
Because the Tower of London is also a Royal Palace gun salutes are fired from its riverside wharf on important occasions. In the 1800s the Duke of Wellington had it drained and it has remained a dry moat since then.ģ. At 50 metres wide the moat was intended to keep intruders out however the moat became so stagnant and disease-ridden that the troopers inside the Tower were more at risk of dying from infection than from any attacker. Londoners were in awe of this oppressive tower rising above them – which is just what William the Conqueror intended when he built it.Īerial shot of Tower Bridge and Tower of London. At 90 feet tall it was considered a skyscraper when it was built. The Tower itself is the tall central fortified keep which is known as the White Tower.
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Using its full title: Her Majesty’s Palace and Fortress, the Tower Of London is a highly fortified castle that is nearly 1000 years old. Below are ten top facts about the Tower of London near to Tower Bridge another top 10 London tourist attraction both of which can be explored with a knowledgeable Blue Badge Tourist Guide.ġ. They also get the opportunity to explore first-hand this UNESCO World Heritage Site that has been a fortress, palace, and prison. Visitors are mainly drawn to the Tower of London to see the spectacular display of The Crown Jewels, part of the Royal Collection and still regularly used by Her Majesty The Queen.


The Tower of London located on the north bank of the River Thames in central London is a top 10 London tourist attraction.
