Tower of London

On Sunday, July 24, 2011 a few of my classmates and I went to visit the Tower of London. This was the one stop in London that I was determined to make. I wanted to see where some of the most famous British stories take place. Where Anne Boleyn, Katherine Howard, and Jane Grey were beheaded and later buried.

At the entrance to the Tower of London, it is guarded by lions (or metal copies of really lions that were once there). Crumpet saw them and had to take a picture because they are all part of the cat family. There were also monkeys climbing the walls near the crown jewels.

It also houses one of the most famous prisions in the world. To see where people carved their names into the walls as a way to make their last mark on earth was heartbreaking. There was also a place where Grey's husband carved Jane into the wall. The sadness in those rooms could be felt in the air.

We were given advice on how to approach the Tower experience. After being some of the first people to go through the gates that morning, we ran to the where the Jewels are shown to avoid long lines. I wish I could have taken pictures in there, but if your interested click here to see some Google images. The First Star of Africa was an amazing site to see. The diamond looked huge!

But the most surprising part of my trip took place when I found out people still live in the Tower of London. The governor, a doctor, and a chaplain all live on the grounds. There are also 7 ravens that are permanent residence to the tower. The homes were quaint and reminded me of old fashion townhouses.

The White Tower was the central feature to the Tower of London. It was the first part built by William the Conqueror. I found everything it housed so interesting that it was where I spent most of my time. I have created a video that shows my favorite aspects, but I must say it only scratches the surface on what was an amazing visit. Take a look at my video to see what I found most interesting.