Tower of London

The Tower of London offers an impressive skyline for England’s capital city. Much of the awe tourists have for the Tower comes from its vastness. For the Tower of London is not just a single tower, but many buildings within the same complex. And each part has played a key role in English history since construction began in the 11th century.

It is 1066 and England is in the grip of a civil war. King Edward has died and his unpopular brother-in-law, Harold Godwinson, has claimed the throne. But William, a duke from Normandy and an ally of Edward’s, plans to contest the succession, claiming Edward promised him the throne years earlier. So, William sails with his knights across the English Channel and meets Harold’s forces at the town of Hastings in East Sussex. On 14 October 1066, the Battle of Hastings takes place. The Normans win, Harold is killed and, as the new king of England, William marches on to London. He considers it important that he asserts his power in the capital as quickly as possible. So, in 1078, William has a white tower built near the city walls and adjacent to the Thames. It is built both to protect the people of London from invaders and to protect the Normans from those who object to their invasion! The White Tower is the oldest section of the Tower of London.