Tower of London: History, Executions, Prisoners, Ghosts, Secrets & Unsolved Mysteries
For nearly a thousand years, the Tower of London has stood beside the River Thames, watching England transform around it.
Kings have lived within its walls. Queens have been imprisoned there. Traitors have waited for execution in its stone chambers. Crown jewels have been guarded there, exotic animals have prowled its grounds, prisoners have scratched desperate messages into its walls, and two young princes entered the fortress more than 500 years ago and seemingly never came out.
Few places in the world contain so many layers of history in one relatively small area.
Despite its name, the Tower of London is not a single tower. It is an enormous fortified complex containing towers, walls, courtyards, royal apartments, a chapel and other buildings constructed and altered over hundreds of years.
Today, it is one of Britain's most famous historic landmarks and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Yet behind the crowds, ceremonial guards and glittering Crown Jewels is a much darker story.
The Tower has been a fortress, royal palace, prison, execution site, treasury, armory, mint, record office and even a royal zoo.
It has also become the setting for some of Britain's greatest mysteries.
What happened to the Princes in the Tower?
Does Anne Boleyn's ghost really walk near the place where she was executed?
Why must ravens always remain inside the fortress?
And how did a man once come astonishingly close to stealing the Crown Jewels?
The story begins almost 1,000 years ago with a conqueror who needed to make sure London understood exactly who was in charge.
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Why Was the Tower of London Built?
The origins of the Tower of London can be traced to the Norman conquest of England.
After defeating King Harold II at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William the Conqueror became King of England.
But winning a battle was one thing.
Controlling a conquered population was another.
London was enormously important, and William needed a fortress that could both protect the city and intimidate anyone considering rebellion.
A fortification was established near the River Thames, and construction of the enormous stone keep now known as the White Tower began during William's reign.
Its location was carefully chosen.
From beside the Thames, the fortress could control access to London by river while simultaneously looming over the city itself.
The message was difficult to miss.
The Normans were here to stay.
The White Tower
The White Tower became the enormous stone heart of the fortress.
Even today, surrounded by modern London skyscrapers, it remains imposing. In medieval London, where most buildings were considerably smaller, its effect must have been extraordinary.
The building was both defensive and royal.
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| St John’s Chapel inside the White Tower, one of the finest surviving examples of Norman Romanesque architecture at the Tower of London. |
Thick stone walls protected its occupants, while impressive interior spaces demonstrated the wealth and authority of the monarchy.
The Tower continued to expand under later kings, particularly Henry III and Edward I.
Additional walls, towers, defensive structures and royal apartments gradually transformed William's original fortress into the complex visitors recognize today.
Eventually, the Tower contained two rings of defensive walls and a moat.
But the fortress was never simply a military installation.
It became one of the most important centers of royal power in England.
The Tower Was Once a Royal Palace
The Tower of London's reputation is so closely associated with prisoners and executions that it is easy to forget that kings and queens actually lived there.
Medieval monarchs used the Tower as a royal residence.
There were apartments, halls, chapels and private rooms designed for members of the royal family and their households.
Its combination of luxury and security made it particularly useful during periods of political instability.
There was also an important tradition connected with coronations.
For centuries, monarchs stayed at the Tower before traveling through London toward Westminster for their coronation.
The same walls that welcomed kings and queens in triumph would eventually imprison some of England's most famous royal figures.
That contrast is part of what makes the Tower so fascinating.
A royal apartment could become a prison.
A fortress designed to protect a monarch could become the place where another monarch ordered someone to die.
How the Tower of London Became a Prison
The Tower was not originally constructed as a prison.
Nevertheless, prisoners began appearing there surprisingly early.
The first known prisoner was Ranulf Flambard, Bishop of Durham, who was imprisoned in 1100.
He also became the Tower's first recorded escapee.
According to accounts of his escape, Flambard received a rope concealed inside a container of wine. After getting his guards drunk, he used the rope to climb down from the Tower and escaped.
It was an appropriate beginning to what would become centuries of imprisonment, plots, betrayals and escape attempts.
Over time, the Tower became especially associated with high-status prisoners.
These were not necessarily ordinary criminals.
They were often nobles, politicians, religious figures, members of the royal family and people accused of threatening the monarch.
Being "sent to the Tower" eventually became one of the most frightening possibilities in English political life.
Famous Prisoners of the Tower of London
The list of people imprisoned at the Tower reads like a collection of some of the most famous names in British history.
Sir Thomas More was imprisoned after refusing to accept Henry VIII as supreme head of the Church of England.
Thomas Cromwell, once one of Henry VIII's most powerful advisers, experienced an equally dramatic reversal of fortune. After helping transform the king's government and facilitating Henry's political ambitions, Cromwell himself fell from favor.
He was imprisoned in the Tower and executed in 1540.
Sir Walter Raleigh spent years imprisoned there during the reign of James I. His confinement was considerably more comfortable than that experienced by many prisoners, and during his long imprisonment he was able to write and study.
Guy Fawkes was taken to the Tower following the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605.
But perhaps the Tower's most famous prisoners were those with royal blood.
And among them, few stories are more haunting than that of two young brothers.
The Princes in the Tower
One of Britain's greatest unsolved historical mysteries began in 1483.
King Edward IV died unexpectedly, leaving his 12-year-old son Edward as heir to the throne.
The boy should have become King Edward V.
His uncle Richard, Duke of Gloucester, was appointed Lord Protector.
Edward was brought to the Tower of London, which was not necessarily suspicious at the time. Kings traditionally stayed at the Tower before their coronations.
Edward's younger brother, Richard, Duke of York, eventually joined him.
Then something extraordinary happened.
The coronation never took place.
The Princes Disappear
Questions were raised about the legitimacy of Edward IV's marriage, and the children were declared illegitimate.
Their uncle took the throne as Richard III.
Meanwhile, the two boys were seen less and less frequently.
Then they disappeared entirely.
No confirmed account establishes what happened to them.
The obvious suspicion was murder.
But who ordered it?
Did Richard III Murder the Princes?
Richard III has traditionally been accused of arranging the deaths of his nephews.
The motive appears obvious.
As long as Edward V remained alive, Richard's claim to the throne could be challenged.
Removing both brothers would eliminate two extremely dangerous rivals.
But there is no surviving document proving Richard ordered their murders.
Other suspects have been proposed.
One is Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, who initially supported Richard III before later rebelling against him.
Another possibility sometimes discussed is Henry Tudor, who defeated Richard at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 and became Henry VII.
The problem is that nobody can even say with certainty when the boys died.
The Bones Beneath the Staircase
The mystery became even stranger nearly 200 years later.
In 1674, workmen renovating the White Tower reportedly discovered the bones of two children beneath a staircase.
Because of the location and apparent ages of the remains, they were believed to belong to Edward and Richard.
King Charles II ordered the bones placed in an urn in Westminster Abbey.
They were examined in 1933, but the examination could not conclusively identify them.
Without definitive identification, the mystery remains unresolved.
More than five centuries after the princes disappeared, historians still debate what happened inside the Tower.
Anne Boleyn and the Tower of London
No figure is more closely associated with the Tower's dark history than Anne Boleyn.
Her rise had been extraordinary.
Henry VIII's determination to marry Anne helped trigger England's break with the Roman Catholic Church.
She became Queen of England in 1533 and gave birth to the future Elizabeth I.
Only three years later, she was a prisoner.
Anne was accused of adultery with several men, incest with her brother George Boleyn and plotting the king's death.
Modern historians have long questioned the accusations and the evidence used against her.
What is certain is that Henry wanted the marriage ended.
Anne was taken to the Tower in May 1536.
In a cruel twist, she was reportedly housed in the same general royal complex where she had stayed around the time of her coronation.
Now she was awaiting trial for treason.
The Execution of Anne Boleyn
Anne was convicted and sentenced to death.
Instead of using a traditional English executioner with an axe, Henry arranged for an expert swordsman from Calais.
On the morning of May 19, 1536, Anne walked to a scaffold erected on Tower Green.
She addressed those watching, prayed and prepared for death.
The executioner concealed his sword before striking, apparently so Anne would not know the exact moment the blow was coming.
One stroke killed her.
Anne was buried in the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula within the Tower.
But according to one of the Tower's most enduring legends, she never completely left.
The Ghost of Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn's ghost has allegedly been seen at the Tower for centuries.
She is most commonly associated with Tower Green and the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula.
Some stories describe a woman in Tudor clothing.
Others are considerably more disturbing.
In certain versions of the legend, Anne appears without her head.
There are even stories of guards encountering unexplained figures around the Tower at night.
There is no evidence, of course, that Anne Boleyn's ghost actually wanders the fortress.
But the legend has become inseparable from the Tower's identity.
And Anne is far from its only alleged supernatural resident.
The Ghosts of the Tower of London
With centuries of imprisonment, violence and death associated with the Tower, it is unsurprising that ghost stories surround the site.
The alleged spirits include former prisoners, executed queens, mysterious children and even an animal.
The Ghosts of the Princes
The Princes in the Tower are sometimes said to appear as two frightened young boys.
According to the legend, the children have been seen wearing old-fashioned clothing and standing silently inside the fortress.
The story is particularly eerie because their actual fate remains unknown.
Arbella Stuart
Lady Arbella Stuart had royal blood and was once considered a possible successor to Elizabeth I.
Her decision to marry William Seymour without royal permission led to disaster.
She was imprisoned and eventually died in the Tower in 1615 after becoming seriously ill and refusing food.
Her ghost is said to haunt the Queen's House.
The Phantom Bear
One of the strangest Tower ghost stories does not involve a human being at all.
A story told at the Tower describes a guard encountering the apparition of an enormous bear.
The terrified man allegedly attempted to stab it with his bayonet.
The weapon passed straight through the animal.
The story becomes even darker in versions claiming the guard died shortly afterward.
A ghostly bear may sound bizarre.
But there is a surprisingly logical reason a bear became associated with the Tower.
Real bears once lived there.
The Tower of London Had a Zoo
One of the strangest chapters in the Tower's history is also completely real.
For centuries, the Tower contained a royal collection of exotic animals known as the Royal Menagerie.
Animals were frequently presented to monarchs as diplomatic gifts.
In 1235, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II gave Henry III three animals described as leopards, although they were probably lions.
Then came something even more extraordinary.
The Polar Bear That Fished in the Thames
In 1252, the King of Norway gave Henry III a "white bear," generally believed to have been a polar bear.
Keeping a polar bear in medieval London presented obvious difficulties.
Yet the solution was remarkable.
The bear was reportedly allowed to enter the River Thames while attached to a strong rope or chain so it could swim and catch fish.
Imagine standing beside the Thames in the 13th century and watching a polar bear swimming through the water beneath the walls of the Tower of London.
The Tower's Elephant
Another spectacular royal gift arrived a few years later.
The King of France gave Henry III an elephant.
For medieval Londoners who had never encountered such an animal, the sight must have been astonishing.
A special elephant house was constructed at the Tower.
Unfortunately, many animals in the menagerie suffered because their keepers had little understanding of their needs.
The elephant survived only a few years.
The menagerie continued for centuries before finally closing in the 19th century.
Many of its remaining animals were transferred to the Zoological Gardens in Regent's Park, now London Zoo.
Today, wire animal sculptures around the Tower commemorate this strange chapter of its history.
Torture at the Tower of London
Popular culture often portrays the Tower as a giant medieval torture chamber.
The reality is more complicated.
Torture did occur there, particularly during periods of intense political and religious conflict, but it was not the everyday fate of every prisoner.
Nevertheless, several infamous torture devices became associated with the Tower.
The Rack
The rack stretched a prisoner's body by pulling the arms and legs in opposite directions.
The pain could become unbearable and could cause serious injuries.
Guy Fawkes was interrogated and tortured after the Gunpowder Plot, although the exact details of what was done to him remain debated.
The Scavenger's Daughter
Another device worked in essentially the opposite way.
Rather than stretching the body, it compressed it.
The prisoner was forced into a crouched position and squeezed inside an iron frame.
Despite the Tower's terrifying reputation, torture in England required authorization and was considerably less common than later stories sometimes suggest.
The fear of torture, however, could be almost as useful as torture itself.
Executions at the Tower of London
Another common misconception is that enormous numbers of people were executed inside the Tower.
In reality, most prisoners condemned to death were taken outside the fortress to nearby Tower Hill, where public executions could attract enormous crowds.
Execution within the Tower itself was generally a privilege reserved for people of extremely high rank, allowing them to avoid the humiliation of dying before thousands of spectators.
Tower Green became the setting for several of the most famous executions in English history.
Anne Boleyn was executed there in 1536.
Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, was executed in 1541.
Catherine Howard, Henry VIII's fifth wife, was executed in 1542.
Lady Jane Grey followed in 1554.
Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, was executed there in 1601.
Their stories helped transform the Tower from a symbol of royal protection into something much more sinister.
The Tragic Execution of Lady Jane Grey
Lady Jane Grey is sometimes remembered as the "Nine Days' Queen."
After the death of the young Protestant king Edward VI in 1553, Jane was placed on the throne in an attempt to prevent Edward's Catholic half-sister Mary from becoming queen.
The plan collapsed almost immediately.
Mary gathered widespread support and was proclaimed queen.
Jane was imprisoned in the Tower.
For a time, it appeared she might survive.
But following another rebellion against Mary, Jane became too dangerous politically to leave alive.
She was executed on Tower Green on February 12, 1554.
She was still only a teenager.
One of the most famous stories surrounding her execution describes Jane being blindfolded and then struggling to locate the execution block.
"Where is it?" she reportedly asked.
Someone guided her hands toward it.
Moments later, she was beheaded.
Prisoner Graffiti Hidden in the Tower
Some of the Tower's most moving historical evidence is not contained in royal documents.
It is carved directly into the walls.
Prisoners scratched names, dates, religious symbols, coats of arms and messages into the stone during their confinement.
Many carvings can still be seen in places such as the Beauchamp Tower.
They transform prisoners who died centuries ago from names in history books into real people.
Some spent hours or days creating elaborate designs.
Others carved simple names.
They could not know that visitors would still be reading those marks hundreds of years later.
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| Historic illustration of the Dudley carving in Beauchamp Tower, one of the remarkable inscriptions left by prisoners held at the Tower of London. |
The Mysterious Astrological Carving
Among the Tower's more unusual pieces of graffiti is an elaborate astrological carving associated with Hugh Draper.
Draper, a 16th-century prisoner accused of practicing sorcery, carved a complicated astronomical or astrological diagram into the wall of the Salt Tower.
The intricate design contains zodiac symbols and mathematical elements.
It is one of the Tower's strangest surviving prisoner carvings and a fascinating reminder of an age when astrology, astronomy, magic and religion could overlap in ways that seem unusual today.
The Crown Jewels
The Tower's most valuable residents are not prisoners.
They are the Crown Jewels.
The collection includes some of the most important ceremonial objects associated with the British monarchy, including crowns, sceptres, swords and other regalia.
Many of the medieval Crown Jewels were destroyed after the English Civil War and the execution of Charles I.
When the monarchy was restored under Charles II, a new collection of coronation regalia was created for his coronation in 1661.
The Crown Jewels have been displayed at the Tower since the 17th century.
Among the most famous objects is St Edward's Crown, traditionally used during the coronation ceremony.
Another is the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross, containing Cullinan I, the enormous diamond also known as the Great Star of Africa.
Given their extraordinary value, stealing the Crown Jewels would seem almost impossible.
One man very nearly succeeded.
The Man Who Tried to Steal the Crown Jewels
In 1671, Colonel Thomas Blood launched one of the most audacious robbery attempts in British history.
Blood befriended the elderly keeper responsible for showing visitors the Crown Jewels.
After gaining his trust, Blood returned with accomplices.
They attacked the keeper and attempted to steal the regalia.
The thieves were surprisingly practical.
The crown was flattened so it could be concealed.
The sceptre was reportedly being cut into pieces.
The orb was stuffed into clothing.
But the robbery fell apart before the men could escape.
Blood was captured.
Attempting to steal the Crown Jewels would seem like an excellent way to guarantee a particularly unpleasant execution.
Instead, something bizarre happened.
King Charles II pardoned him.
Blood was even granted land in Ireland.
Exactly why the king treated him so generously has never been completely explained.
The strange outcome has fueled speculation that there was more to the robbery than the surviving story reveals.
Traitors' Gate
Few names associated with the Tower are as ominous as Traitors' Gate.
The water entrance was originally constructed as part of the medieval royal palace and was not initially designed specifically for prisoners.
Later tradition associated it with important captives supposedly arriving at the Tower by boat.
Anne Boleyn, Sir Thomas More and Princess Elizabeth are all commonly connected with stories of entering through Traitors' Gate, although some popular versions are historically uncertain.
Princess Elizabeth, for example, is known to have entered the Tower by another route despite the enduring legend.
The gate nevertheless became a powerful symbol.
For a prisoner approaching the Tower from the Thames, seeing the fortress walls rise above the river must have been terrifying.
The Ravens and the Fall of the Kingdom
Among the Tower's most famous legends is the prophecy of the ravens.
According to tradition, if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London, the fortress will fall and the kingdom with it.
Because apparently nobody wants to test this theory, ravens continue to live at the Tower.
They are cared for by a Yeoman Warder known as the Ravenmaster.
The birds have names, individual personalities and carefully managed diets.
The legend is often associated with King Charles II, who is said to have insisted that ravens remain at the Tower despite complaints that they interfered with astronomical observations.
However, historians have questioned how ancient the familiar version of the raven legend actually is.
Like many great legends, its supposed antiquity may be part of the mythology.
Still, the ravens have become one of the most recognizable symbols of the Tower.
And the kingdom remains standing.
So perhaps keeping them around isn't such a bad idea.
Who Are the Beefeaters?
The ceremonial guardians visitors see around the Tower are officially called Yeoman Warders.
Their origins stretch back to the Tudor period.
Today, they serve as guardians, guides and representatives of centuries of Tower tradition.
The nickname "Beefeater" has been used for centuries, although its exact origin remains uncertain.
One popular explanation suggests that royal guards were allowed generous portions of beef from the monarch's table.
Whether or not that is the complete explanation, the nickname endured.
Yeoman Warders and their families actually live within the Tower complex.
That means the Tower is not simply an abandoned medieval fortress preserved for tourists.
It remains a living community.
The Ceremony of the Keys
Every night, after visitors have left, one of Britain's oldest surviving ceremonial traditions takes place.
The Ceremony of the Keys is the formal locking of the Tower.
A Yeoman Warder carries the keys while escorted by guards.
During the ceremony, a sentry challenges the approaching group.
"Halt! Who comes there?"
"The Keys."
"Whose keys?"
"King Charles's keys."
The exchange is ceremonial today, but its purpose was once extremely practical.
The Tower contained royal treasure, weapons, prisoners and sometimes the monarch.
Locking it securely was a matter of national security.
The ceremony has continued for centuries, surviving wars, political upheaval and enormous changes to the city surrounding it.
The Tower During the World Wars
The Tower's story did not end with Tudor executions.
It returned to a darker role during the 20th century.
During both World Wars, the Tower was used to imprison people accused of espionage.
Several spies were executed by firing squad within the fortress.
One of the most infamous prisoners associated with the Tower during the Second World War was Rudolf Hess, Adolf Hitler's deputy.
After Hess made his extraordinary solo flight to Scotland in 1941, he was briefly imprisoned at the Tower.
The fortress that had once held Tudor queens was now holding one of Nazi Germany's highest-ranking figures.
Was Anyone Really Executed on Tower Green?
Yes, although far fewer people died there than popular imagination might suggest.
The overwhelming majority of executions associated with the Tower occurred outside its walls.
Tower Green executions were exceptional.
They were generally reserved for prisoners whose rank made a public execution politically awkward or particularly humiliating.
This helps explain why the names associated with Tower Green are so famous.
They include queens, nobles and people connected directly to the royal court.
The location is quiet today.
That peaceful appearance makes its history even more unsettling.
The Chapel Where Executed Prisoners Were Buried
Beside Tower Green stands the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula.
Its name translates roughly as "St Peter in Chains."
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| Artistic reconstruction of the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula at the Tower of London, the final resting place of Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, Lady Jane Grey, and other notable prisoners. |
Beneath its floor lie the remains of some of the Tower's most famous dead.
Anne Boleyn was buried there.
So was Catherine Howard.
Lady Jane Grey was buried there as well.
Other executed nobles and prisoners were interred within the chapel.
During restoration work in the 19th century, remains believed to belong to several famous Tower victims were examined and reburied.
Today, memorial markers identify some of those buried beneath the chapel floor.
It is one of the most historically significant and quietly haunting places within the entire fortress.
How Many People Died at the Tower of London?
The Tower's reputation can make it seem as though thousands of prisoners were killed inside its walls.
That is not accurate.
Historic Royal Palaces estimates that at least 150 people were executed in and around the Tower over the centuries.
Only a small number were executed within the fortress itself.
Many others died nearby on Tower Hill.
Still others died naturally while imprisoned.
The Tower's terrifying reputation came not from enormous numbers of executions but from the importance of the people held there.
A queen could enter the Tower and never leave alive.
A powerful government minister could fall from favor and suddenly occupy the same prison where he had helped place others.
Power inside the Tudor court could disappear frighteningly quickly.
The Tower's Greatest Unsolved Mysteries
Despite almost a millennium of records, several questions about the Tower remain unanswered.
The fate of the Princes in the Tower remains the greatest.
Nobody has conclusively established when they died, where they died, who killed them or even whether the bones discovered in 1674 are theirs.
The exact reasons Charles II pardoned Thomas Blood after the Crown Jewels robbery remain intriguing.
Some famous stories about prisoners entering through Traitors' Gate cannot be verified.
The history of the raven prophecy is less straightforward than its supposedly ancient origins suggest.
And the Tower's many ghost stories exist in the strange territory between folklore, tourism and centuries of genuine tragedy.
That uncertainty is part of the Tower's appeal.
Not every question has been answered.
Strange Facts About the Tower of London
The Tower contains enough unusual history to fill entire books.
It was once home to lions, monkeys, an elephant and a polar bear.
A polar bear was allowed to fish in the Thames.
A man tried to steal the Crown Jewels, was caught and then pardoned.
Two royal children disappeared there and their fate remains unknown more than 500 years later.
Prisoners carved messages into walls that can still be seen today.
Three queens of England were executed within the Tower complex during the 16th century: Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard and Lady Jane Grey.
The future Elizabeth I was imprisoned there before eventually returning as queen.
The Tower once housed the Royal Mint.
It has served as an armory and treasury.
Ravens live there because legend claims the kingdom will fall if they leave.
Yeoman Warders and their families still live inside the fortress.
And every night, the Tower is still ceremonially locked during the Ceremony of the Keys.
Is the Tower of London Really Haunted?
There is no scientific evidence that ghosts inhabit the Tower of London.
But few historical sites provide better conditions for ghost stories.
The Tower is nearly a thousand years old.
People were imprisoned there.
People were tortured there.
Queens were executed there.
Children disappeared there.
Prisoners spent their final nights inside its rooms and carved their names into its walls.
Generations of guards, residents and visitors have told stories about strange figures and unexplained experiences.
Anne Boleyn remains the Tower's most famous alleged ghost, but she shares the fortress with an entire collection of supernatural legends.
Whether those stories represent genuine paranormal encounters, folklore or centuries of imagination is impossible to prove.
Perhaps that is why they have survived.
The Tower of London Today
The Tower of London is no longer a feared political prison.
Today it is one of the world's most famous historic attractions and remains a powerful symbol of British history.
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| The Tower of London viewed from across the River Thames, with the White Tower rising above the fortress walls. |
Visitors can explore the White Tower, see historic armor, view centuries-old prisoner graffiti, walk through medieval defenses, encounter the Tower ravens and see the Crown Jewels.
But what makes the Tower extraordinary is not any single attraction.
It is the accumulation of stories.
Stand inside the fortress and almost every direction leads to another chapter of history.
One tower held prisoners.
Another contains graffiti carved by people who believed they might never leave.
A quiet patch of grass marks the location where queens were beheaded.
A chapel contains their remains.
The Thames flows beside the same fortress where a medieval polar bear was once taken to catch fish.
And somewhere within this maze of walls and towers, two boys vanished in 1483.
Why the Tower of London Still Fascinates Us
The Tower of London has survived for almost a thousand years because it continually changed with England itself.
William the Conqueror used it to demonstrate the power of a new dynasty.
Medieval kings transformed it into a palace and fortress.
Tudor monarchs used it to imprison political and religious enemies.
The Crown stored treasure there.
The Royal Mint produced coins there.
Exotic animals lived there.
Spies were imprisoned and executed there.
Tourists eventually arrived to see the places where these stories happened.
But beneath all of those different identities lies the same theme: power.
The Tower protected power.
It displayed power.
It imprisoned people who threatened power.
And sometimes it became the place where powerful people discovered just how quickly their fortunes could change.
Anne Boleyn entered the Tower as a queen during the celebrations surrounding her coronation.
Three years later, she returned as a prisoner and died there.
Elizabeth entered as a suspected traitor and later returned as Queen of England.
Thomas Cromwell wielded enormous influence under Henry VIII before finding himself imprisoned in the same fortress that represented the king's authority.
Edward V entered as a boy expecting to be crowned king.
He disappeared.
Those reversals are what make the Tower more than an old castle.
Its walls contain nearly a millennium of ambition, betrayal, fear, wealth, violence and mystery.
Some of its stories are documented in extraordinary detail.
Others have been transformed by centuries of legend.
And a few questions may never be answered.
What happened to the Princes in the Tower?
Why was Thomas Blood pardoned?
How many supposedly ancient Tower legends are actually much younger?
And what inspired generations of people to report seeing the same long-dead figures wandering through its rooms?
Perhaps the greatest secret of the Tower of London is simply how much of its past is still hiding in plain sight.
Names remain carved into the stone.
Executed queens lie beneath a chapel floor.
Ravens still patrol the grounds.
The Crown Jewels remain guarded within its walls.
And every evening, long after most visitors have disappeared into modern London, the ancient fortress is locked once again.
Nearly a thousand years after William the Conqueror ordered his great stronghold built beside the Thames, the Tower is still standing.
And its mysteries are still waiting.
Things to Do Near the Tower of London
The Tower of London sits in one of the best areas of the city for sightseeing. Tower Bridge, the River Thames, historic docks, museums, markets, and some of London's most recognizable views are all within walking distance.
If you are planning a visit to the Tower, it is easy to combine several nearby attractions into the same day.
Explore Tower Bridge
Location: Tower Bridge Road, London SE1 2UP, United Kingdom
Distance from the Tower of London: About 500 metres / approximately 7-10 minutes on foot
Just beyond the Tower stands Tower Bridge, one of London's most recognizable landmarks.
Visitors can do much more than simply walk across the bridge. The Tower Bridge attraction allows you to enter the towers, cross the high-level walkways, look through the famous glass floors, and explore the Victorian Engine Rooms that once helped power the bridge lifts.
For anyone interested in engineering, architecture, history, or photography, it is one of the easiest attractions to combine with a visit to the Tower.
Atmosphere: Iconic • Victorian • Historic • Scenic
Take a Thames River Cruise
Location: Tower Millennium Pier, Lower Thames Street, London EC3N 4DT, United Kingdom
Distance from the Tower of London: Approximately 2-5 minutes on foot
Seeing London from the River Thames provides an entirely different perspective on the city.
Sightseeing cruises from the Tower area travel along the Thames past some of London's most famous landmarks. Depending on the route, you may see Tower Bridge, Shakespeare's Globe, the London Eye, the Houses of Parliament, and other historic sights from the water.
This is particularly convenient after spending several hours walking around the Tower because you can continue sightseeing while giving your feet a rest.
Atmosphere: Scenic • Relaxing • Historic • Panoramic
Walk Through St Katharine Docks
Location: 50 St Katharine's Way, London E1W 1LA, United Kingdom
Distance from the Tower of London: About 500 metres / approximately 5-10 minutes on foot
Hidden immediately beside the Tower is St Katharine Docks, a historic dock complex that has been transformed into a marina filled with boats, waterfront restaurants, and pedestrian walkways.
The docks opened in 1828 and were designed by engineer Thomas Telford. Today, they offer a surprisingly peaceful contrast to the crowds surrounding the Tower and Tower Bridge.
It is a particularly nice place to wander after visiting the fortress, stop for a drink, or have dinner beside the water.
Atmosphere: Waterfront • Relaxed • Historic • Picturesque
Visit the Sky Garden
Location: 1 Sky Garden Walk, London EC3M 8AF, United Kingdom
Distance from the Tower of London: About 800 metres / approximately 10-12 minutes on foot
For a completely different perspective on London, head to the Sky Garden at the top of 20 Fenchurch Street.
The enormous glass-enclosed space combines landscaped gardens with observation areas overlooking London. From above, you can see the Thames and many of the city's most famous landmarks.
General public access is free, although timed tickets should normally be reserved in advance.
Atmosphere: Modern • Panoramic • Lush • Dramatic
Walk Along the Thames Path
Location: Along the River Thames beside the Tower of London and Tower Bridge
Distance from the Tower of London: Immediately outside the Tower
One of the simplest things to do after visiting the Tower is also one of the best: take a walk along the Thames.
Crossing Tower Bridge opens up a particularly scenic route along the South Bank, where you can continue toward HMS Belfast, London Bridge, Borough Market, Shakespeare's Globe, and Tate Modern.
The combination of medieval landmarks, Victorian engineering, and the modern London skyline makes this one of the most interesting stretches of the river.
Atmosphere: Scenic • Riverside • Historic • Free
Places to Visit Near the Tower of London
History lovers could easily spend an additional day exploring the area surrounding the Tower. Several important historic sites, unusual landmarks, and museums are within walking distance.
HMS Belfast
Location: The Queen's Walk, London SE1 2JH, United Kingdom
Distance from the Tower of London: About 1 km / approximately 15 minutes on foot
Moored permanently on the Thames, HMS Belfast is a former Royal Navy warship that has been transformed into a floating museum.
Visitors can explore nine decks, including living quarters, operational spaces, gun turrets, and machinery areas. The ship served during the Second World War and later conflicts and is now part of Imperial War Museums.
It is an especially good addition for anyone interested in military history after visiting the Tower's armouries and wartime exhibits.
Atmosphere: Military • Immersive • Historic • Maritime
St Dunstan in the East Church Garden
Location: St Dunstan's Hill, London EC3R 5DD, United Kingdom
Distance from the Tower of London: About 600 metres / approximately 8 minutes on foot
One of the most atmospheric hidden places near the Tower is St Dunstan in the East.
A church stood on the site from around 1100. It survived centuries of London history, was badly damaged during the Great Fire of London in 1666, and was devastated during the Blitz in 1941.
Rather than completely rebuilding the church, the ruins were eventually transformed into a public garden. Today, vines and greenery grow around surviving stone arches and Gothic windows, creating one of London's most unusual hidden spaces.
Atmosphere: Ruined • Peaceful • Gothic • Hidden
Borough Market
Location: 8 Southwark Street, London SE1 1TL, United Kingdom
Distance from the Tower of London: About 1.6 km / approximately 20-25 minutes on foot
Borough Market is one of London's most famous food markets and an excellent destination to combine with a walk along the Thames.
The market has a history stretching back around 1,000 years, although it has changed considerably over the centuries. Today, it contains produce merchants, specialty food shops, restaurants, bakeries, and an enormous variety of prepared-food stalls.
It makes an especially good lunch stop if you cross Tower Bridge and continue west along the river.
Atmosphere: Bustling • Historic • Foodie • Local
The Monument to the Great Fire of London
Location: Fish Street Hill, London EC3R 8AH, United Kingdom
Distance from the Tower of London: About 900 metres / approximately 12 minutes on foot
Another fascinating historical stop is the Monument to the Great Fire of London.
Designed by Sir Christopher Wren and Dr Robert Hooke, the towering stone column commemorates the catastrophic Great Fire of 1666, which destroyed thousands of buildings across London.
Its location makes it easy to connect the Tower's medieval and Tudor history with the story of how London changed dramatically during the 17th century.
Atmosphere: Historic • Architectural • Monumental • London
All Hallows by the Tower
Location: Byward Street, London EC3R 5BJ, United Kingdom
Distance from the Tower of London: About 200 metres / approximately 2-3 minutes on foot
Directly beside the Tower stands one of London's oldest churches.
All Hallows by the Tower was founded in AD 675, centuries before William the Conqueror began building the Tower of London. The church has survived an extraordinary amount of London history and contains Roman and Saxon remains beneath the building.
Its location makes it one of the easiest historical additions to a Tower visit.
Atmosphere: Ancient • Religious • Historic • Quiet
Places to Eat Near the Tower of London
The streets surrounding Tower Hill, Tower Bridge, and St Katharine Docks offer plenty of places to eat, ranging from traditional pub-style meals to Italian food and upscale riverside dining.
The Dickens Inn
Location: Marble Quay, St Katharine's Way, London E1W 1UH, United Kingdom
Distance from the Tower of London: About 600 metres / approximately 7-10 minutes on foot
The Dickens Inn is one of the most visually distinctive places to eat near the Tower.
The enormous timber-framed building sits inside St Katharine Docks and features three levels of flower-covered balconies overlooking the marina.
Its atmospheric setting makes it a particularly fitting choice if you want somewhere that feels very different from a modern chain restaurant after exploring the Tower.
Cuisine: British pub food • Pizza • Drinks
Atmosphere: Historic • Cosy • Waterfront • Traditional
Fatto a Mano Tower Bridge
Location: Unit 3, Tower Bridge House, St Katharine's Way, London E1W 1BA, United Kingdom
Distance from the Tower of London: About 500 metres / approximately 6-8 minutes on foot
Fatto a Mano Tower Bridge is a casual option specializing in Neapolitan-style pizza.
Its location near St Katharine Docks makes it an easy choice after visiting the Tower, particularly if you want something relaxed rather than a formal dinner.
It is also a useful family-friendly option for travelers exploring the area with children.
Cuisine: Neapolitan Pizza • Italian
Atmosphere: Casual • Waterfront • Lively • Relaxed
Cento Alla Torre
Location: 100 Minories, London EC3N 1JY, United Kingdom
Distance from the Tower of London: About 600 metres / approximately 8 minutes on foot
Cento Alla Torre offers Italian dining close to Tower Hill, with a menu featuring familiar Italian dishes including pasta and pizza.
Its convenient location makes it a good choice for a sit-down meal without travelling far after several hours of sightseeing around the Tower.
Cuisine: Italian • Pasta • Pizza
Atmosphere: Modern • Comfortable • Convenient • Stylish
Tower Mangal
Location: 55–57 Tower Bridge Road, London SE1 4TL, United Kingdom
Distance from the Tower of London: About 1.5 km / approximately 20 minutes on foot
For something different, Tower Mangal specializes in Turkish cuisine, including grilled meats, kebabs, and meze.
It is located south of Tower Bridge and is a good option if your sightseeing route takes you across the river and farther into Southwark.
Cuisine: Turkish • Grilled Meats • Meze
Atmosphere: Casual • Welcoming • Local • Lively
Gaucho Tower Bridge
Location: 2 More London Place, London SE1 2AP, United Kingdom
Distance from the Tower of London: About 1.2 km / approximately 15-20 minutes on foot
For a more upscale dinner, Gaucho Tower Bridge occupies a prime location close to the Thames and Tower Bridge.
The restaurant specializes in Argentinian steaks, and its setting makes it a good choice for a special dinner after a full day of sightseeing.
Cuisine: Argentinian • Steakhouse
Atmosphere: Upscale • Riverside • Romantic • Scenic
Places to Stay Near the Tower of London
Staying around Tower Hill, Tower Bridge, or St Katharine Docks puts you within walking distance of the Tower while also providing convenient Underground and river connections to other parts of London.
citizenM Tower of London
Location: 40 Trinity Square, London EC3N 4DJ, United Kingdom
Distance from the Tower of London: About 300 metres / approximately 3-5 minutes on foot
citizenM Tower of London is one of the most conveniently located hotels for visiting the fortress.
The hotel sits beside Tower Hill Underground station and offers contemporary rooms and stylish communal spaces. Its location also puts guests within easy walking distance of Tower Bridge, the Thames, and several other historic attractions.
Atmosphere: Modern • Stylish • Convenient • Urban
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Apex City of London Hotel
Location: 1 Seething Lane, London EC3N 4AX, United Kingdom
Distance from the Tower of London: About 400 metres / approximately 5 minutes on foot
Apex City of London Hotel combines a central City of London location with easy access to Tower Hill, the Thames, and Sky Garden.
Its proximity to the Tower makes it a convenient choice for travelers who want to explore the historic area on foot while still having easy access to public transportation.
Atmosphere: Contemporary • Comfortable • Central • Welcoming
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Novotel London Tower Bridge
Location: 10 Pepys Street, London EC3N 2NR, United Kingdom
Distance from the Tower of London: About 500 metres / approximately 5-7 minutes on foot
Novotel London Tower Bridge is a practical option for visitors who want easy access to both the Tower and London's public transportation network.
Tower Hill Underground station is only a short walk away, while Tower Bridge, the Thames, and several historic City of London attractions are also nearby.
Atmosphere: Modern • Convenient • Comfortable • Central
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DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel London - Tower of London
Location: 7 Pepys Street, London EC3N 4AF, United Kingdom
Distance from the Tower of London: About 400 metres / approximately 5 minutes on foot
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel London - Tower of London is another convenient choice close to Tower Hill.
The hotel is within easy walking distance of the Tower, Tower Bridge, Sky Garden, and St Dunstan in the East, making it a useful base for exploring this historic part of London.
Atmosphere: Contemporary • Comfortable • Central • Scenic
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The Tower Hotel, by Thistle
Location: St Katharine's Way, London E1W 1LD, United Kingdom
Distance from the Tower of London: About 600 metres / approximately 7-10 minutes on foot
The Tower Hotel has one of the most memorable locations in the area.
It sits directly beside Tower Bridge and St Katharine Docks, with some rooms offering impressive views of Tower Bridge and the Thames. The Tower of London is only a short walk away.
For visitors who want to stay somewhere surrounded by some of London's most recognizable scenery, this is one of the strongest choices.
Atmosphere: Riverside • Iconic • Scenic • Central