The Tower of London
A thousand years of royal history in stone - the fortress, palace and prison beside the Thames that guards the Crown Jewels, watched over by Beefeaters and ravens, a UNESCO site.
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Illustrative image - a scene in the spirit of the place, not a photograph of it. Real photos are below.
UNESCO World Heritage
The Tower of London is a thousand-year-old fortress beside the Thames that has served as royal palace, armoury, treasury and infamous prison, and remains one of the most storied buildings in the world. A UNESCO site, its White Tower rises at the centre, the dazzling Crown Jewels are guarded within, red-coated Yeoman Warders, or Beefeaters, tell its bloody tales, and the resident ravens keep an ancient legend alive.
What you actually see
- The Crown Jewels - the dazzling royal regalia in the Jewel House.
- The White Tower - the great Norman keep at the heart of the fortress.
- The Beefeaters and ravens - the Yeoman Warders and the legendary ravens.
- Tower Green - the site of the scaffold where queens were executed.
When to go
Year-round; a mostly outdoor-and-indoor mix, so dress for weather. Book a timed ticket ahead and go early, as it is one of London's most popular sights and the Crown Jewels queue builds through the day.
Honest expectations
It is one of London's most visited and priciest sights, so book ahead and go early; the Crown Jewels queue can be very long by midday. It is large, needing several hours. A Beefeater tour, included with entry, brings the history alive far better than wandering alone.
Nearby
Tower Bridge is alongside; the City of London and St Paul's are a short walk.
What to pack for The Tower of London
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
