This guide to visiting the Tower of London will help you get to know one of the most historic and essential places in the city, which we are sure you won't be disappointed.
Surrounded by a moat and located on the banks of the Thames, this castle was built by William the Conqueror in 1078 to defend London from enemy invasions as well as to control river traffic.
In addition, although this was not its original purpose, this tower was used for centuries as a prison or measure of repression against those who offended the crown. Several famous people of the time were executed within its walls, such as the Queen consort Anne Boleyn, wife of Henry VIII.
Over the years this complex was also used as a refuge for the royal family and as an armoury, to finally become a medieval castle and one of the most visited tourist attractions in London.
Based on the two visits we have made to this historic castle, the last one during our month-long trip to London, we show you what we think are the best ways to visit the Tower of London, how to get there, prices, opening times and how to book tickets.
How to get there and opening times
The best way to get to the Tower of London, located very close to the famous Tower Bridge, is to take the yellow (Circle) or green (District) line of the underground and get off at the Tower Hill stop, located next to the tower.
If you don't want to use the fast London Underground you can take bus routes 8, 9, 11, 15, 25, 133, 501, 15B and 22B.
The opening hours of the Tower of London are Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 5.30pm from March to October and from 9am to 4pm the rest of the year. Sundays and Mondays are always open at 10am. Last admission is half an hour before closing time.
Entrance to the Tower of London
Tickets to the Tower of London, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988, can be purchased directly from the ticket office or online in advance.
The price of the Tower of London, if you buy your ticket at the ticket office, is around 28 euros (depending on the exchange rate) and generally, you will have to queue, especially if it is a weekend or high season.
In case you want to save time, a good option is to book this ticket in advance and you will only have to queue at the entrance to the Tower, avoiding the queue at the ticket office.
On our last trip to the city we entered the tower by showing the London Pass, a tourist card that includes this ticket and 80 other attractions such as London Bridge, Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral, the sightseeing bus, The Shard viewing platform and the Thames cruise.
For more information on the London Pass you can check out this London Pass post.
Places to see at the Tower of London
The visit to this castle, included in the list of must-see places in London and in the list of the best things to do in London, can take you between two and three hours.
We recommend arriving at the tower first thing in the morning so that you can tour the castle with fewer people and organised groups.
Some of the highlights to see at the Tower of London include:
Wall: you can start your visit to the castle by walking along the wall that surrounds the castle and passes by several important buildings as well as 7 of its towers. You can also enjoy views of the Thames and Tower Bridge along the way.
The White Tower: located in the centre of the Tower of London is the oldest building and gives its name to the entire castle. Inside this square tower is an 11th century chapel and an extensive collection of armour and weapons.
Bloody Tower: this was a luxury prison, where the most important prisoners were held and where several deaths occurred.
Medieval Palace: this building was used by the royal family as a residence and refuge. In some of the rooms you can see a recreation with period furniture.
Royal Chapel of St. Peter and Vincula: this is the chapel of the Tower of London and is the burial place of the most famous prisoners executed in this castle.
The Crown Jewels: this is the most popular place in the castle and is located inside a chamber with large armoured doors where you can see some of the most valuable jewels in the world such as the Crown of St. Edward, used to crown the monarchs of the United Kingdom, and the Crown of Queen Elizabeth, which carries the oldest known diamond, the Koh-i-Noor.
Wakefield Tower: this is one of the most historically and defensively important towers of the castle as well as being the tower in which Henry III lived and the site of the assassination of King Henry VI by Edward IV in the 15th century.
Curiosities
One of the most curious inhabitants of the Tower of London are the ravens. Legend has it that if they ever leave the castle, it will be the end of the monarchy. For this reason, and to avoid this, one of the superstitious kings signed a Royal Decree that obliges there to always be at least 7 crows inside the castle, as well as appointing a master of the crows, who is in charge of feeding them and clipping the ends of their wings so that they cannot leave the walls.
Another curiosity is the Beefeaters, former servicemen of the British Armed Forces who act as ceremonial guardians of the Tower of London as well as doing some of the guarding and giving free tours in English, in which they tell the most intriguing stories of the castle. Another of the Beefeaters' occupations is to perform the key ceremony in which the doors of the Tower are locked every day before 10pm.
In addition to all these curiosities, the Tower of London has been "noted" for the presence of paranormal phenomena such as the ghosts of former prisoners of the Tower, including Anne Boleyn and the ghost of Chancellor Thomas Becket.
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