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Tower of London

London, London, United Kingdom

The Tower of London

The Royal Armouries

The Tower of London is an old tower and castle complex that was built as a fort to protect the city and show its inhabits the power of the British empire. It also acted as a mint, a prison, and a royal residence. It is currently an indoor/outdoor museum area and the location of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.

There are a couple guided tours throughout the day. One of the tours leaves right from the main entrance, and was one of the highlights of our visit. The guide was very entertaining and as he took us around the grounds, we were told stories of the tower's violent past. More than 100 people were executed at the tower, and our guide told us a few of their stories.

During peak times, there can be a long line when visiting the crown jewels. There was no line when we visited. Before actually seeing the crowns/swords that make up the collection, visitors can watch a number of historical videos and look at some informational displays about the monarchy and its past rulers.

Some of the outer walls of the tower can be walked on, and they lead to smaller rooms that have their own stories. Some of these rooms were once prisons, torture chambers, or simply guard houses.

The Royal Chapel

The Royal Chapel

If you visit on a Sunday, you can visit The Royal Chapel for a church service that lasts between 60-80 minutes. We aren't at all religious, but went to a service at 11am anyway. The choir at the chapel was one of the most amazing choirs I have ever heard. The venue itself is quite small, so the voices of the choir members was particularly powerful. The service itself was nothing special, but the singing was an absolute pleasure to listen to.

Location

The Tower of London is located on the north bank of the Thames River, very close to London's Tower Bridge. It's a bit out of the main center of the city now, but is fairly accessible via public transit. Simply take the Circle or District lines to Tower Hill.

Estimated Visiting Time

We spent approximately three hours at the Tower of London. One hour was spent at the church service in the royal chapel, another hour on a tour, and another hour seeing the crown jewels and walking around on our own.

Cost

Admission to the Tower of London is currently £19.80. It's fairly expensive, but it's one of the more enjoyable attractions in London.

Dining

While visiting the Tower of London we ate lunch at Tower of London Cafe.