The Tower of London

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Once we finished having our fun with various celebrities, we made our way to The Tower of London. The White Tower, which gives the whole site its name, was built by William the Conqueror. Construction began in 1078. The site was enlarged over the centuries. Although originally built as a castle, the Tower is most famous for being a prison. Many a soul who entered the Tower through Traitor's Gate never left alive, and oft without a head.

We walked across London Bridge on our way to the Tower. Here's a shot down the Thames. There's the HMS Belfast with the Tower Bridge in the background.

Another shot from further along the bridge.

Just a street scene mixing the old with the new as I like to do. I love the plane in the background. I had good timing.

The Shard! I didn't get any photos on the day Christa and I went to the viewing platform there, but I got plenty on this day.

I liked all the highly reflective glass.

The Tower Bridge yet again, but this time with a couple of iconic double-decker busses.

Another view of The Shard. The viewing platform is in that clear bit up near the top.

The exterior walls of the Tower of London. Most castles are set in the middle of sprawling estates and gardens. But the Tower is smack in the middle of buildings.


This replica throne is housed in the extension known as the Medieval Palace. The expansion was built by Henry III and his son, Edward I, over the course of the 13th Century.

The stained glass windows in the chapel of the Medieval Palace.

There's that bridge again!

The White Tower. This was the original building built by William the Conqueror.

There was a collection of wire mesh animals situated throughout the grounds. They were all exotic animals, like this elephant. I have no idea why there were there, but they were nicely made.


Again with the bridge! Though I do like this shot.

The fancy memorial commemorating the spot where so many heads rolled; including that of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII's second wife (the one for whom he broke away from the Catholic Church) and mother to Elizabeth I.

A picturesque green space with the Tower grounds. You can see one of the queen's guards across the way, and the top of The Shard on the right peering over the rooftops.

Yep . . . again. But again, I quite like this shot.


They had a small exhibit on torture. Here's the rack.

As illustrated by the drawing, people were hung from this contraption by the arms. What I can't figure out is if that bar went through the hand or if they were just tied to it somehow. I assume the latter. Quick death isn't the aim of torture, and I don't see anyone surviving more than a minute or two after having that rod rammed through his wrists.

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