Tower of London, London, England. By John Bermont.

INTRODUCTION

The Tower of London is remarkable for housing the royal jewels, thus making it one of the top attractions in London. The collection begins with Charles II in 1660 because Cromwell cleaned house and sold off the best goods in the 1650s. The Jewel House is home to some of the world's biggest and most expensive diamonds and other gems. The granddaddy of them all, the "Star of Africa," is here. This is the largest diamond in the world, weighing in at 530 carats. That's about a quarter pound of crystalized carbon.

Other historic buildings inside the walls include the White Tower, Chapel of St. John the Evangelist, and the Armory with plenty of weapons, some native and some the spoils of war. The official keepers of the Tower are Yoeman Warders and are unofficially known as "Beefeaters." Those are the 40 guys in stovepipe hats and fancy red smocks.

The Tower was begun in 1066 as a wooden fortress, later rebuilt in stone. Over the centuries it has been fortified and expanded so it covers about half a square mile, including the now dry moat.

Throughout history it has been a prison holding traitors, captured French kings, and unlucky English royalty, pending a trip to the chopping block on Tower Green. King Henry the Eighth had two of his wives slaughtered on the premises. Such a sweet husband. Many other prisoners were duly tortured before having their last breath on the gallows of Tower Hill, in front of the London populace. People really like a good public whipping followed by a quick neck snap at the end of a rope.

There is often a long line waiting to buy tickets. It rains frequently. Advance booking and/or an umbrella in hand is advised.

The Tower of London
Location:	Tower Hill
Telephone:	0844 482 7777 (from the UK) +44 (0)20 3166 6000 (from outside the UK)
Hours:	01 March - 31 October Tuesday-Saturday 09h00-17h30. Sunday, Monday 10h00-17h30. Last admission 17:00. November - February closes one hour ealier.
Cost:	Adult £22.00 Child £11.00 (5-15 years) Under 5 free Student w/ID, disabled, seniors 60+ £18.70 Family £59.00 (2 adults and 3 children)
Closed:	January 1, December 24, 25, 26
Underground	Tower Hill
Regulations:	No photography. Cell phones must be switched off.
Facilities:	Coffee and snack bars. Souvenir and postcard shop. Lavatories. Shops.
Web Site:	Tower of London

Source: Information has been extracted from Tower of London official web site April 2014.

MORE MUSEUMS

For similar information on other museums in Europe see the directory at Major European Museums: Travelers Portfolio™. This is a work in process.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

These pages provide additional basic information about the United Kingdom, a.k.a. The UK.

United Kingdom: Prime Travel Data.

Prime Travel Data: Elementary Travel Information for Europe.

Enjoy-Europe.com: Home page.

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