The Tower of London located on the north bank of the River Thames in central London is a top 10 London tourist attraction. Visitors are mainly drawn to the Tower of London to see the spectacular display of The Crown Jewels, part of the Royal Collection and still regularly used by His Majesty The King Charles III and Her Majesty The Queen Camilla. They also get the opportunity to explore first-hand this UNESCO World Heritage Site that has been a fortress, palace, and prison. Below are ten top facts about the Tower of London near to Tower Bridge another top 10 London tourist attraction both of which can be explored with a knowledgeable Blue Badge Tourist Guide.

View of the Tower of London and Tower Bridge from Horizon 22. Photo Credit: © Ursula Petula Barzey.

1. Using its full title: His Majesty’s Palace and Fortress, the Tower of London is a highly fortified castle that is nearly 1000 years old. The Tower itself is the tall central fortified keep, which is known as the White Tower. At 90 feet tall, it was considered a skyscraper when it was built. Londoners were in awe of this oppressive tower rising above them, which is just what William the Conqueror intended when he built it.

2. At 50 metres wide, the moat was intended to keep intruders out; however, the moat became so stagnant and disease-ridden that the troopers inside the Tower were more at risk of dying from infection than from any attacker. In the 1800s, the Duke of Wellington had it drained, and it has remained a dry moat since then.

View of the Moat at the Tower of London. Photo Credit: © Ursula Petula Barzey.

3. Because the Tower of London is also a Royal Palace, gun salutes are fired from its riverside wharf on important occasions. For example, a 62-gun salute was fired on 6 May 2023 to mark the Coronation of King Charles III. Similar salutes are held for the King’s official birthday and Accession Day each year.

4. The Tower of London houses an extensive display of royal armour including several sets worn by Henry VIII. Some of the armour is beautifully decorated with gold leaf, making it a wonderful mix of engineering and art. The armour cost the equivalent of a private jet in today’s money and weighs about the same as all the kit worn by a modern combat soldier.

Royal Armouries at the Tower of London. Photo Credit: © Ursula Petula Barzey.

5. Starting with King Hakon of Norway in the 1200s, it became customary for visiting dignitaries to bring animals as gifts to the monarch. King Hakon’s present of a polar bear led to the Tower of London becoming a public menagerie until the animals started to bite visitors and were moved to proper enclosures that went on to become London Zoo in Regent’s Park.

6. A highlight of the Tower of London is a visit to the sumptuous Crown Jewels. The oldest item is a spoon dating back to the 1100s. It is used during coronations to anoint the monarch with holy oil. At this very spiritual moment, the monarch becomes a member of the clergy and head of the Church of England.

Entrance to the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London. Photo Credit: © Ursula Petula Barzey.

7. From the 1200s onwards the Tower of London was used as a prison to house important prisoners. Not knowing how long they would have to spend there some of them passed the time by carving intricate coats of arms into the walls of their prison buildings – particularly fine examples can be seen in the Beauchamp Tower.

8. The famous Yeoman Warders popularly referred today as ‘Beefeaters’ were formed in the 1400s as a personal bodyguard to Henry VII who feared assassination. Their name comes from their role as food tasters to the King when they ate his beef to ensure it wasn’t poisoned. They still carry out an important role in securing the Tower every night at 9.53 pm precisely at the Ceremony of the Keys – a ceremony which you can attend by applying to the Tower of London.

Tower of London: White Tower and Yeoman “Beefeater” Warder Shedden. Photo credit: © Historic Royal Palaces.

9. The Tower of London is a very secure fortress using cutting edge designs from the most secure castles across the world. One of the turrets called the Bell Tower merges two different designs – starting with an octagonal tower rising to a highly secure circular style tower. It’s called the Bell Tower because of the curfew bell housing on the top. Walking the battlement walls of the Tower of London will give you a good understanding of what it was like to defend such an impressive fortress.

10. It is said that if the legendary Ravens of the Tower of London leave then the monarchy will fall and the Tower itself will crumble. Each Tower of London raven is cared for by the Ravenmaster who is a Beefeater. You can identify the Ravenmaster by the Raven emblem on the sleeve of his spectacular red and blue uniform. The ravens are generally free to roam around the Tower of London and visitors often get to see them very close to, which makes for a great photo opportunity (do take care as they have been known to peck visitors).

Raven at the Tower of London. Photo Credit: © Ursula Petula Barzey

Bonus Fact: The Tower of London’s 2025 Poppies Display

In 2025, nearly 30,000 ceramic poppies return to the Tower of London to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, forming a striking “wound” across the lawn in front of the White Tower. Created by artists Tom Piper and Paul Cummins, this powerful installation honours the sacrifices of the Second World War and invites visitors to reflect on the Tower’s wartime history. The display runs from May to November and can be seen both inside the Tower and from outside its walls.

The Tower Remembers. Photo Credit: © Ursula Petula Barzey.

The Tower Remembers. Photo Credit: © Ursula Petula Barzey.

The Tower Remembers. Photo Credit: © Ursula Petula Barzey.