A FAQ (Frequent Asked Questions) is a list of frequently asked questions with their answers. The FAQ below concerns, of course, the Tower of London.
Questions about its architecture
The Tower of London is, as the name suggests, in the heart of the London capital. It is on the north bank of the Thames, right next to the Tower Bridge, opposite the London City Hall. Geographically, the Tower of London occupies a good piece of downtown, on the east side of London.
Learn more: Location of the tower of London
The Tower of London is relatively large. More than a single tower, it is actually a fortress of 240m long by 210 wide, except the moats and fortifications of the entrance, which advances towards the West. The whole has a pentagonal, irregular plane, and its south side runs along the Thames. The tower of the fortifications is 710m, if you could walk along them. But the moat is forbidden, so it is necessary to go around the sidewalks of the city.
Learn more: Dimensions of the tower of London
The plan of the Tower of London is simpler than it seems. Centered on the white tower (the keep), a first rampart has numerous towers that have a role of both defense and habitat. A second enclosure, posterior, traces a street which circles the fortress. The inner courtyard is also home to the Waterloo Barracks, which contains the jewels of the crown, as well as various buildings including the fusilliers headquarters and its museum.
Learn more: Map of the tower of London
Questions about the visit
The Tower of London closes rather early compared to the French monuments, but it is normal, the rhythm of life of the English makes that the day ends relatively early. The Tower of London is open from 9 am to 5.30 pm from Tuesday to Saturday, and from 10 am to 5.30 pm on Sundays and Mondays.
Learn more: Visit the tower of London.
There are several tariffs that depend, as is often the case, on the age of the ticket holder and the way he takes it. But be careful, the normal price is already quite high, but you have extra costs if you take your ticket at the ticket office or if you call on the phone. You should therefore, at best, take it on the Internet. There is also the possibility to take the London Pass, a pre-paid card that gives you access to London's main landmarks, as well as becoming a member of the royal palaces, at a price that is quite low compared to the normal price.
For an adult, the standard price is £ 21.50 for an adult ticket and £ 9.70 for a child. The access conditions and other rates (groups, families, disabled) are on the link below.
Learn more: Visit the tower of London.
The Tower of London is very large, with nothing to look at, but you only notice it when you are there. So, plan more time than you originally thought. Below 2h of visit it seems very short for a visit, nothing but the white tower deserves its 2h to itself. Then you have to go for a walk in the inner courtyard, another one between the two ramparts, see the chapel, the fusilliers quarter and its museum, the circular walkway and its suite of towers, with explanatory panels, games for children, etc. To do all this, plan well half a day. The ideal is to be able to return another day to do the different courses at a calm pace, so it may be interesting to become a member of the royal palaces, to pay only once. But it will depend on the composition of your family, if you come with your family.
Learn more: Visit the tower of London.
Questions about its history
The Tower of London was built between 1066 and 1074 by William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy who conquered the South of England and thus became king of this territory. It was part of a wave of construction that saw the appearance of a very large number of fortresses across the country. Medievalists consider this period and this region to be the most prolific in terms of building medieval fortifications, even if we consider medieval Europe as a whole.
Learn more: History of the tower of London
The goal was clear: After conquering England, William the Conqueror imposed himself by force on the barons of his new territory. The population hated it, just as it detested all the Normans who came to take possession of their territories by force. William chose to build fortresses in the main cities to assert his authority and impress the crowd. In London, the largest city in England and the seat of Saxon power, it was normal to see the largest of the fortresses implanted. It is the famous white tower which is the center of the Tower of London.
Learn more: History of the tower of London
William the Conqueror was an illegitimate son of the Duke of Normandy and a maidservant, Herleve. He was born in 1028 and, on the death of his father, manages to unite all the Normandy which was then under the control of the barons. Its power obtained, it armed a fleet and by the conquest of England, a land that claims automatically of a contested succession. Winner of the battle of Hastings in 1066 against the Saxons, he no longer had any opposition and took power over all the South of England, before he managed to take the North years later. He is the founder of a British royal dynasty.
Learn more : Biographie ofWilliam the Conqueror
