Tower of London

The Tower of London, a thousand-year-old fortress

The London audio-guided tour takes you to the Tower of London, an impressive fortress that has watched over the Thames for nearly a thousand years. By turns palace, prison and royal treasury, it is one of the most history-laden monuments of England.

The work of William the Conqueror

It is to William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, that the construction of this fortress in the eleventh century is owed, after his conquest of England. First built of wood in the form of a simple keep, it was rebuilt in stone at the end of the eleventh century: this stone keep, with four towers, still occupies the centre of the ensemble, which expanded over the centuries with new walls and new towers.

What there is to see

The Tower of London houses the Crown Jewels, guarded by the famous Yeoman Warders, and the ravens whose legend has it that they protect the kingdom. Its past as a prison is also evoked, where high figures of English history were imprisoned and sometimes executed, a dark page recalled with gravity. A World Heritage Site, it is an essential visit.

Practical information

The Tower of London stands by the Thames, near Tower Bridge, in London. The visit follows its own schedule, with a charge, whose opening times may vary with the season. It is advisable to allow several hours to discover the whole site.

Who built the Tower of London?

William the Conqueror, in the eleventh century, after his conquest of England; the central stone keep dates from the end of that century.

What can you see at the Tower of London?

The Crown Jewels, the Yeoman Warders, the legendary ravens and the vestiges of its past as a fortress and prison.