Located on River Thames’ north bank in Central London, the Tower of London is her Majesty’s Royal Fortress and Palace. Travellers can easily visit this site if they choose to stay at a Central London hotel such as Metropolitan London. Exuding timeless elegance and offering modern comforts, it is a truly exceptional London luxury hotel to stay at during a holiday or business trip.
A historic site which has been in existence since nearly the end of 1066, the Tower of London is situated within the renowned London Borough of Tower Hamlets with Tower Hill separating it from the limits of London. The site gets its name from the beautiful White Tower which was built back in 1078 by William the Conqueror who was associated with the Norman conquest of England. However, this tower was regarded as a symbol of repression which took over the city due to this new ruling elite.
In the early days this grand palace served as a residence for royalty although for some time it was also used as a prison. The complex is made up of a number of buildings sited within a moat and two concentric circles of protective walls. The site has gone through a number of expansions, especially under the kings Edward I, Henry III and Richard the Lionheart.
Over the years the tower of London has served as the home of the United Kingdom’s crown jewels, an office for public records, the residence of the Royal Mint, a menagerie, treasury and an armoury. The innermost ward of the complex consists of the White Tower whilst the outer ward contains the castle which encloses an area of nearly 12 acres.
A point of interest is the fact that the Tower of London was also a place for housing the Crown Jewels, a tradition which dates back to the period of Henry III. The jewel house created here to store the royal regalia such as the royal crown, sword, sceptre, plate and jewels.
With such great historical and architectural value this ancient site remains one of the top attractions for the sightseeing tourists to visit when in this city of immense old world charm.
