Marilyn Thipthorpe
You know how we’re all fascinated by that tall tower of magnificence. Thousands of tourists flock to London each year to visit and be photographed at the Tower of London. Let’s take a virtual trip through the tower and find out some of its amazing facts.
1. The Tower was founded by William the Conqueror towards the end of the 1066. It was built as a royal palace and a defense system.
2. The Tower of London, being one of the few intact medieval buildings has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
3. 6 ravens are kept at the tower at all times with their wings clipped. This is attached to a superstition that if the ravens leave the tower the Kingdom will fall.
4. At present, 23,500 jewels are stored at the Tower of London.
They are worth over 20 billion pounds.
5. 22 executions were conducted at the Tower of London, the last being in 1941 of a German spy names Josef Jakobs.
6. During the 1200’s a royal zoo was opened at the tower and remained there for close to 600 years. It was filled with exotic animals like polar bears, Kangaroos, ostriches and elephants.
7. There is only one lock and key to the internal rooms at the Tower; a key was stolen in 2012 but the locks we immediately replaced.
8. Substantial damage was done to the tower during the bombings in World War II; it was later restored to its proper grandeur and opened to the public not later.
9. Ghosts are said to roam the halls of the Tower, reported sightings have been seen of Henry VI, Queen Catherine and even a grizzly bear.
10. The constables guarding the tower back when it was used as a stronghold exhorted tolls from all who went that way. Even the convicts had to pay the constables for their maintenance.