Tower of London

Tower of London *
UNESCO World Heritage Site
View of Tower from the Thames
Country	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Type	Cultural
Criteria	ii, iv
Reference	488
Region **	Europe
Inscription history
Inscription	1988 (12th Session)
Name as inscribed on World Heritage List ** Region as classified by UNESCO

The Tower of London is an ancient Norman stone fortress in London, England. It stands on the bank of the River Thames, in the oldest part of the city.

It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

History

The fortress was built by William the Conqueror, King William I, starting in 1078. The moat was built by Richard I, using water diverted from the River Thames.

The Tower had many uses. Its main function was to protect Norman rule in the years after the conquest. It was a prison, and a place of execution. Today, the Crown Jewels are kept there. This is the collection of jewels owned by the British state, and sometimes worn by the monarch. There is also a museum of armour.

Only the most important people were executed (by axe) inside the Tower of London. Among the most famous were:

• George, Duke of Clarence (1478)
• Anne Boleyn, Queen of England (1536) wife of King Henry VIII
• Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury (1541)
• Jane Boleyn, Viscountess Rochford (1542)
• Catherine Howard, Queen of England (1542) wife of King Henry VIII
• Lady Jane Grey (1554)
• Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex,
• Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex (1601)

The Tower of London has a collection of ravens, large black birds of the Crow family. They are taken care of by the staff who work there. The ravens' wing feathers are kept short so they cannot fly away. This is because a legend (story) says that if the ravens leave the Tower, the Tower and the Kingdom will fall.

The closest Underground station to the Tower of London is Tower Hill.

Related pages

• List of World Heritage Sites of the United Kingdom

Other websites

Media related to Tower of London at Wikimedia Commons

• Tower of London website