London’s must-see historic attraction will still surprise you

The seven wonders of the Tower of London

The Tower of London has been a prison, a palace, a weapons store and an observatory – and now it’s justifiably one of the British capital’s must-sees.

1 Prepare for battle in the White Tower

The White Tower was begun in the reign of William the Conqueror and completed by 1100.

The oldest part of the Tower of London is its photogenic heart – the White Tower. Built on the site of a Roman Fort in 1100, it now hosts part of the Royal Armouries collection. Amid the fearsome weapons, the highlight is the Line of Kings – a series of life-size wooden royals and horses covered in battle armour.

Also inside the White Tower are the beautifully curving St John’s Chapel, and the rather chilling basement, where French and Scottish kings were held prisoner.

2 Ogle the Crown Jewels

St Edward’s Crown is one of the highlights of the Crown Jewels. Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

A moving walkway takes visitors past the glitziest attractions in the Tower of London, showing off the St Edward’s Crown used solely for royal coronations and the Koh-I-Noor diamond set inside the crown of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.

Highlights to drop jaws elsewhere in the Jewel House include the dazzlingly golden Imperial Mantle, the Cullinan I diamond inside the Sovereign Sceptre and a ludicrously huge golden punchbowl that can hold 240 bottles of wine.

3 Hang out with a Yeoman Warder

A Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London wearing a new uniform featuring HM King Charles III’s royal cypher.

With their elaborate red coats and absurdly large furry black hats, the Beefeaters are an internationally renowned symbol of the Tower. But they’re officially the Yeoman Warders, and the red coats are only for formal occasions – the ones you’ll see are in the less fancy “undress” blue uniform.

There are 32 Yeoman Warders, all with distinguished military careers behind them, guarding the Tower. They also run regular, free guided tours, full of insight, jokes and the unexpected information that they live with their families inside the Tower.

4 Follow the money at the Mint

Explore an exhibition on 500 years of coinage history. Credit: Getty Images

Some of the Yeoman Warder accommodation is inside the former Royal Mint, where all the coins in the British Empire were made until 1810.

There’s also a surprisingly riveting exhibition inside, covering more than 500 years of coinage history. The Elizabeth I shilling on display isn’t especially fascinating, but the story behind it is. She ordered every coin in the country to be melted down and remade in the Tower after purity had been reduced under her father, Henry VIII.

The same happened in the Great Recoinage of 1696, under the guidance of Sir Isaac Newton – Master of Mint for 28 years.

5 Meet the ravens

The ravens at the Tower of London, with Royal Guards in the background.Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

Aside from the Beefeaters, the most famous residents of the Tower of London are the ravens. Legend has it that if the ravens ever leave, the White Tower will crumble and the kingdom will fall.

Therefore, the Tower’s Ravenmaster painlessly clips the birds’ wings on one side, unbalancing them if they try to fly.

They strut about instead, often on Tower Green near the Bloody Tower. One of them likes to lie on its back and play dead if it feels it isn’t getting enough attention.

6 Hunt down the wireframe Menagerie

Real polar bears used to reside at the Tower.

Historically, the ravens aren’t the only animals at the Tower. From the 1200s to 1835 when London Zoo opened, the Royal Menagerie lived here. This often ludicrous collection of wildlife was partly made up of gifts from foreign kings – including a polar bear that was allowed to swim in the River Thames at the end of its rope.

These days, the Menagerie is represented by artist Kendra Haste’s series of striking, life-sized wireframe sculptures. Look out for the polar bear next to the Wakefield Tower and the elephant by the Queen Elizabeth II Arch.

7 Make your mind up in the Bloody Tower

Sir Walter Raleigh’s study downstairs in the Bloody Tower.

Did Richard III kill his nephews to seize the English throne? The Bloody Tower – where they stayed before the two princes disappeared – puts both sides of the debate forward via video projection on the walls.

The Bloody Tower was also potato-introducing explorer Sir Walter Raleigh’s rather generous prison for 13 years. His spacious study is on the ground floor, and his garden – where he tested medicinal plants – has been recreated outside.