Tower of London post. Topic "The Tower of London"

27.09.2021

The Tower of London has been a fortress for nine hundred years, which was the residence of kings, an armory and treasury, as well as a prison and a place of execution.

Tower of London- one of the symbols of Great Britain. It holds a special place in the history of the English nation and is one of the most visited places in the world. The well-known ravens of the Tower, yeoman guards, royal jewels and stories about the gloomy fortress-prison - these are just the very first associations with the name Tower of London. However, this is only a very small part of the history of this famous building.

In 1066, Duke William of Normandy began the conquest of England. By the end of the Anglo-Saxon period, London becomes the dominant city in England, with a rich port, located near the royal palace and the main cathedral. Securing the city was William's main goal during his coronation. He gives the order to start building a fortress around the city. So in 1100 the construction of the White Tower ends. The tower is protected by huge walls from the north, west and south sides. In 1377, all buildings in the Tower were completed.

The first prisoner was imprisoned in the Tower in 1100. At that time, the Tower Prison was intended for people of noble birth and high rank. Among the most honorable and high-ranking prisoners of the Tower were the kings of Scotland and France and their families, as well as representatives of the aristocracy and priests who fell into disgrace on charges of treason. The walls of the Tower also remember many executions and murders: Henry VI was killed in the Tower, as well as 12-year-old Edward V and his younger brother.

The prisoners were kept in those premises that were not occupied at that time. The terms of the conclusions were very different. So, William Penn, the founder of the English colony in North America, called Pennsylvania, was imprisoned in the Tower for religious beliefs and spent eight months in the Tower. Charles, Duke of Orleans, nephew of the French king and an outstanding poet, after the defeat in the battle, spent a total of 25 years in the walls of the castle, until an incredible ransom was paid for him. Courtier Walter Raleigh, a navigator, poet and playwright, tried to brighten up 13 dreary years of imprisonment by working on the multi-volume work History of the World. After his temporary release, he was again imprisoned in the Tower and then executed. In the photo - the main gate of the fortress

The Tower gained its reputation as a sinister place of torture during the Reformation. Henry VIII, obsessed with the desire to have a son-heir, severed all relations with the Roman Catholic Church and began to persecute anyone who refused to recognize him as the head of the Church of England. After Henry's second wife, Anne Boleyn, failed to bear him a son, the king accused her of betrayal and adultery. As a result, Anna, her brother and four other persons were beheaded in the Tower. The same fate befell Catherine Howard, Henry's fifth wife. Many of the royal family, who posed a threat to the English throne, were escorted to the Tower and then executed.

The young son of Henry, the Protestant Edward VI, who ascended the throne, continued the series of cruel executions begun by his father. When Edward died six years later, the English crown went to Henry's daughter, Mary, a devout Catholic. Wasting no time, the new queen ordered the beheading of 16-year-old Lady Jane Gray and her young husband, who turned out to be pawns in a bitter struggle for power. Now it is time for the Protestants to lay down their heads. Elizabeth, Mary's half-sister, spent several anxious weeks within the walls of the Tower. However, when she became queen, she dealt with those who refused to change the Catholic faith and dared to oppose her rule.

Although thousands of prisoners were thrown into the Tower, only five women and two men were beheaded on the territory of the fortress, which saved them from the shame of public execution. Three of these women were queens - Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard and Jane Grey, who only lasted nine days on the throne. Most of the other executions - mostly beheadings - took place on the nearby Tower Hill, where huge crowds of fans of such spectacles flocked. The severed head was put on a stake and put on public display on London Bridge as a warning to others. The headless body was taken to the Tower and buried in the cellars of the chapel. In total, more than 1,500 bodies were buried in these cellars.

In some cases, usually only with official permission, prisoners were tortured into confessing their guilt. In 1605, Fox, Guy Fawkes, who tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament and the King during the Gunpowder Plot, was hung on the tower rack before execution, which forced him to name his accomplices.

In the 17th century, England and the Tower for some time fell into the hands of Oliver Cromwell and the Parliamentarians, but after Charles II was again elevated to the throne, the Tower prison was not particularly replenished. In 1747, the last beheading took place on Tower Hill. However, the history of the Tower as a state prison did not end there. During World War I, 11 German spies were imprisoned and shot in the Tower. During the Second World War, prisoners of war were temporarily kept there, among whom Rudolf Hess also spent several days. The last victim executed within the walls of the fortress was Josef Jacobs, accused of espionage and shot in August 1941.

At the beginning of the 13th century, John the Landless kept lions in the Tower. However, the royal menagerie came about when John's successor Henry III received three leopards, a polar bear and an elephant as a gift from European monarchs. Although the animals were kept for the amusement of the king and his retinue, one day all of London witnessed a unique spectacle when a bear on a leash rushed into the Thames to catch a fish. Over time, the menagerie was replenished with an even greater number of exotic animals, and during the time of Elizabeth I it was open to visitors. In the 1830s, the Tower Zoo was abolished, and the animals were moved to a new zoo that opened in London's Regent's Park. Pictured below is the model. Tower of London

For more than 500 years, the Tower housed the main branch of the royal mint. One of its most tumultuous periods came under the reign of Henry VIII, when coins were minted from silver requisitioned from ruined monasteries. In addition, important state and legal records were kept in the Tower, and weapons and military equipment of the king and the royal army were also manufactured and stored. In the photo below - weapons

Effective, right?)

From the very foundation of the Tower, its prisoners and buildings were carefully guarded. But specially selected palace guards appeared in 1485. In those days, prisoners were often brought along the river and entered the Tower through the “Traitors' Gate”. When the accused was being led from the trial, the observers watched where the prison guard's ax was pointed. The blade aimed at the prisoner foreshadowed another execution.

Palace guards guard the Tower to this day. Today, their duties also include conducting tours for numerous visitors. On especially solemn occasions, they dress in luxurious costumes from the Tudor dynasty: scarlet camisoles trimmed with gold and topped with snow-white pleated collars. On ordinary days, they are dressed in dark blue Victorian uniforms with red trim. English guards are often called beefeaters, or meat-eaters. This nickname most likely originated during times of famine, when Londoners were malnourished and the palace guards received regular beef rations. By this, the English crown provided itself with reliable protection.

Keepers of the royal treasury guard the famous jewels of the British Empire. The treasury has been open to visitors since the 17th century. Among the gems that adorn crowns, orbs and scepters - which are still used by members of the royal family during solemn ceremonies - you can see the world's largest high-quality faceted diamond, Cullinan I.

The current Tower bears little resemblance to the formidable fortress that it went down in history. Back in 1843, the moat was filled up, and instead of water, a bright green lawn appeared here, shading the gray stone of the walls. During numerous restorations, windows were enlarged, including those in the White Tower. planted a large number of trees. In the past, such a harsh and literally blood-stained courtyard was largely sown with grass, and black tower ravens roamed importantly around it. When the menagerie was moved to Regent's Park in 1831, the ravens were left in the fort. They are surrounded by special care - the state pays the garrison of the Tower two shillings fourpence a week to feed the birds. The palace “ravenmaster”, or Ravenmaster, takes care of a flock of black crows. The fact is that, according to legend, the foundations of Britain are unshakable until the ravens leave the Tower. For greater security, however, the wings of the birds are clipped.

Today Tower of London- one of the main attractions of the UK. It hasn't changed much since the past. The symbol of the ominous past of the Tower is the place where the scaffold of Tower Hill used to be. Now a small memorial plaque has been installed there in memory of “the tragic fate and sometimes martyrdom of those who, in the name of faith, homeland and ideals, risked their lives and accepted death.” At present, the main buildings of the Tower are a museum and an armory, where the treasures of the British crown are kept; officially continues to be considered one of the royal residences. The Tower also has a number of private apartments, which are mainly inhabited by service personnel and distinguished guests.

View of the Tower from the Shard (DncnH / flickr.com) Main entrance to the Tower of London (dynamosquito / flickr.com) Alan Piper / flickr.com Francesco Gasparetti / flickr.com Jim Linwood / flickr.com White Tower of the Tower of London (Lee Penney / flickr.com) August / flickr.com shining.darkness / flickr.com Francesco Gasparetti / flickr.com Christian Reimer / flickr.com View of the Tower from The Shard (Rick Lighthelm / flickr.com) Francesco Gasparetti / flickr .com maureen / flickr.com Inside exterior wall, Tower of London (Orangeaurochs / flickr.com) Gail Frederick / flickr.com

Throughout its existence, the castle was constantly being completed, its territory grew. The most important events for Great Britain took place here. During its history, the castle served as a fortress, royal residence and prison.

The Tower of London played a very important role in medieval England. It symbolized the royal power and the power of the state. The treasures of the king were kept here, and state criminals were kept in prison under the supervision of guards.

The Tower was founded in 1066. It was built after the conquest of England by the Normans. The Tower of London was founded by William the Conqueror. He began to strengthen his power in the field and built 36 castles. London, as a fairly large city, is no exception. Near the Thames, ancient Roman walls have been preserved, and it was decided to build a fortress in this place. The sculpture of Hadrian, the emperor of Rome, is in the modern castle, in the Tower Museum.

White Tower - The Heart of the Tower

The first building that was erected here is the White Tower. Its construction began in 1077. The work was led by the Bishop of Rochester, Gandalf. The name of the castle later came from the White Tower, since the Tower (English) is translated as a tower.

The construction called the White Tower is famous for the fact that the chronology of the Tower began with it. It was the residence of kings and the Norman keep.

White Tower Tower (Lee Penney / flickr.com)

For a long time, the Tower did not have the fortifications that can be seen today in the castle museum. The first fortifications for defense were created only in the 13th century, when, after the Crusades, England became acquainted with the Eastern tradition of building castles.

For this reason, the thickness of the walls at the White Tower is 4 meters; it played the role of a fortress. In 1097, another ruler, William II the Red, built a stone wall.

The White Tower, the construction of which was completed only in the XII century, is currently located in the center of the entire modern castle-museum and is considered the Heart of the Tower. It contains rooms for the royal family.

When the White Tower was built, it immediately began to have not only a defensive purpose, but also a prison. The first prisoner who came here was Bishop Ranulf Flambard. At the same time, he was the first who managed to escape from the custody of the guards. He managed to escape thanks to the rope, which was given to him in a bottle.

White Tower inside and out

The entrance to the White Tower was located much higher than the ground level. This is a tribute to the Norman tradition. A wooden ladder was attached to it, from which, in the event of a sudden attack, it might have been possible to quickly get rid of. As in other donjons, the White Tower has a vast basement and a well.

The lowest floor of the White Tower was assigned to the constable - ruling in the absence of the ruler in London. And also for the lieutenant who replaced the manager.

On the second floor there is the Great Hall and rooms for the royal family.

Museum inside the Tower of London

Simon Gibson / flickr.com Doug Kerr / flickr.com Doug Kerr / flickr.com Kent Wang / flickr.com Francesco Gasparetti / flickr.com PROFrancesco Gasparetti / flickr.com Francesco Gasparetti / flickr.com *SHERWOOD* / flickr.com Maria Morri / flickr.com Chapel of St. John the Evangelist (eefeewahfah / flickr.com) Crossbow exhibit inside the White Tower of the Tower (Xiquinho Silva / flickr.com) elyob / flickr.com elyob / flickr.com elyob / flickr.com Rudolf Schuba / flickr.com Rudolf Schuba / flickr.com Rudolf Schuba / flickr.com

Changes to the castle under Kings Richard and John

Before the reign of Richard the Lionheart, the Tower of London did not undergo any changes for a long time. When Richard the Lionheart occupied the royal throne, his brother John claimed the role of ruler of the state. King Richard was often on campaign, his castle in the capital was controlled by Chancellor William Longchept.

Inner side of outer wall, Tower of London (Orangeaurochs / flickr.com)

Since there was a threat of an attack on the castle by the brother of the king, the chancellor began to strengthen the protection of the Tower. For this, defensive fortifications were built, a moat with water appeared around the fortress.

Under the reign of Richard, the area occupied by the Tower increased significantly. In 1191 the castle was besieged. It was more profitable for Longchept to surrender, and John took the Tower of London.

John became king after Richard the Lionheart died. They began to call him John the Landless. He ascended the throne, but failed to win the favor of the barons. Therefore, the Tower of London was again besieged. To stay on the throne, the king was forced to make concessions. The Magna Carta was signed. Since then, the stage of constitutional monarchy has begun. But the king was in no hurry to fulfill the promise, and this led to the First Baronial War.

Tower menagerie

John Landless is also famous for having founded a menagerie in the Tower. During his reign, lions were kept here. Henry III, who ascended the throne after him, added leopards to the zoo, as well as a polar bear and a real elephant.

During the history of the castle, the menagerie was constantly replenished with various rare and exotic animals. Elizabeth I even allowed Londoners to visit the menagerie and the weapons museum. Such a zoo operated here until 1830, after which it was closed, and the animals moved to the London Zoo. In memory of the menagerie, sculptures of those animals that were kept here were exhibited in the castle.

Ravens of the Tower

Crows of the Tower - a population of ravens permanently living on the territory of the castle. This is another attraction of the castle-museum of Great Britain. Under King Charles II, a legend appeared that ravens were an important part of the castle, and without them the Tower of London could not exist.

These birds are the black guardians of the castle. Therefore, since then, a tradition has developed to take care of these ravens, which is followed to this day, and now the Raven Keeper works in the castle.

Changes under Henry III

Under Henry III, the Tower thoroughly expanded its territory. Stone walls and 9 towers were built. This area is now designated as the Courtyard. The purpose of many towers is indicated by their very names. For example, the Bell Tower. It housed the main bell. Or Archery Tower. It was engaged in the manufacture of bows and crossbows, as well as siege weapons.

View of the Tower from the Shard (Rick Lighthelm / flickr.com)

Lanthorn Tower - its name comes from the Old English word for "light" or "radiance". This tower played the role of a lighthouse for ships passing along the river. The main entrance is now in the western wall. The Wakefield and Lanthorn towers housed the chambers and other living quarters of the royal family. Between these towers a spacious room for the hall was specially built.

Also during the reign of Henry, the Bloody Tower was built. She is famous for a very sad story. Edward V and his brother, another heir to the throne, Richard of York, were killed in it. The people called them the princes of the Tower, they were imprisoned in the tower under the supervision of the guards. Nobody saw them alive, most likely they were killed.

At the time of his death, the first was 12 years old, and the second 10. Richard III ordered their execution because of possible claims to the throne (although he was their own uncle). Before the execution, the children were already officially declared illegitimate, but this did not stop Richard.

Changes under King Edward I

Under King Edward I, another line of walls grew, as well as 2 bastions. The dug ditch has a width of 50 meters and a great depth. A new main entrance has been made. Gates were divided into external and internal. A barbican was also built, which was called the Lion Tower. They kept lions in it.

Main entrance to the Tower of London (dynamosquito / flickr.com)

Under Edward, the Tower expanded to the south. The Tower of St. Thomas was built here, in which the famous Traitor's Gate was located - another of the attractions of the museum-castle. Through them, the guards brought new prisoners of the prison along the water.

The king also moved the mint to the Tower. The fortress walls of the Tower under Edward began to have loopholes for shooters - the guards of the castle. The Beauchamp Tower grew, for the construction of which, for the first time in English history, brickwork was used. To make the castle less dependent on external conditions, water mills were made. The area occupied by buildings under King Edward is now called the Outer Court.

Tower at present

After King Edward, the Tower became the way it can be seen today.

Since the time of Elizabeth, interest in visiting the Tower has grown every year. Many people wanted to visit it as a museum, including because of Ainsworth's historical novel The Tower of London. There are legends about this landmark of Great Britain. Until now, this castle is very popular among tourists.

Tower of London

Tower, Tower of London(English) the Tower, Tower of London, "Tower") - a fortress erected on the north bank of the River Thames, the historical center of the city of London. One of the oldest historical buildings in Great Britain, which for a long time served as the residence of the English monarchs. Today, the Tower is both a historical monument and a museum included in the list of objects belonging to the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Base

The foundation of the fortress Tower is attributed to the Roman Emperor Claudius. Then it was a wooden fort, built in the southeast corner of the old Roman wall. After the Norman conquest of England, William I began to build defensive castles to intimidate the conquered Anglo-Saxons. One of the largest was the Tower. The wooden fort was replaced by a huge stone building - the Great Tower, which is a quadrangular structure, 32 x 36 meters in size, about 30 meters high. When later the new king of England ordered the building to be whitewashed, it was called the White Tower, or the White Tower. Subsequently, several more towers of various heights and two rows of powerful fortress walls were erected. A deep moat was dug around the fortress, making it one of the most impregnable fortresses in Europe.

state prison

The first prisoner was imprisoned in the Tower in 1100. At that time, the Tower Prison was intended for people of noble birth and high rank. Among the most honorable and high-ranking prisoners of the Tower were the kings of Scotland and France and their families (Jacob I of Scotland, prisoners of the Hundred Years War John II (King of France) and Charles of Orleans), as well as representatives of the aristocracy and priests who fell into disgrace on charges of treason. The walls of the Tower also remember a lot of executions and murders: Henry VI was killed in the Tower, as well as 12-year-old Edward V and his younger brother.

The prisoners were kept in those premises that were not occupied at that time. The terms of the conclusions were very different. So, William Penn, the founder of the English colony in North America, called Pennsylvania, was imprisoned in the Tower for religious beliefs and spent eight months in the Tower. Charles, Duke of Orleans, nephew of the French king and an outstanding poet, after the defeat in the battle, spent a total of 25 years in the walls of the castle, until an incredible ransom was paid for him. Courtier Walter Raleigh, navigator, poet and playwright, tried to brighten up 13 dreary years of imprisonment by working on the multi-volume work The History of the World. After his temporary release, he was again imprisoned in the Tower and then executed.

Dry moat in front of the Middle Tower.

In some cases, usually only with official permission, prisoners were tortured into confessing their guilt. In 1605, Fox, Guy Fawkes, who attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament and the King during the Gunpowder Plot, was hung up on a tower rack before being executed, forcing him to name his accomplices.

In the 17th century, England and the Tower for some time fell into the hands of Oliver Cromwell and the parliamentarians, but after Charles II was re-erected to the throne, the tower prison was not particularly replenished. In 1747, the last beheading took place on Tower Hill. However, the history of the Tower as a state prison did not end there. During World War I, 11 German spies were imprisoned and shot in the Tower. During the Second World War, prisoners of war were temporarily kept there, among whom Rudolf Hess also spent several days. The last victim executed within the walls of the fortress was Josef Jacobs, accused of espionage and shot in August 1941.

Zoo, mint and royal arsenal

Palace guards and royal regalia

From the very foundation of the Tower, its prisoners and buildings were carefully guarded. But specially selected palace guards appeared in 1485. In those days, prisoners were often brought across the river and brought into the Tower through the Traitors' Gate. When the accused was being led from the trial, the observers watched where the prison guard's ax was pointed. The blade aimed at the prisoner foreshadowed another execution.

Palace guards guard the Tower to this day. Today, their duties also include conducting tours for numerous visitors. On especially solemn occasions, they dress in luxurious costumes from the Tudor dynasty: scarlet camisoles trimmed with gold and topped with snow-white plaited collars. On ordinary days, they are dressed in dark blue Victorian uniforms with red trim. English guards are often called beefeaters (from the English word "beef" - beef), or meat eaters. This nickname most likely originated during times of famine, when Londoners were malnourished and the palace guards received regular beef rations. By this, the English crown provided itself with reliable protection.

The palace "ravenmaster", or Ravenmaster, takes care of a flock of black crows. There is a belief that if the birds leave the Tower, misfortune will fall on England, so as a precaution, their wings were clipped.

Modern look

Today the Tower of London is one of the main attractions of Great Britain. It hasn't changed much since the past. The symbol of the ominous past of the Tower is the place where the scaffold of Tower Hill used to be. Now a small memorial plaque has been installed there in memory of "the tragic fate and sometimes martyrdom of those who risked their lives and accepted death in the name of faith, homeland and ideals." At present, the main buildings of the Tower are a museum and an armory, where the treasures of the British crown are kept; officially continues to be considered one of the royal residences. The Tower also has a number of private apartments, which are mainly inhabited by service personnel and distinguished guests.

Links

Tower of London - Travel Guide - Information about the City of London

Coordinates : 51°30′30.32″ N sh. 0°04′38.01″ W d. / 51.508422° N. sh. 0.077225° W d.(G)51.508422 , -0.077225

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See what the "Tower of London" is in other dictionaries:

Tower- Tower. London. TOWER (Tower) (English tower tower), a castle fortress in London, on the banks of the River Thames. The oldest part of the Tower is the Romanesque “White Tower” (circa 1078 85). Until the 17th century one of the royal residences and at the same time (officially until 1820) ... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

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Coordinates: 51°30′36″ s. sh. 0°04′33.6″ W / 51.51° N sh. 0.076° W etc. ... Wikipedia

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Address: Great Britain, London, in the historical part of the city, on the banks of the Thames
Foundation date: 1066
Coordinates: 51°30"29.3"N 0°04"33.9"W

On the left bank of the majestic Thames rises the Tower of London, a building that has gone down in history not only in England, but throughout Europe since its inception.

Fortress from a bird's eye view

Probably, it is for this reason that the Tower is one of the most visited places in the capital of Foggy Albion. To say that this gloomy architectural structure is a symbol of the whole of Great Britain will, of course, be correct. However, the Tower has become a symbol of one of the most powerful countries in the entire Old World not so much because of its style, in which it was built more than 900 years ago, but because of its gloomy (and sometimes not so) history.

The thing is that even while planning a trip to London, looking at a photo of the Tower, getting acquainted with its past, you suddenly begin to understand that this architectural structure performed several functions at once. Simply put, the Tower of London, which resembles a fortress in its forms, was not only a fortification, but also an ominous prison, a place where death sentences were carried out, a repository of state valuables, a huge arsenal and a gigantic workshop where coins were minted. True, these are not all the functions that were assigned to the building of the Tower of London at different times: over its long history, it managed to visit the main residence of kings, an observatory in which astronomers observed the movement of cosmic bodies, and even a zoo.

View of the fort from the Thames

Probably, on our entire vast planet it is difficult to find another such place that was used for so many purposes at once. By the way, the Tower, which a modern traveler can see at the moment, is the residence of the representatives of the royal family, a museum and an ordinary residential building with apartments. In fairness, we note that there are few apartments there, for the most part, guards with their families and other museum staff live in them. After all the enumerations of the functions assigned to the Tower of London at certain periods of time, I would like to clarify once again that this particular building is officially considered the main symbol of the entire United Kingdom. It is the whole of Great Britain, and not its capital, which has a couple more of its own " business cards". Although, the Tower building can still be safely attributed to at least one of the five most significant and interesting sights of London.

More than two and a half million tourists come to see the Tower every year. And although the Palaces of Westminster and Buckingham look much more spectacular both outside and inside, it is in the Tower that you can see something that is not available anywhere else in the UK. If we throw aside the legendary black ravens of the fortress, which you should definitely stop at a little lower, the crown of monarchs (!) And the world's largest diamond are kept in the Tower.

View of the Middle Tower (on the right, main entrance) and Bayward Tower

This largest diamond in the world, as it should be, has its own name - Cullinan I. The first one is not because it is the largest and even cut, but because it is of the highest quality, as jewelers like to say, "pure water". Such treasures, which even the most reputable art historians and jewelers cannot evaluate in monetary terms, the British authorities decided to place in the country's most recognizable fortress - the great Tower of London.

Tower of London - history of foundation

If you carefully study all the surviving documents and chronicles, you can easily draw a definite conclusion that the Tower of London was built by order of the formidable King William I. In addition to his cruelty, William I was an excellent strategist: he understood that in the conquered city and its environs it was necessary to build a huge number of fortifications in the shortest possible time in order to terrify the defeated Anglo-Saxons. Fortresses should be not only gloomy, but also truly impregnable. There is nothing surprising in the fact that the orders of the uncompromising king in those days were carried out in record time.

View of the bastion Mount Legg

Large and small forts around modern London were built just a myriad. However, the Tower became the largest and most intimidating fortress in those days. Instead of a wooden defensive structure, which could be burned down in just a few hours, and which was built, as they would say now, “to blur the eyes”, a gigantic fortress appeared for those times. Its shape almost resembled a square, almost ... The walls were 32x36 meters long, but the height of the fortification was slightly more than 30 meters. Behind the protected walls of the Tower lived the monarch and his family, but it so happened that due to the rapid expansion of London, the fortress ended up in a place where for the most part the beggars lived. The king did not like this neighborhood, and he moved to the luxurious Palace of Westminster. However, this did not affect the significance and strategically important appointment of the Tower.

On many Internet resources at the moment you can find information that after the construction of the Tower, the people received the nickname "White Tower". There is only a fraction of truth in this definition: the Tower under King William I was built of gray stone and it was not white.

View of the bastion Copper Mountain

Moreover, his tower was not white, which was originally the only building of the Tower. The Tower of London was painted white during the reign of the new king. It was this monarch who was oppressed by the gloomy Tower, and he decided to make it more attractive. But since then, the fortress has been called the White Tower. Another legendary king, Richard, who received the nickname "Lionheart", ordered to attach several high towers, and erect two additional massive fortress walls.

In addition, during his reign, the Tower was surrounded by the deepest moat. According to modern experts, it was Richard the Lionheart who made the Tower the most formidable and most impregnable fortification in Europe at that time.

After the monarchs moved into the Palace of Westminster, built among the swamps, the Tower became a prison. Of course, it was not an ordinary prison: petty thieves and other criminals were not kept in it. In the Tower, under reliable protection behind blank walls, only the most influential people in Europe were serving their sentences. Their list is huge, but it should be noted that the fortress contained the kings of France, dukes, rulers of Scotland, priests who were excommunicated for their views from the church, and other representatives of the aristocracy. In order to understand the significance of the Tower prison-fortress, one should list at least a few of its prisoners: King James of Scotland, King John II of France, Walter Raleigh and others.

White Tower

The courts of that time did not consider the cases of political prisoners for long, and many of them were thrown into the dungeons of the Tower simply by order of the king. The Duke of Orleans spent 25 years imprisoned in a huge fortress, he miraculously managed to survive due to the fact that representatives of the legendary dynasty paid a huge ransom. By the way, Charles of Orleans lived in Blois long and happily after his release and was even considered the main patron of all European poets and writers.

Unfortunately, not everyone was as lucky as the Duke of Orleans: many in the Tower of London were executed. The executioners and the judges who gave them orders did not look at either the position or the age of the unfortunate man. On the territory of the fortress, Edward V said goodbye to life, who lived in this world for 12 years. The younger brother of Edward V, Henry VI and other equally famous people did not escape the sad fate. The aforementioned Walter Raleigh, who was popularly known as a pioneer navigator, playwright and talented poet, spent 13 years in the Tower. During this time, he even managed to write a well-known work called "The History of the World." After his release, he did not enjoy life for long, he was again taken into custody and thrown into the Tower. Alas, he failed to get out of the fortress-prison for the second time: on the territory of the Tower of London, Walter Raleigh was executed for his political views.

Waterloo Barracks, Treasury of the British Crown

The Tower is an ominous place

After the Reformation, the Tower acquired even more notoriety. For those who are not familiar with history, let's clarify, the Reformation is a series of events aimed at full compliance of faith (of course, Catholic) with the Bible. Alas, it was precisely this correspondence that had nothing to do with the Bible in many moments. It was the Reformation that marked the beginning of the Holy Inquisition.

King Henry VIII was especially cruel, who generally decided that he was the head of the Catholic Church of England, and broke all ties with the Roman Catholic Church. With those who did not agree with the decision of the monarch, they did not stand on ceremony, after terrible torture they cut off their heads. Henry VIII went down in history as the most bloodthirsty king: he executed not only political and religious opponents: before the eyes of the crowd, even his wives were tortured to death, and then even his wives were beheaded. Their fault was only in one thing: they could not manage to give birth to a son to the monarch. One has only to imagine that the executioner cut off the head of Henry's fifth (!) wife in the Tower. The son of a mad monarch was nevertheless born and completely inherited all his qualities from his father, he arranged public executions on a hill near the Tower with enviable regularity. True, he died six years after he ascended the throne.

Fusiliers Museum

In fairness, we note that on the territory of the fortress-prison itself, only five people were executed, who were “pardoned” and did not begin to be killed publicly. All the other prisoners died in front of the crowd on Tower Hill. The execution of a prisoner of the Tower of London took place as follows: they cut off his head and impaled it on a stake, which was fixed on the bridge.

The headless body was taken to the Tower and buried in one of the many cellars of the fortress. Modern archaeologists on this moment found in the dungeons of the fortification, which was previously the residence of the monarchs, just over 1,500 headless skeletons. Excavations are still ongoing ... and how many remains will still be found, one can only guess. The last execution in the Tower of London took place already in 1941, when a man accused of spying for the Nazis was shot there.

Besides the fact that the Tower was a prison, Henry VIII adapted it for the state treasury. Where else could valuables be stored, if not in the most impregnable and, at the same time, the most terrible place in England? In the Tower of London, prisoners were kept in cellars, and gold was stored in other rooms. Part of the premises was given to craftsmen who minted silver coins for Henry VIII. By the way, silver for coins was not mined in mines, it was simply taken from the destroyed Roman Catholic monasteries: everything was used - crosses, icon frames, and inlaid decorative elements of temples.

Queen's house

Tower of London - the end of nightmares

All horrors ended in the Tower with the coming to power of King John the Landless, the same monarch who signed the Magna Carta in the Palace of Westminster and laid the foundation for a parliamentary constitutional monarchy in England. John Landless used the Tower for entertainment (of course, not like Henry VIII and his son). The monarch, who gave part of the power to parliament, turned the Tower into a zoo! By the way, before the reign of John the Landless, animals were kept on the territory of the fortress, but it was this king who expanded the collection of representatives of the fauna, and Queen Elizabeth I allowed ordinary people to observe the life of predators and herbivores. The zoo on the territory of the Tower of London existed until 1830!

Tower of London - a memo to the tourist

The modern Tower, as already mentioned at the very beginning of the material, is an interesting museum. Some of his exhibits delight, but some cause involuntary shivers. It becomes especially scary for impressionable people near a stone and an ax. The same stone on which people sentenced to death were deprived of their heads.

New armories

The traveler, who was led to the Tower of London, will be met by representatives of the palace guards. By the way, it has existed since 1475. It was her representatives who brought the accused into the Tower through the gate, called the “Gate of Traitors”. Now the representatives of the Tower guards are not distinguished by aggressiveness, although they are always on the alert: we recall that the crown of England, the largest diamond in the world and a huge amount of treasures are stored in the fortress. These treasures include a jeweled scepter and other regalia, mostly made of noble metals.

In addition to the fact that the tower guard guards priceless relics, some of its representatives can conduct a fascinating tour of the fortress, prison, zoo, mint, observatory and museum. Taking a photo of the Tower, and even capturing yourself next to a formidable guardian, is the dream of hundreds of thousands of tourists. By the way, all the guards of the Tower in London are called "beefeaters", which can be literally translated into Russian as "meat-eater". This nickname was attached to them back in the 15th century: the people of England were starving, and the guards that guarded important prisoners and the state treasury were always fed. And not just fed: for breakfast, lunch and dinner, each member of the tower guard received a huge piece of meat (an unaffordable luxury for an ordinary city dweller in those dark and harsh times). Representatives of the tower guard, who died of illness or old age, are still buried in the cellars of the chapel today. In the same cellars where fifteen hundred skeletons without skulls were found.

View of Beauchamp Tower

In addition to priceless treasures, representatives of the tower guard, the tourist will be able to personally see and get acquainted with other "beefeaters", however, winged ones. Those who know the history of not only the Tower, but the entire United Kingdom, have probably already understood that we are talking about birds. Only not about ordinary birds, but about crows. The ravens of the Tower are a symbol and it means nothing less for the country than a precious crown and scepter. Ever since the time of torture and executions, these representatives of birds fell in love with the Tower: they always had the opportunity to peck out the eyes of a severed head. The bird is common and even annoying and harmful. But at some point, a legend appeared that as soon as the ravens left the Tower, the power of the monarchs would fall forever and the whole of Great Britain would sink into the abyss. Even during the reign of Charles II, a decree was issued that six (!) Ravens should always live on the territory of the Tower. Probably, there is some kind of mysticism in this: according to esotericists, the raven is a guide to the otherworldly dark world, and it’s probably not worth talking about the number 6. Everyone knows perfectly well what and with whom it is associated. Nevertheless, in London they firmly believe in the legend and keep six black ravens in the Tower. So that they do not suddenly fly away, their wings are clipped. It is difficult to say whether this makes sense: a smart bird, and crows are considered the most intelligent of all birds, is unlikely to leave a place where every day they give her 200 grams of fresh veal, and once a week they “spoil” with rabbits. Each raven has its own name and pedigree! True, there are not six, but seven bird houses in the Tower of London. In the seventh house lives a young nameless raven (so, just in case). "Instances" have not happened yet: thanks to excellent nutrition and care, the crows of the Tower live for more than 200 years!

Fortress courtyard

In the White Tower, in an interactive museum, the traveler is invited to personally experience what the knight felt during the duel. In addition, the museum exhibits a huge number of exhibits belonging to different eras and shedding light on the gloomy history of the Tower - the main symbol of Great Britain. After visiting all the premises, you should definitely visit Tower Hill, the same hill where death sentences were carried out. A memorial complex was built on the meadow, it is a pillow placed on a glass round podium. She is slightly flattened, as if someone was lying on her. As you might guess, this symbolizes the beheaded people here. By the way, next to this pillow is a stone on which the names of the executed monarchs and the date of their death are carved. Creepy and at the same time a nice place. Maybe fear and beauty are incompatible concepts, but on Tower Hill, no matter how strange and terrible it may sound, you begin to understand that death, even after centuries, has become beautiful.

Death and the Tower are like words synonymous: they have become inseparable. For this reason, a huge number of ghosts live in the Tower. Many of their appearances have been recorded by reputable scientists. There is even a huge collection of photos of the ghosts of the Tower, taken mostly with digital cameras.

Fragment of an ancient Roman wall

If you try to talk to any representative of the tower guard about ghosts, you can immediately come across a "deaf wall of misunderstanding." It turns out that all guards without exception know ghosts, many of which are aggressive. The guard is afraid to even remember meeting with them, so as not to again incur the wrath of the innocently killed.

Despite all these horrors, the Tower of London is visited by more than 2.5 million people every year, according to statistics. For this reason, it is better to come to the main symbol of Great Britain early in the morning, then you can still somehow get to the museum exhibits and take a photo of the courtyard, which was saturated with blood in the Middle Ages. During the day in the Tower, literally, do not turn around. Especially a lot of people gather in the fortress-prison on October 31 for Halloween. Ghost legends haunt young people who are trying to do the best they can. big photo Tower to catch a ghost in the lens.

If a tourist wants to visit the Tower not as part of an excursion group, but on his own, it would be best for him to use the metro. Traffic jams at the Tower are huge, and the entrance to the fortress-treasury is paid. The metro station at which you need to get off is called "Tower Hill". To visit the museum and the main attraction of Foggy Albion, you will have to pay 11.5 pounds.

Students and children are also not admitted to the museum for free: a "teen ticket" costs £8.75 and a "child" ticket costs £7.50. From the beginning of March until Halloween, the Tower is open from 9 am to 5 pm, and the rest of the year it closes at 4 pm. By the way, many say that this mode of operation of the Tower is associated with the onset of twilight. When it gets dark outside the fortress, there should no longer be tourists in its walls, because it is at this time that ghosts become the owners of a gloomy architectural structure.

Foundation of the Tower of London

After the successful Battle of Hastings in 1066, William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, set about asserting his power. To do this, he founded 36 castles throughout the country, which became the administrative centers of royal influence and strongholds in the event of hostilities. Since London has already been largest city England, it was decided to found a castle here. The southeast corner of the old Roman city walls on the banks of the Thames was chosen as the location (separate fragments of the Roman walls and the statue of Emperor Hadrian can still be seen on the territory of the complex).

The history of the Tower of London begins with the construction white tower(No. 34 on) - a huge building that combines the functions of a royal residence and a Norman donjon. The exact date of commencement of construction is not known, but it is traditionally believed that it was founded in 1077 under the direction of Gandalf, Bishop of Rochester. Subsequently, the White Tower gave the castle the name Tower.

The Norman donjons had especially powerful walls, since initially the Normans did not enclose their castles with other defensive structures. The imposing belts of fortifications with bastions that we see today in the Tower began to be built around the White Tower only in the 13th century, apparently after the Crusades made the English familiar with the practice of building castles in the East and in continental Europe. That is why the thickness of the walls of the White Tower reaches almost 4 meters. Its dimensions are also unusual: 32.5 × 36 meters, with a height of 27 meters. It is second only to the keep of Hedingham Castle and is one of the largest keep in the medieval architecture of Western Europe. In terms of its configuration and layout of the premises, the White Tower belongs to a very rare group of donjons, characteristic of England, and, moreover, only of the 11th-12th centuries.

In 1097, King William II the Red ordered the construction of stone walls around the White Tower, the construction of which was completed at the beginning of the 12th century (the reign of Henry I). The White Tower became the heart of the Tower, its core and the most impregnable part; living quarters for the king, his family and associates were located here. The structure is considered to be one of the largest donjons in Europe (36 × 32 × 27 meters), and also one of the oldest surviving in England.

The White Tower immediately began to perform, in addition to defensive, also a prison function. Its first prisoner was Bishop Ranulf Flambard, and he also became the first fugitive - the clergyman managed to escape with the help of a rope given to him by accomplices in a bottle of wine. The escape turned out to be so unexpected and daring that one of the chroniclers of that time accused the fugitive bishop of having links with evil spirits.

According to the Norman tradition, the entrance to the White Tower is located much higher than the ground level, so a wooden ladder was used, which could be easily removed in case of danger. As in most other donjons, at the base of the White Tower there is a large basement and a functioning well. In the southeastern part of the building is located. Since its apse was attached to the walls already existing at that time, it can be concluded that the chapel was not included in the original construction plan. It is believed that the Romanesque chapel was built from stone brought from France.

The first floor of the White Tower was apparently intended for the needs of the constable (the royal manager of the Tower in London) and the lieutenant (deputy constable). On the second floor there was a large hall and living quarters for the king and his family. Unfortunately, very little has survived from the original interiors. Perhaps only the modest decoration of the Chapel of St. John corresponds to the original setting.

The death of King Henry I in 1135 plunged England into a dynastic conflict in which the Tower played a very important role. His constable Geoffrey de Mandeville, relying on the impregnable walls of a strategically important castle, skillfully maneuvered between two contenders for the throne (Princess Matilda and Stephen of Blois), thereby temporarily increasing personal power and wealth. However, soon he had to pay dearly for political unprincipledness - Stephen of Blois, becoming king, arrested him and deprived him of all castles and possessions. Since then, the post of constable of the Tower, which was originally hereditary, the king personally appointed a faithful person. At first, constables, in addition to managing the castle, also had a certain civil authority in the city - they ensured public order and tax collection, but after the introduction of the position of Lord Mayor of London in 1191, they ceased to perform these functions.

In the second half of the 12th century (the reign of Henry II), defensively non-functional royal apartments and a castle square were built in the Tower from the south side of the White Tower to the Thames. The territory that included the Tower of that time is called Central courtyard.

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Expansion of the Tower under King Richard I the Lionheart

The Tower appears to have survived unchanged until King Richard I the Lionheart (r. 1189 to 1199). Almost all of his reign, Richard I spent in constant wars outside of England, and the real power in the kingdom was exercised by his Lord Chancellor William Longchamp. On the initiative of the latter, given the threat of war with Richard's brother John, the territory of the castle was doubled and surrounded by a moat. The new defensive fortifications of the Tower of London were tested in 1191, when the castle was besieged for the first time in its history. The siege, however, lasted only 3 days, since Longchamp decided that it was more profitable for him to surrender than to continue resistance.

John did manage to become king of England after Richard's death in 1199, but he was extremely unpopular with the barons and the people, which led to war. In 1214, when John was at Windsor Castle, one of the rebellious barons laid siege to the Tower. The garrison defended courageously, and the siege was lifted only after the signing between the king and the barons of the Magna Carta (Magna Carta) - a document that defined the rights and obligations of the monarch and his subjects, the barons. John, however, was in no hurry to fulfill these promises, which led to the First Barons' War, during which the Tower garrison went over to the side of the rebels.

Expansion of the Tower under King Henry III

Henry III (reigned: 1216-1272) spent quite a lot of time in the Tower of London, and several times he gathered parliament within its walls (in 1236 and 1261). Under him, almost all the fortifications were built on the territory, which was added to the castle by his two predecessors (Richard I the Lionheart and John the Landless). Henry III built stone walls and nine towers (seven of them have survived unchanged to this day). This area is now called Courtyard.

All towers of the Tower, except for defensive functions, served as the location of residential and administrative premises, as evidenced in some cases by their names: a watch bell hung in the Bell Tower (No. 2 on), in the tower of the Archery Master (No. 4) there were workshops where bows, crossbows and siege weapons, and in the Lanthorn tower (No. 20) - big lighthouse(from the Old English lanthorn - "lamp, lantern"), showing the way to ships passing along the Thames.

The main entrance to the castle under Henry III was located in the western wall. It is believed that the towers on the south side - Wakefield (No. 36) and Lanthorn (No. 20) - served as the private quarters of the king and queen, respectively. Between the towers was built a large hall for solemn occasions.

Next to the Wakefield Tower (No. 36) the Bloody Tower (No. 3) was built in order to provide access to the castle from the river. It acquired its name after it became the site of the murder of 12-year-old Edward V and his 10-year-old brother Richard of York in 1483, popularly called the Princes of the Tower, on the orders of their uncle, King Richard III. At the time of their death, the boys had already been declared illegitimate by Parliament, which deprived them of legal grounds for the English throne, but this did not seem enough for the usurper.

In 1258, the barons, led by Simon de Montfort, again rebelled against the royal power, demanding regular convocations of parliament and the withdrawal of royal troops from the Tower. Henry III first took such an oath, but after asking permission from the Pope, he broke it and regained his control over the castle in 1261 with the help of mercenaries. In 1265, after the victory at Evesham, Henry III restored power in the country and called Cardinal Ottobuon to England to excommunicate the rebellious barons. This caused a new outburst of discontent, and in 1267 the baronial army, led by Gilbert de Claire, laid siege to the Tower, where the residence of the cardinal was temporarily located. Despite a large army and siege weapons, the rebels failed to take the castle. The remainder of the reign of King Henry III passed peacefully for the Tower of London.

Expansion of the Tower under King Edward I

Edward I (r. 1272-1307), although he rarely visited London, nevertheless continued the costly work to expand the Tower. The king was a great expert on fortification, and the experience he gained during numerous military campaigns was used to strengthen the castle of London. A second line of walls was built, including two bastions (in the northwestern and northeastern corners) and a new deep ditch 50 meters wide was dug.

A new main entrance was also created (in the southwestern part of the castle), which included internal (No. 8 on) and external gates (No. 25), as well as a barbican (a fortification designed to additionally protect the main entrance), called the Lion Tower ( No. 23), since lions were kept here. The barbican has not survived to this day.

Edward I also expanded the Tower of London southward towards the Thames. On the bank of the river, a tower of St. Thomas (No. 32) was erected with the Gate of Traitors (No. 35), so named because through them new prisoners were delivered by boat. Edward also moved the mint to the Tower.

In the middle of the XIV century, the Lullaby Tower (No. 13), built as living quarters, became the second water gate.

Under Edward I, loopholes for archers appeared in the walls of the Tower. On the site of the old castle gates, Beauchamp Tower (No. 1) was erected, which is the first time in England, since the time of the Roman Empire, the use of brick as the main building material. In order to make the castle a self-sufficient complex, two watermills were built.

In 1278, the Tower became the place of detention for 600 London Jews accused of defacing coins (in the Middle Ages, when there were no exact scales, this practice was very common - small pieces were chipped or sawed off from coins). The persecution of the Jewish population of England began as early as 1276, and their culmination was 1290, when the Edict was issued expelling all Jews from England.

The area built up during the reign of King Edward I (r. 1272–1307) is now called outer courtyard. By the beginning of the XIV century, the Tower acquired a modern look.

Late Middle Ages

Under Edward II (r. 1307–1321) little happens within the walls of the Tower. The Privy Office was founded, which is located on the territory of the castle. For the first time, a woman became a prisoner of the Tower - Baroness Margaret de Clare. She refused to let Queen Isabella into her castle, moreover, she ordered archers to shoot, which led to the death of six people in the royal escort.

Note that the Tower as a prison was intended primarily for important prisoners and was the main prison in the country, but far from the most reliable. Escapes were not uncommon. For example, in 1322, Roger Mortimer, Earl of March, was able to get out of captivity by bribing the guards. After fleeing to France, he began an affair with the wife of the king, and together they made a plan to seize power. Having landed with an army in England and captured London, Mortimer first of all freed all the prisoners of the Tower. For three years (1327-1330) he ruled England while King Edward III was still too young. However, fortune soon turned away from the usurper - Mortimer was captured, imprisoned again in the Tower, and then hanged in Tyburn Square.

During the years of the Hundred Years War between England and France (1337-1453), the Tower of London became the place of imprisonment of many noble prisoners, for example, King John II of France, captured at the Battle of Poitiers, King David II of Scotland, captured at the Battle of Neville Cross, and captured by English pirates James I, a Scottish prince who became king of his country after his release in 1424. However, since Edward II launched the castle, during the time of his heirs, the Tower became not particularly comfortable for noble prisoners: for example, it was impossible to hunt here, which was allowed for prisoners of blue blood in other royal castles.

In 1377, on the day of the coronation, Richard II sets off a magnificent procession from the Tower to Westminster Abbey. This is how a tradition was born that survived until 1660.

During Wat Tyler's peasant uprising in 1381, a rebel army besieged the king at the castle. When the monarch went to negotiate with the leader of the rebels, the crowd broke into the Tower without meeting resistance. The rebels plundered the royal treasury and beheaded the Archbishop of Canterbury, Simon Sudbury, who was trying to hide in St. John's Chapel in the White Tower. After 6 years, during the next unrest, the king was again forced to hide from the rebels in the Tower.

In 1399, King Richard II was removed from power and imprisoned in the White Tower of the Tower by Heinrich Bollingbroke, a representative of a side branch of the ruling Plantangenet dynasty. Bollingbroke, who ruled under the name Henry IV, found protection behind the walls of the Tower of London more than once during uprisings and riots.

Much of the second half of the 15th century was spent in dynastic conflicts between the two branches of the Plantangenet dynasty, the Yorks and the Lancasters. Their armed civil strife was called the Wars of the Scarlet and White Roses (1455-1485), since these flowers were depicted on the coats of arms of the warring families. In 1460 the Tower was besieged by the Yorkists. The castle was badly damaged by artillery fire, but only surrendered after the capture of King Henry VI of Lancaster at the Battle of Northampton. He, however, managed to briefly regain the throne in 1470, but soon Edward IV of York took the crown from him and imprisoned him in the Tower of London, where, apparently, Henry was killed. During the war, the castle was modernized to withstand firearms, and loopholes for cannons and arquebuses were made in the walls.

Executions were usually carried out not in the castle itself, but nearby - on Tower Hill (over 400 years, 112 people were put to death at this place). In the castle itself, until the 20th century, only 7 people were executed - usually these were individuals whose public execution could cause unrest among Londoners. Today, a special memorial has been erected on the site where the scaffold was located. In particular, among the persons executed in the Tower were:

Ann Bolein(1507-1536) - the second wife of Henry VIII, mother of Elizabeth I. Accused of state and adultery;
Katherine Howard(1520-1542) - fifth wife of Henry VIII and cousin of Anne Boleyn. Accused of adultery;
Jane Gray(1537-1554) - great granddaughter of King Henry VII, uncrowned queen, who ruled for 9 days in 1553. After the deposition, she was imprisoned in the castle and executed along with her husband Guildford Dudley.

Among the well-known figures of the XIV-XVIII centuries, who were prisoners of the Tower, but were executed in other places or released, the following personalities should be mentioned:

William Wallace(1270–1305) - Scottish aristocrat and military leader, leader of the movement for Scottish independence, was held in the Tower before a painful execution in 1305. About William Wallace, the famous film "Braveheart" was shot;
Thomas More(1478-1535) - lawyer, philosopher, writer, author of the novel Utopia. Refused to accept the supremacy of King Henry VIII over the church. Executed in 1535, buried in the Chapel of St. Peter in Chains of the White Tower. Recognized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church;
Elizabeth Tudor(1533–1603), future Queen Elizabeth I, spent two months in the Tower prison on charges of organizing a rebellion against Queen Mary I;
Walter Raleigh(1554-1618) - statesman, adventurer, poet and favorite of Elizabeth I. He spent 13 years in prison, but he was allowed to live in the castle with his family and engage in writing. Raleigh is considered the pioneer of tobacco smoking in Europe; he even tried to grow tobacco on the lawn of the Tower;
John Gerard(1564-1637) - Jesuit priest who secretly preached Catholicism in England. He was thrown into prison, where he was tortured. In 1597, he managed to escape from the castle on a rope stretched over the castle moat. Left memoirs describing the use of torture;
Guy Fawkes(1570-1606) - one of the leaders of the Gunpowder Plot, organized by a group of nobles with the aim of overthrowing royal power;
William Penn(1644-1718) - religious dissident, founder of the Pennsylvania colony and the city of Philadelphia in North America. Spent seven months in the Tower writing pamphlets;
Simon Fraser(1667-1747) - leader of the uprising of the Scots against the Hanoverian dynasty. His death was the last public execution in Britain and the last execution by beheading.

During the political conflicts between King Charles I and Parliament in the second quarter of the 17th century, the Tower again acquired strategic importance. The king tried to subjugate the garrison of the fortress, but after an unsuccessful attempt to arrest several MPs fled from London, and the Tower garrison became a stronghold of parliamentary forces in the years civil war (1642–1651).

The last king to lead a ceremonial procession from the Tower to Westminster Abbey before his coronation was Charles II in 1660. By that time, the old palace premises of the castle had fallen into such disrepair that Charles could not even spend the night in it on the eve of the ceremony.

The Hanoverian dynasty, which came to power in 1714, in view of the possible uprising of the recently annexed Scots, tried to strengthen the castle, but their efforts were sporadic and ineffective. According to one of his contemporaries, "the castle would not have lasted 24 hours against any besieging army." In 1774, new gates were added to connect the wharf to the outer courtyard. The moat surrounding the castle flooded and became shallow, so in 1830 the Duke of Wellington, who, among others, also held the position of constable of the Tower, ordered work to be done to clean the moat. However, this did not solve the problems with sanitation, and in 1841 an epidemic broke out among the garrison (obviously, cholera). In order to prevent this from happening in the future, it was decided to drain the moat and fill it with earth, which was done in 1845. At the same time, the construction of the Waterloo barracks began, which could accommodate up to 1000 soldiers, and several separate rooms for officers. Today they house the headquarters of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

The Democratic Chartist Movement (1828–1858) was the cause of the last major program to strengthen the defenses of the castle. Most of the surviving structures for conducting artillery and rifle fire date from this period.

During the First World War, 11 people were shot in the Tower, convicted as German spies. And during World War II, the castle again became a prison. One of the prisoners was a high-ranking member of the Nazi Party, Rudolf Hess, who flew to England in 1941 on his own initiative. He became the last state criminal held in the Tower. In the same year, 1941, the last death penalty was carried out in the castle - the German spy Josef Jacobs was shot. Also during the war years, the Tower performed defensive functions for the last time: in the event of a German landing in England, the castle was to become one of the long-term defense points of London.

Recovery and tourism

Today the Tower of London is one of the most popular historical sights in England. Interest in the castle, as a tourist attraction, appeared as early as the time of Elizabeth I (1533-1603) thanks to a unique menagerie and an exhibition of weapons and armor. From 1669, royal regalia began to be displayed in the Tower. Already in the 19th century, there were so many visitors that the entrance became paid and orderly.

In many ways, the reason for the awakening of public interest in the Tower was literary works, in particular, the historical novel The Tower of London by William Ainsworth, in which the author created a gloomy atmosphere of torture and torment that captivated readers. He also proposed to make the Beauchamp Tower (No. 1 on) open to visitors so that everyone could familiarize themselves with the inscriptions carved on the walls made by the prisoners.

By the end of the 19th century, more than 500,000 people visited the Tower every year. And this despite the fact that over the past two centuries, palace buildings have fallen into complete decline. Many institutions located in the Tower moved, and the vacant buildings were either abandoned or destroyed. The only positive moment of the XIX century in the history of the castle was the construction of the stables in 1825 and the Waterloo barracks in 1845. Both buildings were made in architectural style"Gothic revival", which appeared in the XVIII century as a result of awakened interest in the medieval past of the country.

During the First World War, the castle was not damaged, although one German bomb fell into the moat (fortunately, it did not explode). But World War II left more serious traces - on September 23, 1940, during the "Battle for England", German bombs destroyed several buildings, only miraculously not damaging the White Tower. After the war, it took several years to fully restore the destroyed buildings.

In the 21st century, tourism has become the main function of the Tower. Almost all the military institutions once housed in the castle have moved, although the ceremonial headquarters of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and the museum of this regiment are still located here. Also, one of the units of the Royal Guard, guarding Buckingham Palace, still stands guard over the Tower and, together with the beefeaters, takes part in the nightly Key Ceremony. Several times a year, the cannons of the Tower also remind of themselves - they fire 62 volleys on the occasion of events related to the royal family, and 41 volleys in all other cases.

Administratively, the Tower of London is managed by the independent organization Historic Royal Palaces, which does not receive funding from the state budget. In 1988 the castle was included in the list world heritage UNESCO as an object of special historical importance. According to the "Historic Royal Palaces", the castle is visited annually by about 2.5 million tourists from different countries.

Tower plan

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beauchamp tower
bell tower
bloody tower
Archer's Tower
Bastion Copper Mountain
brick tower
Tower Broad Arrow
inner gate
casemates

ruins of Coldharbor Gate
constable tower
lullaby tower
Devereux Tower
davelin tower
flint tower

hospital
water gate of Henry III
lanthorn tower
Goraa Legg Bastion
fragment of an ancient Roman wall
drawbridge pit of the Lion Tower
martin tower
Middle tower
mint street
New armories
queen's house
salt tower
scaffold
Central courtyard
tower of st. Thomas
tower meadow

wall of the central courtyard
dressing tower
water lane
Waterloo Barracks, Treasury
well tower
jetty

Tower (photo gallery)

Treasures and crown jewels in the Tower

The tradition of storing royal treasures in the Tower seems to date back to the reign of Henry III (1216-1272), when the House of Jewels was built in the castle specifically for the purpose of storing gold, valuables and royal regalia used in the coronation ceremony. In case of dire need, the monarchs took loans from usurers secured by these jewels, that is, the treasures gave the kings a certain financial independence from the barons and parliament, and therefore were carefully guarded. Already in the 14th century, a very prestigious and highly paid position of treasure keeper appeared, whose duties, in addition to protecting jewelry, also included the acquisition of new valuables and the hiring of jewelers.

In 1649, by order of Oliver Cromwell, all the treasures, including the royal regalia, were melted down, symbolizing the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of the English Republic (it lasted from 1649 to 1660). When the monarchy was restored, it turned out that only a 13th-century spoon and three swords survived from all the treasures. Therefore, all the crown jewels had to be created anew.

Exposition "Row of Kings" in the Tower

Row of kings(Line of Kings) - a unique display of 10 life-sized equestrian statues in full knightly attire. It is believed to be the oldest permanent exhibition in the world. The exposition was created in 1688 to raise the prestige of the unpopular Stuart dynasty in the country. Several statues from the Tudor dynasty (XVI century) were brought to the Tower from Greenwich Castle, the rest were made by the best sculptors and carvers in England, including Grinling Gibbons, who also worked on carvings in St. Paul's Cathedral.

Since the "Row of Kings" performed a propaganda function, there were "good kings", such as Edward III and Henry VIII, and there were no "bad" ones - Edward II and Richard III. Later sculptures of Wilhelm III, George I and George II were added.

Today, the "Row of Kings" exposition is located in the Royal Armory (The Royal Armories) of the White Tower (No. 34 on) and additionally includes a large collection of medieval armor and weapons. The best exhibits are the magnificent armor of Henry VIII (three sets: 1515, 1520 and 1540), the gilded armor of Charles I (1612), the children's armor of Prince Henry Stuart (1608) and Japanese armor of the late 16th century, presented to King James I in 1613 year. Pay attention to the dimensions of the late armor of Henry VIII compared to the armor of his youth.

- follow the long path of the castle-prison, get acquainted with its symbols and admire the royal regalia - 2 hours, 45 pounds

- where, how and what kind of tea in modern London do true connoisseurs drink - 3 hours, 30 pounds

- discover the most colorful, musical and iconic area of the city - 2 hours, 30 pounds

Exhibition of armor and weapons

royal menagerie

One of the exhibitions of the Tower dedicated to the history of the castle is the exposition "Royal Animals". It is located in the Brick Tower (No. 6 on) and tells about the royal menagerie, the first mention of which dates back to the reign of Henry III (1216-1272). In addition, in memory of some animals, their modern life-size sculptural figures are located in separate corners of the Tower.

For example, in 1251, the sheriffs (royal officials) of London were required to pay 4 pence daily for the maintenance of a polar bear donated by King Hakon of Norway. The bear attracted the general attention of the townspeople when he was occasionally let out on a long leash to swim and fish in the Thames. In 1254, the sheriffs were ordered to contribute money for the construction of an aviary for an elephant in the Tower of London - a gift from the French king Louis XI.

As a rule, the collection of animals was replenished with gifts from foreign rulers. For example, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III presented the English king with three lions. The exact location of the menagerie is unknown, but it has been established that it was the lions that were kept in the barbican (bridgehead), eventually called the Lion Tower (No. 23 on).

In the 18th century, the menagerie was opened to the general public: the visitor had to pay an entrance fee of one and a half pence or bring a dog or cat to feed the predators. Here, for the first time in Europe, a grizzly bear was kept, presented to King George III by the Hudson's Bay Company in 1811. In 1828, the menagerie already included 280 animals of 60 different species, but a few years later, in 1835, they were all transferred to the zoo in Regent's Park after a lion injured one of the soldiers.

Fusiliers in the 17th-18th centuries were arrows armed with flintlock guns (fusils), which were called fusils, in contrast to musketeers armed with muskets. Initially, the Fusiliers were used to cover artillery and as light infantry.

The Fusiliers Museum (The Fusiliers "Museum, No. 17 on) and a number of residential premises of lesser importance. The interior space of all defensive towers, as a rule, was also functionally used. For example, in the tower of St. Thomas (No. 32), Edward I received guests in front of a huge a fireplace (now you can see the king’s huge sleeping bed, carefully restored according to the records of the 13th century), and in the basement of the Wakefield Tower under Henry III there was a Conference Chamber (today you can see a reconstruction of the royal throne in it).

It should be noted that at the beginning of the 16th century, the Tower ceased to function as a royal residence, which in practice meant that there was no need for high-status living quarters (for the monarch and his family).

Chapel of St. Peter in Chains

The Chapel of St. Peter in Chains (St. Peter ad vincula, No. 10 on), built in the 12th century and substantially rebuilt in 1520, went down in history as the burial place of some prisoners of the Tower. Here, in front of the chapel, in rare cases, closed executions took place, for which a temporary scaffold was installed. In total, 7 people were executed in front of the chapel (these were individuals whose public execution could cause unrest among the townspeople). Nowadays, on the site of the scaffold, there is a glass memorial, the central element of which is a crystal pillow for executions, symbolizing the high status of those sentenced to death.

Mint

From 1279 to 1812 the Royal Mint was located in the Tower. At the Kings and Coins exhibition, you can learn about the history of the coinage and see some of the rarest and most valuable coins ever produced by the Tower of London Mint.

Yeomen (beefeaters)

Beefeaters- a popular nickname for the yeomen (ceremonial guards) of the Tower of London. The name (eng. beefeater - literally “beef eaters”) came either from the fact that the yeomen, as privileged servants, could consume an unlimited amount of meat from the royal table, or from the fact that they received a large amount of beef in their rations.

In principle, the historical function of the beefeaters is to guard prisoners and royal regalia in the castle, but in our time they all act as guides for tourists. Their official name- "Guards-yeomen of Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, and Members of the Sovereign"s Body Guard of the Yeoman Guard Extraordinary).

The yeomanry unit was created by Henry VII Tudor in 1485, and was conceived as the king's personal guard during his stay in the Tower. Since 1509, the castle ceased to be an official residence, but the beefeaters remained its guardians. Over time, when the Tower began to be actively used as a state prison, supervision over the prisoners of the castle was added to their duties.

Today, like five hundred years ago, 37 yeomen serve in the Tower. They are all retired military personnel and air force who have served in the military for at least 22 years and have earned the Long Service and Exemplary Conduct Medal. Until recently, retired naval officers were not accepted into the Beefeaters (since they take an oath not to the Crown, but to the Admiralty), but in 2011 the first yeoman from the fleet appeared, as well as the first female yeoman.

On normal days, Beefeaters wear a dark blue uniform with red embroidery. On the occasions of the arrival of the monarch in the castle or other ceremonial events, they put on solemn scarlet robes embroidered with gold. The uniform has not changed much since the Tudor dynasty; in the words of the Beefeaters themselves, it is "extremely inconvenient."

Every evening at 21:53 sharp, the chief yeoman guard takes part in the traditional ceremony of handing over the keys to the Tower of London to members of the Tower of London Guard, the other unit that guards the castle. The Ceremony of the Keys is one of the oldest military rituals in the world. It has been performed invariably since 1340. The tradition has not been interrupted for almost 700 years.

castle ravens

The Tower contains 8 ravens surrounded by honor and care. According to legend, if they leave the fortress, the kingdom will fall apart. Therefore, just in case, they cut their wings. These large majestic birds are looked after by a special beefeater keeper who personally buys meat for them every morning at the nearest market. A special allowance for keeping birds is allocated from the royal budget - about 100 pounds per bird per month. Each tower raven receives 200 grams of fresh meat daily, and once a week additionally fresh eggs and part of a rabbit.

The earliest evidence of keeping these birds in the castle dates back to 1883, but the tradition seems to have started much earlier. There is even a monument to the dead ravens in the castle moat. Feeding birds to tourists, as well as stroking or picking them up, is strictly prohibited.

ghosts

As befits any self-respecting English castle The Tower is also haunted. The ghost of Henry VIII's wife, Anne Boleyn, who was executed in 1536, is periodically seen in the Chapel of St. Peter in Chains, where she is buried. Rumor has it that a ghost wanders around the White Tower, carrying a severed head under its arm. Other otherworldly inhabitants of the castle are the ghosts of Lady Jane Grey, Margaret Pole, Arbella Stuart and