The Tower of London

One of the city's most popular attractions, The Tower of London normally sees about 10,000 to 15,000 visitors per day; in these precarious times they are down to around 800.  This suited us fine as it's not often one has an entire medieval fortress to oneself.  Built by William the Conqueror in 1078, the "Tower" is a sprawling complex of turrets, ramparts, keeps, moats, drawbridges, and battlements.  It has been a grand palace, a royal residence, a prison, an armory, a treasury, and a menagerie.  The epic span of history here amazes!

Entrance

Inside Wakefield Tower, built for Henry III in 1220

A reproduction of Henry III's throne

View from the Tower south across the Thames to the Shard

A silver chalice

View from the ramparts of the "Walkie-Talkie" Building

Guarding the Crown Jewels

Entrance to the Crown Jewels, a dazzling collection of royal regalia
including a crown featuring the Koh-i-Noor diamond, one of the largest
cut diamonds in the world.

One of the many ravens-in-residence, legendary Tower guardians

This raven hung out beneath our table at the Tower's appropriately named Raven Cafe.

An artist's conception of the Tower of London under construction in 1080

The armory exhibit within The White Tower, the Tower of London's castle keep.

Circa 1610 armor of the young 
Henry Prince of Wales, son of James I.
Henry died of typhoid fever at age 18.

Carved heads, 1685.  From left, William the Conqueror, Henry VIII, and Charles I.

Clockwise from upper left, Edward III, Henry V, Henry VII, and William III.

The Lumley Horseman, 1580.
Oldest known English equestrian statue.

Wooden head of Queen Elizabeth I, 1780.

Some light reading.  Actually, a ledger of Tower of London armory inventory
from the late 1670's.

The Chapel of St. John, built by William the Conqueror

An 1880's Tower of London tour book

A memorial at the site of several infamous beheadings, including Anne Boleyn, 2nd wife
of Henry VIII; Catherine Howard, 5th wife of Henry VIII; and Lady Jane Grey,
the "Nine Days' Queen", eliminated to make way for Mary I, Henry VIII's eldest daughter. 

A glimpse of the iconic Tower Bridge.

The Queen's House, residence of the Tower's chief officers since 1540.

The White Tower