The tower of London

One of the sights most popular in the UK capital is the Tower of London. When tourism returns to the world, this tower will be filled with visits again, but in the meantime we can get to know something of its history.

The Tower, as it is simply known, has a very important historical significance. Over time it has had different functions and with them different feelings on the part of the population of London. Let's know its history and what treasures it keeps.

Tower

Tower is situated on the banks of the River Thames, on the north shore, in the borough by Tower Hamlets. His story dates back to the year 1066 when the famous William the Conqueror began to build fortifications at the site to control the local population and more efficiently regulate access to the city's port.

The central structure was then known as the White Tower and rose in 1078, within the ancient Roman wall and built with limestone brought from Normandy. In the centuries that followed these defense structures were expanded beyond the wall and the White Tower it became the heart of a major defensive concentrated structure.

La inner wall At that time it had 13 towers, around the White Tower. Among them was a very popular one, the Bloody Tower, although the Wakefield and Beauchamp were also popular. Then there was the outer wall surrounded by a moat fed by the Thames until the mid-XNUMXth century.

And there was another wall outside the moat that later featured cannons and modern artillery. The truth is the entire complex occupied seven hectares and the only land entrance there was in the southwest corner, from the city. At that time the river was the most used route so the water gate was the one with the most traffic. This door was baptized Traitor's Gate because the prisoners passed through it on their way to the prison that functioned in the White Tower.

From the thirteenth century to the beginning of the nineteenth century the tower housed the Royal menagerieBeing royal residence until the seventeenth century. As many know in the Middle Ages it was a prison and a site of execution of political prisoners. However, most of the prisoners who were sentenced to death were executed in the so-called Green Tower, outside the castle, or on Tower Hill and not there.

The most famous executed have been Anne Boleyn in 1536, wife of Henry VIII, Jane Gray and her husband or Sir Simon Burley, advisor and tutor of Ricardo I, among many others. Some had better luck and were only prisoners, such as Elizabeth I or Sir Walter Raleigh. In more modern times, for example in World War I, some spies were executed.

Until the '90s, the Crown jewels, in the basement where the Jewel house, but later they went to a higher floor where they are better appreciated. In that decade there were also many restoration works, especially in the more medieval sectors, such as the Saint Thomas towers. Since 1988 the old fortress is World Heritage designated by UNESCO.

Visit the Tower of London

Nowadays in the tower there is a military garrison, with a resident governor in the XNUMXth century Queen's House in the Green Tower. This governor is in charge of the guard, beefeaters who, picturesquely, still wear a Tudor times uniform and they live inside the tower. They are the ones who guide the visitors, between two and three million people a year.

The correct name for these people or official tower guards is yeoman warder y They have existed since the tower was built in the XNUMXth century. In fact, it is considered one of the oldest trades in the world. In former times they assisted prisoners and tortured them if necessary. Today their functions are less violent and have become historians and guides Tourist, but to get to the position they must have served a minimum of 22 years in the British Army or Navy or Royal Air Force and reach a certain rank.

Once selected, all the guards live with their families inside the tower. Are there female guards? Yes, since 2007. If you go on any given day you will see them dressed in their bright blue and red uniform, but if you go on an occasion of official importance you will see them dressed in the Tudor uniform in gold and red.

So far then with the history of the Tower of London. When this terrible pandemic is overcome, London will remain there waiting to recover the lost life with visitors from all over the world. So, it is good to know that The Tower has different hours depending on the time of year. For example, daylight saving time (until October 31) is Tuesday through Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm and Sunday and Monday from 10 am to 5:30 pm. You have time to enter only until 5pm.

Luckily you can buy the ticket online and ensure the visit. The ticket price per adult is 28 pounds, almost 33 euros. A child pays 14 pounds. Once inside, what can you see? La White Tower, which is the infamous Tower of London, the central and oldest building in the city; the famous residents of a tower, the crows, that according to a legend when they are no longer there the tower collapses and with it, obviously, England, and that is why there is a master of ravens there, always looking after them.

You can also visit the Medieval Palace, imposing, which has some old furniture inside that allows us to glimpse how it was lived centuries ago, or at least how the nobility lived.

There is also the Royal Chapel of San Pedro and Vincula, which dates from 1520, and which houses the remains of some famous prisoners and executed. The chapel also continues to function for the families of the guards who live in the complex. And finally, the Crown jewels They are also a must-see as you will see swords, crowns or scepters studded with precious stones and steeped in history.


Be the first to comment

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *

*

*