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The Tower of London
London, England

Travelers Portfolio ^TM
A page from Enjoy-Europe.com by John Bermont

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 pounder 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 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 swift 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 hanging.

The Tower of London
Location:	Tower Hill
Telephone:	+44 (0) 171 709 0765
Hours:	March-October Tuesday-Saturday 09h00-18h00 Sunday, Monday 10h00-18h00. November-February closes one hour earlier. Last admission 17:00
Closed:	January 1, December 24, 25, 26
Cost:	Adult £16.00 Child £9.50 (5-15 years) Under 5 free Concession £13.00 (student w/ID, disabled, seniors 60+) Family £45.00 (up to 2 adults and 3 children) Guide Book £4.95
Underground, "Tube"	Tower Hill
Regulations:	No photography. Cell phones must be switched off.
Facilities:	Coffee and snack bars. Souvenir and postcard shop. Lavatories.

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Recommended books for further information:

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Books about the Tower of London
The Tower of London: The Official Illustrated History by Edward Impey and Geoffrey Parnell
Tower of London, The: A 2000 Year History by Geoffrey Parnell. Ivan Lapper, illustrator.
Tales from the Tower of London by Daniel Diehl

Guidebooks
Great Britain (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
Scotland (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
Michelin Red Guide 2007 Great Britian & Ireland: Hotels & Restaurants
Michelin Red Guide 2007 London
Michelin the Green Guide Great Britain
Michelin the Green Guide Scotland
Michelin the Green Guide Wales
Lonely Planet Wales
Lonely Planet London
London (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

Maps

Michelin Great Britain Ireland Map
Michelin Scotland Regional Map
Lonely Planet City Map London
Pocket Map and Guide London (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
London A-Z (Street Atlas)

History

Sex with the Queen: 900 Years of Vile Kings, Virile Lovers, and Passionate Politics by Eleanor Herman
Sex with Kings: 500 Years of Adultery, Power, Rivalry, and Revenge by Eleanor Herman
Tower of London: England's Ghostly Castle by Gail Blasser Riley
The Tower Of London: Tales Of Victorian London by Soseki Natsume and Damian Flanagan
Ghosts of the Tower of London by G. Abbott
The Holy Blood: King Henry III and the Westminster Blood Relic (Hardcover) by Nicholas Vincent
History of Religious Orders (Paperback) by Charles Warren Currier
Bill Nye's History of England: From the Druids to the Reign of Henry (Paperback) by Bill Nye
Instant European History: From the French Revolution to the Cold War (Paperback) by Robert P. Libbon
The Six Wives of Henry VIII (Paperback) by Alison Weir
The Children of Henry VIII (Paperback) by Alison Weir

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Keywords for this chapter:

The Tower of London London, England

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The Tower of London
London, England

tower of london england
beefeaters yeoman warders
king henry viii eighth
jewel house crown jewels
star of africa