The general layout established by the late 13th century remains despite later activity on the site.

Today, the Tower of London is one of the country’s most popular tourist attractions. The property is cared for by the Charity Historic Royal Palaces and is protected as a World Heritage Site.