Tower of London Review
Reviewed by David Savage
Having grown up in London I have visited many of the London attractions, probably more so since moving away from London. I have visited the Tower of London several times in the past, but my girlfriend never has, or even visited London.
As she was a first-time visitor, there were several places and landmarks that she was very interested in seeing and experiencing, including the Tower of London. And as we were visiting over the Armistice weekend, we were very fortunate to see the moat around the Tower lit up with 10,000 flames to mark the centenary of the end of World War I. This tribute was called Beyond The Deepening Shadow and was something to behold.
The Tower of London, officially Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is situated in Central London on the north bank of the River Thames. Travelling in London is easy, with lots of different transport modes (tube, train, river bus, etc.). As our hotel was in Paddington we travelled in on the tube. As the Tower is situated by Tower Hill tube station it was a short journey on the Circle line.
The Tower of London is part of the Historic Royal Palaces and is a fortress castle. It has also been a Royal Palace, a prison, even a zoo and is home to The Crown Jewels. It is made up of several towers, including The Bloody Tower, The White Tower and The Salt Tower, all surrounded by a fortress wall and a now a dry moat. It has access to the River Thames, with the most famous entrance being Traitors’ Gate where many prisoners arrived at the Tower, including Queen Anne Boleyn.
Along with the towers and Crown Jewels there is plenty to see with the ravens that are kept within the Tower walls, the Beefeaters (Yeoman Warders), watching the guards (that you do have to wonder at times if they are waxworks as they stand so still until they start to march!). There is also armoury, medieval graffiti, prison cells, and plenty of information detailing the history of London, Kings, Queens and Princes (including the 2 Princes that were imprisoned in the Tower and never seen again).
Overall, the Tower of London is a must for any visitor to London. It is full of history, houses the world-famous treasures of the Crown Jewels (and they really do need to be seen up close to appreciate the size and opulence of them) and it just looks magnificent and majestic.
There is lots of walking to be done around the Tower and lots of steps and narrow staircases to climb so good comfortable shoes are essential, but it really is worth spending a good few hours in the Tower to see everything, including the views from the fortress walls of the River Thames, Tower Bridge, The Shard, The London Eye and lots more.
The Yeoman Warders are very approachable, friendly and will answer any questions you may have.
We loved our visit to the Tower, including walking around outside the walls after dark to see the 10,000 flames for the Armistice Day tribute. My girlfriend really enjoyed the Tower of London on her first visit to London. London really does offer so much for visitors to do and see, and the Tower has to be at the top of the list. We hope to return to London in the summer to visit Hampton Court Palace.
A very interesting and enjoyable visit that is a must see! If you want a guided tour of the Tower the Yeoman Warders start tours every 30 minutes (from the main entrance and is included in the ticket prices). Also available are audio guides (from £4) in a variety of languages, so every visitor can fully enjoy the Tower of London and receive all the information in their choice of language.
Rating: 5/5
Tickets cost £26.80 Adult / £12.70 Child (save 15% by booking online in advance: £22.70 Adult/£10.75 Child).
For more information or to book tickets online visit www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london.
Tower of London, London, EC3N 4AB
