United Kingdom

Tower of London

WHS Score 3.39
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1.5

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2.0

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4.5

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The Tower of London is a medieval fortress palace that has the best-preserved remains of a royal Norman castle.

The 11th-century Norman White Tower is the oldest part, established by William The Conqueror. During his military conquest of England, he founded his castle at a strategic location at a bend in the Thames as a gateway to London. The site has stayed a symbol of royal power since, as it was extended by Richard Lionheart and Edward I. The 19th-century Waterloo Barracks still houses the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.

Community Perspective: A visit can be disappointing, due to the high entrance fee, overcrowding and the amount of surrounding highrise constructions. Hubert recommends attending the Ceremony of the Keys (reservation required). Or you can approach by a river cruise to “sense the fear that the tower would have inspired”.

Site Info

Official Information
Full Name
Tower of London (ID: 488)
Country
United Kingdom
Status
Inscribed 1988 Site history
History of Tower of London
1988: Inscribed
Inscribed
WHS Type
Cultural
Criteria
  • ii
  • iv
Links
UNESCO
whc.unesco.org
All Links
UNESCO.org
Related Resources
News Article
  • Aug. 1, 2024 bbc.com — Unesco to probe high-rise impact on Tower of London
  • July 26, 2020 bbc.com — Coronavirus: Tower of London Beefeaters face job cuts due to pandemic
  • Dec. 23, 2018 thisismoney.co.uk — Tower of London declares war on 1,000ft ‘Tulip’, saying it would be 'extremely damaging' to views of the world heritage site
  • Aug. 5, 2014 theguardian.com — Poppies to fill Tower of London moat
  • Oct. 27, 2013 dailymail.co.uk — Tower of London beefs up security arrangement for ravens
  • Sept. 9, 2008 thisislondon.co.uk — The UN is also concerned that Renzo Piano's 66-story Shard of Glass at London Bridge will overshadow the Tower of London
  • Oct. 22, 2006 news.bbc.co.uk — Unesco warning on Tower of London

Community Information

  • Community Category
  • Secular structure: Military and Fortifications
Travel Information
One million visitors or more
One million visitors or more
Tower of London, 2,902,385 (2024) // 2,741,126 (2016)
London hotspot
London hotspot
In London
Recent Connections
View all (45) .
Connections of Tower of London
Individual People
  • Edward I
    His "private Chambers" have been reconstructed and can be seen
  • Elias Burton Holmes
  • Naser ed-Din Shah
    "Again, we passed through other streets, and so entered the old Tower of London. The Governor of the Tower, who is a General, came out with all the notables and Aldermen of the City. The walls and turrets of the fortress are all of stone. The jewels, arms, &c., of the ancient monarchs are all kept there"
  • King Chulalongkorn of Siam (Rama V)
    (5 August)
  • Peter the Great
    Visited the Tower of London to view the Royal Mint as he was interested incoinage. While at the Tower, Peter was not shown the axe used to behead King Charles I, as it was feared he might throw it into the river! Peter remembered how angry the execution had made his father
  • Geoffrey Chaucer
    Chaucer was "Clerk of Works" at the Tower 1389-91. During this time he supervised the construction of a part of the Tower Wharf. This became exposed in 2003 and, during excavations, Chaucer's "Moat Wall" was identified. On-site signs now identify the location and Chaucer's role in it

    See www.hrp.org.uk

  • Earls of Elgin
    the 3rd Earl of Elgin (1656-1741). Supported James II at the time of the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688 and in 1696 was imprisoned in the Tower of London for conspiring to achieve James's return but was allowed to go into exile 1 year later and never returned.
Geography
Trivia
History
  • Places of Execution
    Common criminals were executed on Tower Hill outside the inscribed area but "famous" people were executed inside on Tower Green

    See www.castles.me.uk

  • Normans
    Construction of the central Keep known as "The White tower" was initiated by William the Conqueror in 1078
  • Assassinations
    The Princes Edward and Richard (1483)
  • Diplomatic Missions of Joseon Envoy Min Yonghwan
    28 June (Lunar date: 29/5) Bright and warm. "At 2:00 P.M. our official companion Cavendish met our party with a carriage, and we travelled around the streets. We passed one iron bridge called London bridge. The bridge spans the river Thames. There are four vertical towers containing machines weighing several hundred thousand tons. One person can open and shut the bridge so that people may cross over it. There are two sides of the bridge that rise and fall through the air like a pair of rainbows. Also, on the banks of the river there are gun batteries and a lighthouse more than 100 chang high. They are all magnificent sights." (Min yonghwan confuses the London and Tower bridges, while also offering a short, but unique description of the Tower of London)
Architecture
  • Brick architecture
    The 13th-century Beauchamp Tower marks the first large scale use of brick as a building material in Britain, since the 5th-century departure of the Romans (wiki)
  • Norman architecture
    "The White Tower is the example par excellence of the royal Norman castle from the late 11th century." (OUV)
Damaged
  • 'Threatened' by Skyscrapers
    "20 Fenchurch St"/"The Walky talky"/Architect Vinoli/192mtrs(???)/45 floors replacing a 60's building at 91mtrs. After UNESCO opposition a revised design for a 177 mtrs/36 floors has been accepted - currently on hold due to "ecomomic situation".

    See www.skyscrapercity.com

  • Terrorist Attacks
    In 1974, there was a bomb explosion in the mortar room in the White Tower leaving one person dead and 41 injured. No one claimed responsibility for the blast, but the police investigated the possibility that the Irish Republican Army was behind it.

    See news.bbc.co.uk

  • Damaged in World War II
    Although only one bomb fell on the Tower of London in the First World War, the Second World War left a greater mark. On 23 September 1940, during the Blitz, high-explosive bombs damaged the castle, destroying several buildings and narrowly missing the White Tower. After the war, the damage was repaired and the Tower of London was reopened to the public

    See en.wikipedia.org

World Heritage Process
  • Perfect Inscriptions
    1988
  • No Buffer Zone
    Insc 1988. Subsequently came under pressure to identify buffer Zones (31 COM 7B.90 - "Urges the State Party to adopt the policies set out in the Heritage Protection White Paper .....by updating the site boundaries and buffer zones;". "The mission spent some considerable amount of time discussing and understanding the absence of buffer zones for both the Tower and Westminster World Heritage Sites, which instead are replaced by the definition of "settings".... "Overall, it was explained, the term "buffer zone" carries a negative connotation in the UK. It's perceived as being overly restrictive in that it provides for a blanket protection, which is not fit for complex, dynamic urban environments. Instead, it was put forward, setting is a much broader concept than buffer zone, which is often a hard line on a map,".... "In order not to bother too much with the semantics, it was commonly agreed that the appropriate policies at a local level, and their implementation, make the protection and conservation of World Heritage sites effective - whether surrounded by a buffer zone or a designated setting (Mission Report Dec 2011)
Religion and Belief
Human Activity
Constructions
  • Tunnels
    Tower Subway -passes through western edge of inscribed area
  • Historical Zoos
    Royal Menagerie from the 13th century until 1835
  • Prison
  • Moats
    "the Tower is a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat." (wiki)
WHS on Other Lists
Timeline
WHS Hotspots
18
  • In a Hitchcock movie
    A glimpse of the Tower of London in the opening shot of Frenzy (1972).
  • Marvel Cinematic Universe
    Spider-Man: Far From Home; exterior used as actual location in film, where Peter Parker's classmates seek refuge from a battle at the adjacent Tower Bridge
  • Shakespearean plays
    Henry VI Act I Scene III "London -before the Gates of the Tower". Scene V "A room in the Tower", - and in other plays also (E.g Richard III)
  • In The Simpsons
    “The Regina Monologues” (2003)
News
bbc.com 08/01/2024
Unesco to probe high-rise impact o…
bbc.com 07/26/2020
Coronavirus: Tower of London Beefe…
thisismoney.co.uk 12/23/2018
Tower of London declares war on 1,…
Recent Visitors
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Community Reviews

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First published: 05/06/25.

Ilya Burlak

Tower Of London

Tower of London (Inscribed)

Tower of London by Ilya Burlak

The Tower is awfully expensive and terribly overcrowded. There is hardly a better indicator of the worth of a tourist attraction visit than the economics of exorbitant entrance fees not denting the demand to any degree. I first visited the Tower 25 years ago, when the tickets cost around £10, and I somehow recall it as less busy than it is today, even as the entry cost has more or less quadrupled since then.

As others noted, you can easily spend half a day seeing all there is to see on the grounds, exploring multiple layers of history for which this royal citadel has been inscribed. There are nearly a dozen defined points of interest and exhibitions, including the Medieval Palace, the armouries in the White Tower, the battlements, the dungeons and prisons, and the Royal Beasts exhibition.

The top highlights for practically everyone would include the Crown Jewels. For my money, it does not break into the top three of royal jewels exhibitions that I've seen elsewhere in Europe, but as someone else said before me, how often do you get a chance to see a collection of this kind? On an average day, you will probably spend an extra half an hour in line to get into the Jewel House, but it is still an unmissable part of the visit.   

Another component that I find unmissable is the Yeoman Warder tour. Led by one of the colorful resident royal guards, it is both amusing and …

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First published: 07/12/23.

Martinacurra88

Tower Of London

Tower of London (Inscribed)

Tower of London by Argo

So, is the first time that I am writing a review but I think it's worth it. I do not doubt the outstanding value that has included the tower of london in the world heritage list but I am really shocked by the price (33 pounds/38,70 euros as I am writing in december 2023) that is totally crazy! Moreover, the crown jewel exhibition was quite small, I really expected something more. Wouldn't repeat a second time! 

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First published: 26/04/19.

27for27

Tower Of London

Tower of London (Inscribed)

Tower of London by 27for27

I visited the Tower on my 27th birthday at the start of a mission to visit all 27 of the UK's World Heritage sites within the year. It was a different visit to many people's I suppose as I was joined by 35 children on a day trip from the English language summer school I'd been working at, but still I was able to walk around the Tower and peruse the Crown Jewels all while trying to keep the kids in check. 

The Tower is best approached by river cruise along the Thames. Approaching the tower from the water, you can sense the fear that the tower would have inspired as you glide past the famous ‘Entry to the traitor’s gate’ inscription on the wall. This is the second gate to the Tower and certainly the one through which no one hoped to pass. Those who had committed treason were taken by barge along the river, passing under London Bridge on which the heads of recently executed prisoners were displayed on spikes, and entering the complex through this gate.These ill-fated prisoners included Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard and Thomas More, amongst many others who were accused of treason during the reigns of England’s unforgiving kings. Thankfully it's now a fairly stress-free way to get to the Tower, unless you've been bad-mouthing the royals!

Once inside there's a plethora of things to see, but the Crown Jewels exhibition is the highlight and therefore the longest queue. I think we waited …

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First published: 16/06/17.

Joel On The Road

Tower Of London

Tower of London (Inscribed)

Tower of London by Joel on the Road

I visited the Tower of London with my wife on a grey London day in May 2017. The entry fee of 22 pounds is quite steep, but you can comfortably spend 5-6 hours here so it's overall reasonable value. More than numbers and dates, I love hearing about the human side of history, the little stories that colour in the world, and the Tower is absolutely chock-full of them.

The story of Anne Boleyn, who arrived through the dock gate to high praise from Henry VIII, to being executed in almost the same spot not long later. The royal zoo, which housed a polar bear (!!) that would hunt fish in the Thames. The first prisoner, who escaped after getting his guards drunk, the last prisoner: high ranking Nazi Rudolph Hess. The two nephews of Richard III who were murdered in the bloody tower. Even Queen Elizabeth I was imprisoned here briefly.

I would 100% recommend the Yeoman Warder tour, and waiting around for when the Coldstream Guards (large fluffy hat guys) do their marching. The royal menagerie was great, as was the Crown Jewels, though the large display of medieval horse armour got tiring eventually.

Overall it's a fantastic place and strongly recommended. Just pick your moment to go: summer, school holidays, weekends and sunny days are all crowded. Thankfully we managed to avoid the worst of it and had no queues.

See link below for my full video review.

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First published: 03/01/17.

Tom Livesey

Tower Of London

Tower of London (Inscribed)

Tower of London by Argo

The first thing to note about the Tower of London is that it’s pretty steep to get into, at £25 for an adult! This is up from £22 when I last went, in October 2013.

One of the sights that was of limited interest to me at the time was the supposed spot where Henry VI was murdered. Having since then enjoyed watching Benedict Cumberbatch's Henry being murdered in the fabulous 'Hollow Crown' adaptation of Shakespeare's trilogy, I now appreciate it all the more.

As others have mentioned, the Martin Tower is an unexpected pleasure – within an unprepossessing corner tower unconnected to the main Crown Jewels building you suddenly find yourself face-to-face with a selection of glinting crowns.

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First published: 22/11/16.

Michael Turtle

Tower Of London

Tower of London (Inscribed)

Tower of London by Michael Turtle

Today, the Yeoman warders are as much a tourist attraction as the Crown Jewels which they protect. There are 36 of them in the castle and all have been chosen from the military (they must have had at least 22 years of service). They live in accommodations in the castle with their families.

The Tower of London may have been built for the royal family but it seems these days there’s a new family inhabiting the ancient citadel. The warders, their wives and their children live here with the doctor, the cooks, and the other staff. Their ravens are looked after and loved like family pets. And there’s an unconcealed pleasure in showing their home and its history to the thousands of visitors who pass over the drawbridge every day.

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First published: 06/12/15.

Jay T

Tower Of London

Tower of London (Inscribed)

Tower of London by Jay T

The Tower is London; that's what the advertisements on the Underground proclaimed when I first went to London in the late 1990's. I certainly wouldn't distill the city of London down to just one site, but I did enjoy my visit to the Tower. I don't remember much about the tour, but I remember seeing the historic White Tower, the walls of the fortress, a water-gate entrance from the Thames, the Yeoman Warders, and, of course, the Crown Jewels. Also of note were the ravens whose wings are clipped lest they escape and cause the British crown to fall. I remember a discussion about the imprisonment and death of Anne Boleyn from the tour, and since I've recently read Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, I'd like to go back and take a tour again to see the Tower with fresher eyes. For that matter, I'd like to go back to get a better picture of the Tower.

Logistics: Easily accessible in London by Underground, bus, taxi, or foot. I like bus Route 15, myself.

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First published: 26/11/14.

Solivagant

Tower Of London

Tower of London (Inscribed)

Tower of London by Solivagant

As is so often the case with WHS in one’s home country, we hadn’t visited the Tower of London as “tourists” for many years. And it isn’t situated in a location which we pass through when visiting London for non tourist purposes. This year however we called in to see the “Bloodswept Lands and Seas of Red” WWI memorial “artwork”. Whilst I was there I was able to take note of the high rise developments which have taken place across the last 10 years or so around the site. I attach 2 photos of these taken specifically to highlight their “impact” in relation to the Tower. They were taken on a grey November day and I have declined to Photoshop in some South Pacific sunny skies! Photo 1 looks NW across the entire building from Tower Bridge showing the “Walkie-talkie”, the “Cheesegrater”, the “Gherkin” and several other buildings – as well as cranes building yet more!. Photo 2 looks SW over the White Tower to the new “Shard” at 87 stories

UNESCO has been concerned about the number of high rise buildings appearing around the Tower of London (and other London WHS) since at least 2003. The proposal which originally stimulated the concern (The 53 story “Minerva Building”) was cancelled, largely it seems, for financial reasons and replaced by a nondescript mid-rise development. But the issue has rumbled on with other proposals and completed structures. UNESCO has carried out several “Reactive Monitoring” missions (2006 and 2011) interspersed with “State of …

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First published: 16/07/13.

Clyde

Tower Of London

Tower of London (Inscribed)

Tower of London by Clyde

I visited the Tower of London in June 2013. Contrary to all the other WHS in London during my visit, the Tower of London was packed with tourists and very long queues to enter (even on rainy days). I really liked the contrast of old and new (with the Gerkin behind and the Shard in front). The crown jewels were the main attraction on the inside but other than that I thought the hefty entrance fee could be avoided. I enjoyed spectacular panorama views of the White Tower and the Tower of London in general from The View on the Shard.

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First published: 19/03/12.

Hubert

Tower Of London

Tower of London (Inscribed)

Tower of London by Hubert

There is no doubt that the Tower is worthy to be on the WH list because of its historical significance. However, every time when I visited London, I've viewed the Tower from the outside only. The high entrance fee and the queues at the ticket office have deterred me. Moreover, I'm not very interested in the crown jewels and the collection of arms and armour. Anyway, in 2006 I visited the interior, simply because I thought that otherwise I could not tick off this WHS. It was very busy and the Beefeater tours were too crowded to really enjoy them. I visited the White Tower and had a nice walk around the walls, but I spent not too much time there. I would not say that I was disappointed because I did not expect too much.

But during my last visit in London in summer 2010, I've partially changed my opinion. I attended the Ceremony of the Keys, a ceremonial that takes place each night since the 14th Century. It begins exactly at 9:53 pm. The main gates of the Tower are locked up following a centuries-old ceremony. The Chief Warder and the guards speak always the same words. During the ceremony, it is not allowed to walk around, to talk, and to take pictures. Visitors can attend for free, but a ticket is required. This ticket must be ordered by regular mail several weeks before the requested date (Information on the website of the Tower). The ceremony …

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First published: 03/07/10.

Allison Vies

Tower Of London

Tower of London (Inscribed)

Tower of London by Argo

Just visited the Tower for the second time since 2004. I suggest you to be there about 15 minutes before it opens. Like this, everything can be seen without crowds and thus without queuing. I bought a London Pass for one day which (properly used) cuts the effective costs of many attractions (including Kew Gardens)to 50%. Some kind of discount is really needed, as the price has now risen to 17! pounds. Even for a Swiss guy this is a shocking price.

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First published: 26/08/09.

Anonymous

Tower Of London

Tower of London (Inscribed)

Tower of London by Argo

I visited the Tower of London in January 2009 and was amazed by it. The tower, being close to 1000 years old is in much greater shape than the Angkorwatt temples that I had visited around the same age. The tower affords some wonderful views of the Thames River and also some skyscrapers in the surroundings. I got in for only 8 pounds because I have a coupon that gives 50% reduction in admission fees.

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First published: 25/08/09.

Anonymous

Tower Of London

Tower of London (Inscribed)

Tower of London by Argo

Yes it is expensive, but at least you get the feeling you get something worth your money. We were 2 adults & 1 child and wanted also to see St. Pauls before the tower. Seeing the excredible entry fee for that we simply skipped St. Pauls. It's a church : even though it is impressive and I remember the whisper gallery from an earlier visit, it is really not worth the price. The tower is, you visit the most important historical buildings in the city with vastly recorded history. It's worth it.

Tip : close by the undergound exit there is a souvenir shop that also sells tickets, forget the official ticket booth with the long queues, this is faster with no extra charge.

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First published: 23/04/09.

Anonymous

Tower Of London

Tower of London (Inscribed)

Tower of London by Argo

I went to the Tower with my family in the holidays - and it was well worth the entrance fee! There's lots of things to do. My favourite bit was probably seeing the Crown Jewels and seeing the guards change over. It's very interesting, and I would reccomend it to anyone, especially English people, as it is interesting to know what went on in our past.

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First published: 25/04/08.

Stephen Brooker

Tower Of London

Tower of London (Inscribed)

Tower of London by Argo

As far as I can remember this was the first WHS I ever visited when I was about five, so that would be four decades ago!

It impressed then and it still does. Although the presentation has improved dramtically over the years. On my first visit, I remember the Beefeaters were silent custodians, perhaps even a touch intimidating. Now they are the ultimate history teachers. Last year I stood on the green with my nephew listening to one colourfully telling the stories of various executions. My nephew was entranced.

Despite the steep entrance fee, it is still a great day out and you can easily make a full day of this WHS. It is also unlike some WHSs very child friendly.

Verdict expensive but worth the Money.

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First published: 10/06/05.

Ben Pastore

Tower Of London

Tower of London (Inscribed)

Tower of London by Argo

Hundreds of years of British history and intrigue wrapped up in a medley of ancient towers, forts and embattlements. Plus, the Queen had a pretty nice jewelery collection. For some fantastic insight on the Tower Complex, I recommend a computer game called Traitor's Gate, where as a secret agent you must infiltrate the tower's defenses by exploring its various compenents while piecing together several clues related to the tower's history. I don't recommend attempting this in real life, but the role-playing game does this WH List justice.

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First published: 01/05/05.

Anonymous

Tower Of London

Tower of London (Inscribed)

Tower of London by Argo

I visited this site in mid October 2002 on a visit from the USA. Even though the 11.50 UK pounds seemed a little steep for entry into the tower, I decided to go in and explore the various towers. Very soon I realised that I have realised the value of my money. The British crown jewels display from centuries ago was very impressive! A chill went up my spine while standing at the scaffolding site where some royal families were 'put' to death!

I took a cruise on river Thames to get back to Westminster.

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First published: 01/05/05.

Ian Cade

Tower Of London

Tower of London (Inscribed)

Tower of London by Ian Cade

The tower is one of the best-preserved medieval palaces/ fortifications in the world, and it is made even more incredible as it is in the centre of one of Europe’s largest cities. It has a wealth of history that puts it a central place in several centuries of one of the major European powers. And it has an incredible collection of jewels and armour, the equal of nearly anywhere else in the world.

This should all make for a rewarding visit, but for me it really does not. There are several issues, first there is the incredible entry fee £16.50 (€21/ $33 almost twice the controversial foreign visitors rate at the Taj Mahal) I am struggling to think of another cultural site on the World Heritage list that charges so much for entry. The tower can at times seem lost among the larger buildings that surround it, many of these buildings really add to the character of London, such as Tower Bridge or the modern City Hall, however the incredibly ugly concrete hotel at St Katherine’s dock really does detract from the site as a whole. This makes the Tower feel small and doesn’t really illustrate its significance.

The Tower is always busy; there are queues even on dull weekdays in winter, this is to be expected and I always give the benefit of the doubt to busy places as I, like everyone else, am a tourist as well. The tours offered by the Yeoman Warders/ Beefeaters can range from …

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First published: 01/05/05.

Klaus Freisinger

Tower Of London

Tower of London (Inscribed)

Tower of London by Argo

It's certainly true that the entrance fee for the Tower is out of this planet (same for other London attractions like Buckingham Palace) and the lines are about a kilometer long, but this is worth it. The Tower of London is one of Britain's most interesting attractions, not the least because of its traditions - the ravens, the beefeaters, the stories about the executions. And then of course its highlight - the crown jewels. High security, and you wouldn't want to get caught taking a picture - they will rip the film out of your camera. But still a very exciting visit, also in terms of historical aspects (William the Conqueror, the Normans) and architecture (the White Tower, also the nearby Tower Bridge).

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First published: 01/05/05.

Rob Wilson

Tower Of London

Tower of London (Inscribed)

Tower of London by Argo

Despite the high cost of entry (London is the world's 2nd most expensive city), the Tower of London is an excellent experience. It will take you at least half a day to explore the whole site and the incredible history just grabs you from old sides.

I just wish it cost less!

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