London Tuesday: Tower of London

Tuesday, we got up early and headed out to the Tower of London to beat the crowds. What crowds would probably be the more accurate summary. We went straight to the crown jewels. Fantastic! Sadly, no pictures. It's so sad that Cromwell melted everything down so the only ones left are those Post-Charles II. 

Where the crown jewels are kept

The wind was brutal, almost catching my hat several times. Then we went to the armory in the White Tower and saw the suits of armor, weapons and the chapel, which is the best existing example of Norman architecture. We got a special tour of it which was amazing.

The White Tower

 On the top floor was a modern art dragon made of the 9 things the Tower of London is famous for: coins, jewels, armor, guns, documents, etc.

Dragon made of all the things the White Tower has been use for: weapons, armor, coin mint, document storage, crown jewels, etc

They last executed someone there in 1941 and the 20th century had the most executions there. We saw where the scaffold would have been for Anne Boelyn to be beheaded along with some other ladies and high ranking men (everyone else was executed in public). 

Memorial of execution site of Anne Boelyn and others

Then took the Beefeater tour which was shortened to 30 minutes and in St Peter's Church because of the nasty weather. Witty guy. To be a Beefeater you have to live with your family at the tower and serve 22 years in the military with 18 years of good conduct and then get lucky. There are currently 37 of them. 

Beefeater tour

We then saw the ravens which by superstition have to be kept there for the monarchy to survive. They keep 8 as pets there. Also, until the 1800's, the tower hosted lions, tigers, monkeys, elephants, and porcupines (which one of these things is not like the other!) which were gifts to the rulers and were the first zoo of sorts.

Ravens. There's a "myth" that as long as crows inhabit the Tower of London, the monarchy will continue. They keep 8 there, tagged with pink anklets just in case :)

The Tower of London was used as a zoo for exotic animals that the royals would receive as gifts until the 1800s when the London zoo was established. They had lions, elephants, monkeys, etc.

  

Old wall

Watched the guards change. Then we went to the Bloody Tower where the 2 princes were murdered and Sir Walter Raleigh was imprisoned. Finally, we saw the old torture instruments...yikes! The Tower Bridge is right outside the gates so it was a perfect photo opp. 

Changing of the guard at the Tower

Tower Bridge

Torture room at the Tower of London