Tower of London

The Tower of London Has Been Getting People Wrong for 900 Years

Most visitors arrive expecting a dungeon-themed tourist attraction and leave having seen 1,000 years of actual English history compressed into a riverside fortress. William the Conqueror began the White Tower around 1078 – the original Norman keep, which is still standing, is nearly 1,000 years old. Anne Boleyn was imprisoned and executed here. Thomas More and Lady Jane Grey were held in the same complex. The two princes whose disappearance fueled suspicion about Richard III were last seen alive in the Tower in 1483. The Crown Jewels have been kept here since the medieval period.

The Tower is simultaneously a genuine UNESCO World Heritage Site, a working royal palace where the Yeoman Warders live, and a place that has managed to tell its own history with more honesty than most such sites.

Admission and Booking

Adult tickets cost GBP 37 booked online through Historic Royal Palaces in 2026; walk-up prices are slightly higher. Children 5-15 pay GBP 18.50; under-5s free; seniors GBP 29.50. Book online – not for a discount but to avoid the ticket queue, which runs 30-45 minutes at the gate during peak summer mornings.

Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 09:00; Sunday and Monday from 10:00. Last entry at 17:00. Allow 3-4 hours minimum.

The Crown Jewels

The Jewel House in Waterloo Block holds the working coronation regalia – these are not replicas. The St. Edward’s Crown, the Imperial State Crown, the Sovereign’s Orb, and the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross are the actual objects used at every coronation since Charles II in 1661. The Cullinan I diamond in the Sceptre is 530.4 carats, the largest clear-cut diamond in the world. Moving walkways carry visitors past the cases during busy periods; expect 10-15 minutes queuing for the Jewel House itself in summer. This is the most popular section and worth being the first stop after the Yeoman Warder tour in the morning.

The White Tower and Henry VIII’s Armour

The White Tower houses the Royal Armoury collection, including Henry VIII’s personal armour at different periods of his life. The progression of armour sizes as Henry aged – from the lean figure of his early reign to the enormously expanded later pieces – is a more honest portrait of the man than most royal paintings. The Line of Kings exhibition at the upper level, showing mounted armoured figures, has existed in the Tower since 1660 in various forms.

The Yeoman Warder Tours

Free guided tours depart from the main entrance every 30 minutes, led by the Yeoman Warders who are serving or retired military with minimum 22 years’ service. The tours vary in delivery – the best ones are genuinely funny as well as historically informative – and cover the outer ward and main history without entering the Jewel House or White Tower. Check the schedule board at the gate on arrival. The tours are among the better free things to do in London, and that covers a lot of ground.

The Ravens

Six ravens (policy requires a minimum of six) are maintained at the Tower, their flight feathers clipped to prevent departure. The legend that England will fall if the ravens leave was most likely invented in the Victorian era rather than being ancient, but Historic Royal Palaces maintains it diligently and the Ravenmaster, a Yeoman Warder responsible for their care, has become a well-known public figure. The current ravens include Jubilee, Harris, Poppy, and George.

Practical Notes

Tower Hill tube station (District and Circle lines) is the correct stop. Tower Bridge, the Gothic Victorian bascule bridge directly adjacent, is a separate attraction with its own admission (GBP 10.60 for adults to access the high-level walkways and engine rooms). Do not confuse it with London Bridge, which is about 500 metres upstream and thoroughly unglamorous.

The site is uneven medieval paving throughout; comfortable flat shoes are practical rather than optional. The New Armouries Cafe in the former munitions building is the most reliable food option on-site.