More about the Tower of London
The Tower of London was first built in 1078 by William the Conqueror as a place to live and stay protected while in London. The original castle was only two floors high.
William II built a stone wall around the castle in 1097 and Richard the Lionheart added a moat for extra safety. Other kings like Henry III and Edward I also expanded the castle.
From 1100 until 1952 the castle was used as a prison. People that tried to go against the kings and queens were sent to the Tower and often tortured such as Guy Fawkes, who tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament.
Some prisoners were executed inside the Tower. Their heads were chopped off with an axe!
The people responsible for looking after the prisoners were the Yeomen Warders or Beefeaters. They still guard the Tower today and live on site at the Tower.
Every evening at around 9:53 pm the ceremony of the keys takes place where all the gates of the Tower of London are locked.
Today the Tower isn’t used as a prison anymore. The Crown Jewels are housed there and the Tower is open to the public as a museum.
Did you know?
King James I liked to keep wild animals on the grounds of the Tower. These animals were known as the Royal Menagerie. There were lions, elephants, tigers and even a polar bear that hunted fish from the River Thames. The Menagerie was a popular attraction but it was closed in 1832 because it wasn’t very safe for the animals and caretakers. The animals were moved and became the basis for the London Zoo.
