Tower of London

The Tower of London (angl. Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, Tower of London) - castle, standing on the north bank of the Thames - the historic center of London, one of the oldest buildings in England and one of the main symbols of the UK, covering special place in the history of the English nation. As the Duke of Edinburgh, wrote in his book dedicated to the 900th anniversary of the Tower, "in its history, the Tower of London has been a fortress, palace, royal jewelry store, an arsenal, a mint, a prison, an observatory, a zoo, a place that attracts tourists."

The Tower of London (angl. Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, Tower of London) - castle, standing on the north bank of the Thames - the historic center of London, one of the oldest buildings in England and one of the main symbols of the UK, covering special place in the history of the English nation. As the Duke of Edinburgh, wrote in his book dedicated to the 900th anniversary of the Tower, "in its history, the Tower of London has been a fortress, palace, royal jewelry store, an arsenal, a mint, a prison, an observatory, a zoo, a place that attracts tourists."

Base
The base of the Tower of London is attributed to William I. After the Norman conquest of England, William I began to build defensive castles to intimidate the conquered the Anglo-Saxons. One of the biggest in 1078, he became the Tower. Wooden fort replaced the huge stone building - the Grand Tower of London, which is a quadrangular building, measuring 32 x 36 meters, about 30 meters high. Later, when the new King of England ordered to whitewash the building, it was called the White Tower (White Tower), or White Tower. Later, when King Richard the Lionheart, were built several towers of different heights, and two rows of powerful walls. Around the fortress was dug deep ditch, making it one of the most impregnable fortresses in Europe.

Modern look
Today, the Tower of London - one of the main attractions of the UK. He has not changed since the days of the past. The symbol of the sinister past the Tower of London is a place where previously there was a scaffold of Tower Hill. Now it has a small plaque in memory of the "tragic fate, and sometimes martyrdom of those who in the name of faith, fatherland and the ideals risked his life and dying." Currently, the main building of the Tower - museum and armory, where the treasures of the British Crown stores; officially still considered one of the royal residences. In the Tower there is also a number of private apartments, which are home to mainly support staff and distinguished guests.