Tower of London is perhaps the most important sight in London. There is plenty to see, such as the moat, the White House in the middle, and the Crown Jewels. Despite its name, the Tower of London is neither a tower nor a single building. It consists of a number of separate buildings, which are surrounded by walls and a moat.
The White Tower was the first building of the castle, and was constructed almost thousand years ago. It was built by William I, a Norman who conquered England and became known with his nickname “the conqueror”. The White Tower served as the royal palace for hundreds of years. Besides being the royal dwelling, it was also the last line of defense in the Tower of London. Read more…
The Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom may be the world’s most valuable collection of precious stones. Those include 9 diamonds cut and polished from the world’s largest unpolished diamond “Star of Africa” as well as the famous Indian Koh-i-Noor diamond. Read more…
Ravens have lived in the Tower of London for centuries. At one time, King Charles II (1630-85) ordered them to be killed. However, he was warned that should the ravens leave the castle, the White Tower and the English kingdom will fall. Since he was superstitious, he ordered that there should always be six ravens in the Tower. And so there have been since those days. Read more…
Tower of London is the gem of the city, and has been for more than a millennium now. It may not be nowhere as grand as the Versailles of France, but I regard it a beautiful example of days gone by. It has a fascinating history, largely “thanks to” king Henry XII. I had read and heard a lot about the famous ghosts that are rumored to wander around the castle area, but had never read about the ravens’ importance as symbolic birds that must be present at the castle grounds.