The river on which is worth the Tower. Tower of London
Tower, fortress standing on the North Bank of Thames, - historical Center London and one of the oldest structures of England. As the Duke of Edinburgh in his book dedicated to the 900th anniversary of the Tower, "in the history of London Tower was both a fortress and a palace, and the repository of royal jewelry, arsenal, and a mint, and a prison, and an observatory, and a zoo, and a place , attracting tourists. "
Base
The foundation of the Tower Fortress is attributed to Wilhelm I. After the Norman conquest of England, Wilhelm I began to build defensive locks to eliminate the conquered Anglo-Saxons. One of the largest in 1078 was the Tower. The wooden fort was replaced by a huge stone building - a great tower, which is a four-degree construction, with dimensions of 32 x 36 meters, a height of about 30 meters. When the new King of England ordered to beat the building, it got the name of the White Tower (White Tower), or a white tower. Subsequently, with the King of Richard, the lion's heart was erected, several more towers of different heights and two rows of powerful fortress walls were erected. Around the fortress was a deep ditch, making it one of the most impregnable fortresses in Europe.
State prison
The first prisoner was sharpened in Tower in 1190. At that time, the Tower Prison was intended for people of noble origin and high rank. Among the most honorable and high-ranking prisoners of Tower were Kings of Scotland and France and members of their families (Yakov I Scotch, captives of the Century War, the King of France John II and Karl Orleans), as well as representatives of the aristocracy and priests who fell into opal on charges of treason. Tower walls also remember a lot of executions and murders: Heinrich VI was killed in Tower, and Tower Princes, 12-year-old Edward V and his younger brother Richard.
Prisoners contained in those rooms that were not busy at that time. The deadlines were the most different. So, William Penn, the founder of the English colony in North AmericaThe name of Pennsylvania was planted in Tower for religious beliefs and spent eight months in Tower. Karl, the Duke of Orleans, the nephew of the French king and an outstanding poet, after defeat in the battle spent on the walls of the castle a total of 25 years, until the incredible ransom paid for it. Court Walter Rieli, the navigator, the poet and the playwright, tried to brighten up 13 dreary years of imprisonment, working on many different labor "History of the World". After his temporary release, he was again sharpened in Tower and then executed.
The reputation of an ominous place torture Tower has acquired during the Reformation times. Heinrich VIII, who is obsessed with the desire to have the heir's son, ripped off all sorts of relations with the Roman Catholic Church and began to pursue everyone who refused to recognize his head of the Church of England. After the second wife of Heinrich, Anna Bolein, could not give birth to his son, the king accused her in betrayal and married treason. As a result, Anna, her brother and four of others were beheaded in Tower. The same fate suffered Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of Henry. Many people of the royal genus represented a threat to the English throne were transmitted to the Tower and then executed.
The young son of Henry, who closed the throne, Protestant, Eduard VI, continued a series of cruel executions, started his father. When, after six years, Eduard died, the English crown went to the daughter of Heinrich - Mary, zealous Catholic. Without losing time, the new queen ordered to be decapitated by the 16-year-old Lady Jane Gray and her young Hilford's wife Dudley, who were pawn in a fierce struggle for power. Now it is time to promptly fold the head. Elizabeth, Summary sister Mary, spent several disturbing weeks in the walls of Tower. However, becoming a queen, she dealt with those who refused to change the Catholic faith and daring to resist its board.
Although thousands of prisoners were thrown into Tower, only five women and two men were beheaded on the territory of the fortress, which saved them from the shame of a public execution. Three of these women were queens - this is Anna Bolein, Catherine Howard and Jane Gray, who lasted on the throne only nine days. Most of the other executions are mainly beheaded - occurred at the nearby Tower Hill, where huge crowds of lovers of such spectacles were flown. The cut-off head was put on the stake and exhibited an universal review on the London Bridge as a warning for the rest. The declined body was touched in Tower and buried in the pods of the chapel. In these basements, more than 1,500 bodies were buried in total.
In some cases, as a rule, only from official permission, prisoners were tortured, forcing them to recognize their guilt. In 1605, Guy Fox, who tried to blow up the building of the Parliament and the king during the powder conspiracy, was rummaged before the execution of the Tower Pube, which forced him to call the names of his accomplices.
In the XVII century, England and Tower found themselves in the hands of Oliver Cromwell and parliamentarians, but, after Carl II was again erected, the Tower Prison was not particularly replenished. In 1747, the last beading occurred at the Tower Hill. However, on this, the history of Tower as a state prison was not over. During World War I, 11 German spies were enclosed in Tower. During the Second World War, there were temporarily held prisoners of war, among which Rudolf Hesters spent several days. The last victim executed in the walls of the fortress was Josef Jacobs, accused of espionage and shot in August 1941.
Zoo, Mint and Royal Arsenal
At the beginning of the XIII century, John Lviv contained Lviv in Tower. However, the royal bearer originated when the successor of John Heinrich III received as a gift from the son-in-law and emperor of the Sacred Roman Empire of Friedrich II Gogenstaofen three leopards, a polar bear and an elephant. Although the animals kept the king and his suits, once the whole of London became an eyewitness of a unique spectacle when the bear at the ticky rushed to the Thames to catch the fish. Over time, the animal replenished with a large number of exotic animals and in the time of Elizabeth I was opened for visitors. In the 1830s, the Zoo in Tower was abolished, and animals transported to a new zoo, which opened in the London Ridgeth Park.
Over 500 years in Tower was the main branch of the Royal Mint. One of his most stormy periods fell on the board of Henry VIII, when coins were minted from silver, requested from destroyed monasteries. In addition, important state and legal entries were kept in Tower, and the weapons and military equipment of the king and the royal army were also manufactured.
Palace Guards and Royal Regalia
From the very foundation of Tower, his prisoners and buildings were carefully guarded. But especially selected palace guards appeared in 1485. In those days, prisoners were often brought along the river and introduced into the Tower through the "Gate of Trainers". When the accused was led from the trial, observers were monitored where an ax of a prison guard was turned. The blade aimed at the prisoner foreshadowed another execution.
Palace Guards guard the Tower and to this day. Today, their responsibilities also include excursions for numerous visitors. In particularly solemn cases, they are in luxurious costumes of the Tudor Dynasty: Scarlet Camoles, decorated with gold and topped with snow-white-mounted collars. On the usual days, they are dressed in dark blue with the red finish of the Victorian era uniform. British guards are often called bifira (from the English word "Beef" - beef), or meathers. This nickname, most likely, appeared in times of hunger, when Londoners were undernowed, and the palace guard regularly received beef meat. This, the English crown ensured a reliable security.
Palace "RavevenSmaster", or a closer of raven, cares about the flock of black ravens. There is a belief that if the birds leave the Tower, the misfortune fell into England, so for the purpose of precaution, they were cut the wings.
The royal treasury caretakers guard the famous jewels of the British Empire. For visitors to the treasure "" The brush is open from the XVII century. Among the precious stones adorning the crowns, the powers and scepters, which still use the members of the Royal Family during the solemn ceremonies - you can see the largest high quality challenium in the world, Kullinan I.
Modern look
Today, London Tower is one of the main attractions of Great Britain. He practically did not change since the time of the past. The symbol of the ominous past Tower is the place where the ears of the Tower Hill was previously located. Now there is a small memorial plaque in memory of the "tragic fate and sometimes martyrdom of those who in the name of faith, their homeland and ideals risked life and accepted death." Currently, the main buildings of Tower - Museum and Armory, where the treasures of the British Crown are kept; Officially continues to be considered one of the royal residency. In Tower there are also a number of private apartments in which mainly attendant personnel and high guests live.
In London, there are a lot of attractions, mounted avid travelers, but one of the main is the Tower. The famous Tower London is located on the North Bank of the Thames. It is a fortress - several buildings of various times, around which two rows of wide fortress walls are built with towers.
The thickness of the walls in the tower is about 4.6 meters, so it is not surprising that the assault to take it to anyone ever managed.
For their huge history, and Tower has been built more than 900 years ago, a variety of services were located in the fortress. London Tower was and a prison, which is a complex and awesome page in the history of England, and a zoo, and a protective fortress, and a mint of the courtyard, and the storage of the jewels of monarchs, and the observatory, and the archive in which important historical and legal securities were kept.
Now one thing remains unchanging: Tower is a place attracting an incredible number of tourists.
The emergence of the fortress
It is officially believed that Tower was founded in 1078, and the Grand Construction of this castle Wilhelm The conqueror to intimid the population of conquered land. But before that, in a long time, the Roman fortifications were laid on the site of the modern fortress, which were partially preserved in the castle.
On the site of the wooden Roman fortifications, a stone was built from stone - the Great Tower, which had a form of a quadrangle with dimensions of 32 to 36 meters and a height of about 30 meters.
In the XIII century, by order of King, the Tower was twisted and began to call white tower. Then the tower and two rows of powerful fortress walls are erected around the castle. To enhance protection around the fortress, deep ditch, which made London Tower with one of the most impregnable European structures.
The White Tower was the first building on this territory, it was from her who began London Tower ..
Tower as a state prison
In London, the ominous glory of Tower was still preserved, because from the moment of its foundation he became a state prison, where not only the prisoners contained, but also carried out executions, including the open ones put on the universal review.
In addition, cruel torture prisoners were used at certain times. Mostly in prison contained high-ranking faces, aristocrats, priests accused of treason.
Among the prisoners of Tower were kings of Scotland, France and their families, William Penn - one of the founders of the English colony in America, which was planted for religious beliefs, executed in the fortress of Henry VI, Guy Fox - a member of the powder conspiracy, trying to overthrow King Yakov I.
Some executions were closed, on the territory of the fortress, for example, the famous Queens were executed: Anna Boleyn, the second wife Henry VIII, who could not give birth to him the Son, his fifth wife Catherine Howard, as well as Jane Gray, who stayed the queen only 9 days.
Basically, execution took place publicly, at the Tower Hill, located near the fortress. The execution of a crowd of people was going to the execution of a crowd of people. The guilty cut off her head and put it on everyone to review as an intimidation and warnings. Defended body itself was buried in the basements of the fortress.
In the XVII century, new prisoners in the Tower prison in London almost did not appear. The last public execution occurred in 1747. Then, only during the First World War, Tower became the place of conclusion and executing German spies. During World War II, in Tower contained prisoners of war. The last prisoners in Tower in 1952 were Gangsters twins Cray.
Tower as a peaceful place
An ominous epoch in the history of Tower ended with the arrival of John the landless, who gave the beginning of the parliamentary constitutional monarchy. He gave part of the government to Parliament, and London Tower turned into a zoo. John began to keep Lviv in Tower. The animal was replenished already under the successor of John Henrich III, when he received a polar bear, an elephant and leopards.
First, the animals were found there only on fun king and his retinue. Gradually, new exotic beasts appeared in Zaginz, and when Elizabeth I, the Tower was opened for visitors exactly as a zoo.
The story of Tower as a zoo in 1830, when it was decided to close it, and the animals to transport a new zoo in the Ridgeth Park built in London.
The London Tower For almost 500 years was also the main branch of the Mint, also made in it and kept military equipment and arms of the king and his army.
Anyone who decided to visit Tower will meet the Palace Guardians. It has been since 1475. Representatives of the Guardians were administered to the territory of the fortress accused through the gate, which are called "gates of trains".
Modern representatives of the Guardians are not so aggressive, but still are alert, because London Tower is a repository of the jewelry of the royal family: the Crown of England is kept here, decorated with gems Scepter, other regalia, as well as the largest diamond in the world Kullinan I.
Also, representatives of the Guardians are held excursions in the fortress, prison, zoo, monetary yard. The guards from the XV century are called "bifters" (from the English "Beef" - beef) so that we are clearer, "meatyads". Then the English people are hungry, but the guard has always been fed and received huge portions of meat. So the monarchs sought to secure reliable protection.
Whoever was interested in London, England, Tower, knows that there are guards-birds in Tower there are guards. One of the symbols of Tower is a flock of crows. Here, since ancient times, a legend has arisen that if the crows suddenly leave Tower, some misfortune collapses in England.
The British with their traditions are holy to keep this legend, they believe in it and contain six crows on the territory of Tower. So that the crows do not fly away, the wings are cut. But the local crows are unlikely to go somewhere to fly away, because here they are fed veal, and sometimes rabbit. Crows, located in Tower, have names and pedigrees.
Only stocking British just in case are seven birds, and seven birds built for birds. Although there are more than 200 years with such departure of birds. For proper care and care about birds there is a separate position - palace Countryer Voronov.
Museum, tourists can see various expositions on various epochs in the history of Tower. At the notorious Tower hill, where they made executions, now there is a memorial complex with a monument in the form of a pillow and a board, which lists the names of executed monarchs.
Memorial of memory executed in the walls of prison - seven famous prisoners who were beheaded
Also widely known and interesting stories about the ghosts of Tower. Even some authoritative scientists do not deny the appearance of ghosts here. Sometimes it is possible to catch some entities into the camera lens. This fact attracts the youth, thirsty of adventures, during Halloween.
The centuries-old tradition of Tower is the keys ceremony. Already 700 years every day exactly at 21:53 this ritual is performed. Only once in 1941 he was detained for half an hour during the attack of the fortress by Nazi bombers.
At this time, the keeper of the keys comes out of the tower, and the protection of the keys goes to meet him. The guard locks the main gate and comes to the bloody tower. The traditional dialogue sounds, which ends with the words "God, keep Queen Elizabeth." At night, the keys are in the residence of the manager. Any wishes can see the key ceremony by writing a letter in advance and receiving an invitation card.
Officially, Tower is considered the royal residence. To date, in Tower there are even private apartments in which the service personnel lives or high guests stop.
In conclusion, it is worth saying that the reasons to visit the Tower is a huge amount. If you are going to London, it does not matter by what personal matters, visit the Tower is a paramount task. Such special impressions and the atmosphere cannot be obtained in any place of the world.
Address: United Kingdom, London, in the historic part of the city, on the banks of the Thames
Foundation date: 1066 year
Coordinates: 51 ° 30 "29.3" N 0 ° 04 "33.9" W
Short description
In the left bank of the majestic Thames, the London Tower, the building, which since its occurrence, has entered the story not only in England, but throughout Europe.
Fortress from a bird's eye view
Probably, it is for this reason that the Tower is one of the most visited places of the capital of Misty Albion. To say that this is a gloomy architectural structure is a symbol of the whole of the UK, will, of course, correctly. However, the symbol of one of the most powerful countries of all the old light Tower became not so much because of his style in which it was built more than 900 years ago, how much because of his dark (and sometimes not very) history.
The matter is that even during the planning of a trip to London, considering the photo of the Tower, getting acquainted with his past, suddenly you start to understand that this architectural structure performed several functions at once. Simply put, Tower in London, who resembles the fortress, was not only a fortification, but also an ominous prison, a place where death sentences, repository of state values, a huge arsenal and a gigantic workshop, where coins were minted. True, these are not all functions that were in different times assigned to the building of the London Tower: for his long story He managed to visit the main residence of kings, the observatory, in which astronomers were watched by the movement of cosmic bodies, and even a zoo.
View of the fortress with the Thames
Probably, on the whole of our huge planet it is difficult to find another such place that was used immediately for so many purposes. By the way, Tower, who currently can see the modern traveler, is a residence of representatives of the royal family, a museum and ordinary residential house with apartments. For the sake of justice, we note the apartments there a little, for the most part there are guards with their families and the other service personnel of the museum. After all the enumerations of the functions assigned to certain periods of time to the London Tower, I would like to once again clarify that it is this building that is officially considered the main symbol of the entire United Kingdom. It is the whole of the UK, and not its capital, who has another couple-triple of its "business cards". Although, the Tower Building, it can still be safely attributed to at least the five most significant and interesting sights of London.
It is more than two and a half million tourists annually at the Tower. And although Westminster and the Buckingham Palaces look much more effectively and outside, and inside, but it is in Tower that you can see what is not available anywhere else in the UK. If you drop in the direction of the legendary black crows of the fortress, which should be stopped just below, the monarchs crown (!) And the world's largest diamond are kept in the Tower.
View of the middle tower (right, main entrance) and tower Baiveord
This largest diamond in the world, as it should be, has its own name - Kullinan I. The first one is not because the most huge and fresh, but because it is the highest quality, as the jeweler loves, " clean water" Such treasures, to evaluate which in the monetary equivalent it will not even be possible in the most authoritative art historians and jewelers, the Great British authorities decided to put in the most recognizable fortress of the country - the Great London Tower.
London Tower - the history of the foundation
If you carefully examine all the preserved documents and chronicles, you can easily make a certain conclusion, the London Tower was built on the orders of the Grozny King Wilhelm I. In addition to its cruelty, Wilhelm I was an excellent strategist: he understood that in the conquered city and the surroundings, it was necessary to build a huge number of fortification facilities as soon as possible to insulating horror on defeated Anglo-Saxons. Fortresses should be not only gloomy, but also truly impregnable. There is nothing surprising that the orders of the uncompromising king in those times were performed in record time.
View of Bastion Mount Leggy
Large and small forts around modern London were built simply a fine amount. However, the biggest and the most frightened fortress became the Tower Tower. Instead of a wooden defensive structure, which could be burned literally for a few hours, and which would have been built, as they would say now, "for the eye of the eyes," a fortress appeared gigantic for those times. Its form almost resembled a square, almost ... the length of the walls was 32x36 meters, but the height of the fortification fortification slightly exceeded 30 meters. Behind the protected walls of Tower there was a monarch with his family, however, the circumstances were so developed that due to the rapid expansion of London, the fortress was in the place where the beggars for mostly lived. The king such a neighborhood had to do not like it, and he moved to the luxury Westminster Palace. However, it did not affect the importance and strategically important appointment of Tower.
At many Internet resources, you can currently find information that after the construction of the Tower received the nickname "White Tower". In this definition, there is only the share of truth: Tower at King Wilhelme I was built from gray stone and he was not.
View of Bastion Copper Mountain
Especially he was not white tower, which was originally and was the only Tower building. The White Color of London Tower was painted during the reign of a new king. It was this monarch that was intended by a gloomy tower, and he decided to make it more attractive. That's just from those times the fortress began to call White Tower. Another legendary king Richard, who received the nickname "Lion Heart," ordered to attach several high towers to the existing fortress, and erect two additional massive fortress walls.
In addition, during his rule, Tower was surrounded by the deepest RV. According to modern specialists, it was Richard Lion's Heart that made Tower in the most terrible and most impregnable in those days by the fortifications in Europe.
After the monarchs moved to the Westminster Palace, built among the swamps, Tower became a prison. Of course, the prison is not ordinary: it did not contain small thieves and other criminals. In Tower, under reliable protection for the deaf walls, only the most influential people in Europe were serving. Their list is huge, however, it is necessary to allocate that the kings of France, the duke, rulers of Scotland, are kept in the fortress, and other representatives of the aristocracy in the fortress. In order to understand what the importance of the Tower Fortress had, it should be transferred at least some of its prisoners: the King of Scotland Yakov, the King of France John II, Walter Rai and others.
White Tower
The courts of that time briefly considered the affairs of political prisoners, and many of them were thrown in Tower Tower simply by order of the king. Duke Orleans spent in imprisonment in a huge fortress of 25 years, he miraculously managed to survive due to the fact that the representatives of the legendary dynasty paid a huge redemption. By the way, Karl Orleans for a long time and happy after his liberation lived in Blois and was even considered the main patron saint of all European poets and writers.
Unfortunately, not everyone is so lucky as Duke Orleans: many in London Tower were executed. The executioners and who, orders the judges, did not look at him or the age of unfortunate. On the territory of the fortress with life, Eduard V, who lived on this light of 12 years. Eduard V, Heinrich VI, and other no less well-known people, did not escape the sad fate. The aforementioned Walter Rieli, who was known in the people as a navigator-discoverer, playwright and a talented poet, spent 13 years in Tower. During this time, he even managed to write a famous work called the "History of the World". After his liberation, he briefly enjoyed his life, he was taken into custody again and threw in Tower. Alas, the second time to go out of the fortress-prison was no longer possible: on the territory of the London Tower Walter Rali was executed for his political views.
Barracks Waterloo, Treasury of the British Crown
Tower - ominous place
After the Reformation, the Tower acquired even more bad fame. For those who are not familiar with history, clarify, the Reformation is to carry out a number of activities aimed at full compliance of faith (naturally, Catholic) with the Bible. Alas, this particular correspondence is nothing in common with the Bible in many points and did not have. It was the reformation that marked the beginning of Holy Inquisition.
The King Heinrich VIII, who generally decided that he was the head of the Catholic Church of England, and broke all ties with the Roman Catholic Church. With those who have not agreed with the decision of the monarch, they did not ceremony, after the terrible torture they cut off their heads. Heinrich VIII went down in history as the most bloodthirsty king: he executed not only political and religious opponents: in the eyes of the crowd was brought to death, and then declayed even his wives. Their wines were only in one: they did not manage to give birth to the monarch of the Son. It is only worth imagining that the executioner cut off his head in Tower's fifth (!) Henry's wife. The son of the insane monarch was still born and completely inherited from his father all his qualities, he satisfied with enviable regularity on a hill near the Tower public execution. True, he died already six years after she climbed the throne.
Museum Fusillerov
In fairness, we note that only five people were executed on the territory of the fortress-prison, which "pardon" and did not kill publicly. All other prisoners died in front of the crowd at the Tower Hill. The execution of the prisoner of the London Tower took place as follows: he cut off his head and hit her on his stake, which was fixed on the bridge.
The body without a head was hidden in Tower and buried in one of the numerous basements of the fortress. Modern archaeologists have at the moment found in the dungeons of the fortification structure, which was previously the residence of monarchs, just over 1,500 skeletons without a head. Excavations still continue ... And how many remains will be found, it remains only to guess. The last execution in the London Tower took place in 1941, then a man was shot there, accused of espionage in favor of the fascist
In addition, the Tower was a prison, Heinrich VIII adapted him under the state treasury. Where else could you store values, as not in the impregnable and, at the same time, the most terrible place of England? In London Tower in the basements contained prisoners, and in other rooms gold was kept. Part of the premises was given to the masters that minted silver coins for Heinrich VIII. By the way, silver for coins was not mined at the mines, it was simply taken in the destroyed Roman Catholic monasteries: everything went into the move - both crosses and rims of icons, and the inlay of decorative elements of temples.
Queen House
London Tower - End of nightmares
All the horrors ended in Tower with the arrival of the King of John the landless, the monarch itself, who in Westminster Palace He signed the "Charter of Valibia", and marked the beginning of the parliamentary constitutional monarchy in England. John landless used the Tower for entertainment (of course, not, as Heinrich VIII and his son). Monarch, who gave part of the government to the Parliament, turned the Tower in the zoo! By the way, before the reign of John of the landless in the territory of the fortress contained animals, but it was this king that was expanded by the collection of fauna representatives, and Queen Elizabeth I allowed to observe the life of predators and herbivores ordinary people. The zoo on the territory of the London Tower existed until 1830!
London Tower - Memo Tourist
Modern Tower, as mentioned at the very beginning of the material, is an interesting museum. Some of its exhibits are delighted, but some cause an invalid trembling. Especially terribly becoming impressionable people from stone and an ax. The very stone, on which people sentenced to death were deprived of death.
New weapons chambers
The traveler led to the London Tower, representatives of the Palace Guardians will meet. By the way, it has existed since the 1475th year. It was her representatives who were injected into the Tower accused through the gate, called the "Gate of Trainers". Now, representatives of the Guardians of the Tower do not differ in aggressiveness, although there are always alert: we will remind, in the fortress the Crown of England is kept, the largest diamond in the world and even a huge amount of treasure. These treasures include a scepter decorated with precious stones and other regalia made for the most part of noble metals.
In addition to the fact that the Tower Guardian guards invaluable relics, some of its representatives can spend on the fortress, prison, a zoo, a mint, observatory and a museum of a fascinating tour. Make a photo of Tower, and even capture yourself next to the Terrible Guard - the dream of hundreds of thousands of tourists. By the way, all the guards of the Tower in London are called "bifira", which in translation into Russian, you can literally translate as "meatseed". This nickname to them was attached back in the 15th century: the people of England were starved, and the guardian who protected important prisoners and the state treasury was always fed. And not just fed: for breakfast, for lunch and for dinner, every member of the Tower Guardi received a huge piece of meat (non-disabilities for an ordinary town-dweller in those gloomy and harsh times). Representatives of the Tower Guardians who died of illness or from old age, and in our days buried in the pods of the chapel. In those most basements where one and a half thousand skeletons without skulls were found.
View of the Boschamba Tower
In addition to invaluable treasures, representatives of the Tower Guardians, the tourist will be able to personally see and get acquainted with other "bifters", however, covered. Those who know the story not only the Tower, but also of the Joint Kingdom, already probably understood that it is about birds. Only not about ordinary birds, but about the corners. Tower's crows are a symbol and it means it is not less for the country than a precious crown and a scepter. Since the time of torture and executions, these representatives of the feathers fell in love with Tower: they always had the opportunity to lock the eye from the severed head. Bird is common and even annoying and harmful. But at some point there was a legend that as soon as the Tower will leave the crows, the power of monarchs will fall forever and the entire United Kingdom will fall into the abyss. Even during the reign of Karl, the second was issued a decree that six (!) Ravens should always live on the territory of the Tower. Probably there is some kind of mysticism in this: according to Esotericov, Raven is a guide to the otherworldly dark world, and about the number 6, probably, and not to tell. Everyone knows well with which it is associated with. Nevertheless, in London, they believe in the legend and keep six black crows in Tower. So that they suddenly flew away, the wings are cut. Is there any point in this sense, it is difficult to say: a smart bird, and the crows are considered the most intelligent of all feathers, it is unlikely to leave the place where every day she gives 200 grams of fresh veal, and once a week "indulge" rabbits. Each raven has its name and pedigree! True, houses for birds in London Tower not six, but seven. In the seventh house lives a young Unnamed raven (so just in case). "Cases" have not yet happened: thanks to the excellent nutrition and the care of the Tower crows more than 200 years of years live!
The courtyard of the fortress
In the White Tower in interactive Museum The traveler is invited to personally test that the knight felt during the fight. In addition, the museum exposed a huge number of exhibits relating to different epochs and the lightning light on the gloomy history of the Tower - the main symbol of Great Britain. After visiting all the premises, it should be necessary to visit the Tower Hill, while the Hill itself, where leading death sentences. A memorial complex was built in the meadow, it represents a pillow placed on a glass round podium. She is slightly relying, as if someone lay on her. As it is not difficult to guess, it symbolizes people's decapitated here. By the way, next to this pillow is a stone on which the names of executed monarchs are carved and the date of their killing. Creepy, and at the same time beautiful place. Maybe the fear and beauty of the concepts are incompatible, but at the Tower Hill, oddly enough and not terribly sounded, you begin to understand that death, even a century, it became beautiful.
Death and Tower - like words synonyms: they became inseparable. For this reason, a huge number of ghosts live in Tower. Many of their appearances were recorded by authoritative scientists. There is even a huge collection of photos of the ghosts of the Tower made, for the most part, digital cameras.
Fragment of an ancient Roman wall
If you try to speak with any representative of the Tower Guardian about ghosts, you can immediately come across the "deaf wall of misunderstanding." It turns out that, without exception, the guards know the gifts, many of which are set up aggressively. Guardians are afraid to even remember meetings with them, so as not to bring the wrath of innocently killed.
Despite all these horrors, London Tower every year, according to statistics, visits more than 2.5 million people. For this reason, it is better to come to chief symbol The UK is early in the morning, then somehow you can get to the exhibits of the museum and take the photo of the courtyard, which in the Middle Ages was soaked in blood. In the afternoon in Tower, literally, do not turn around. Especially many people are going to prison fortress on October 31 to Halloween. Legends about ghosts do not give rest of youth, which is trying to do as big photo Tower to catch the ghost lens.
The tourist wants to visit the Tower not as part of the excursion group, but on his own, it will be best to use the subway. Tower's traffic jams are huge, and the entrance to the fortress is a treasurer paid. The metro station, on which it is necessary to go out and is called Tower Hill. To visit the museum and the main attractions of a foggy Albion, you will have to pay 11.5 pounds sterling.
Students and children are also allowed to the territory of the museum not for free: "Teenage ticket" costs 8, 75 pounds sterling, and "children's" - 7.5. Since the beginning of March and to Halloween, Tower is open from 9 am to 5 pm, and the rest of the year it closes at 4 pm. By the way, many say that such a Tower's work is associated with the onset of twilight. When the fortress windows are felt, there should no longer be tourists in its walls, because at this time the ghosts become the masters of a gloomy architectural structure.
London Tower (The Tower of London) is a fortress, today's historical center of London, located near the London Tower Bridge, was built even at the beginning of the eleventh century Wilhelm's conqueror.
Initially, it was a wooden structure, but already in the thirteenth century, Tower was rebuilt into a stone fortified castle, a complex used as a defensive citadel. At various times, the premises and the territory of the castle-fortress served both as a royal residence, and both prison, and as a mint, and even as a zoo. Tower, which has a strategic location on Thames, today looks like a serious military stronghold from twenty towers, interconnected by the walls of a significant thickness.
In Tower of Tower Of London), the royal dynasties of Britain were hiding in the most disturbing times, if there was dangerous palace in the Westminster Palace. Here they were kept in imprisonment (and some even executed) unwanted political opponents for the crown. The most famous tower of the London Tower is the White Tower.
London Tower, White Tower (White Tower)
This is the oldest part of the castle, which was built back in 1097. For a long time she was also considered the most high building In London (its height - 27.4 m (90 feet)). The walls of the White Tower have a thickness of 4.6 m. During the reign of Heinrich III, the tower facades were twisted and the name was fixed. The round turret of the White Tower has served as a observatory for a long time. The tower also has a beautiful chapel of the 11th century St. John of the Evangelist (Chapel of St John the Evangelist). Even in the White Tower there are two active historical expositions, which is included in the price of tickets on the London Tower: these are collections of the Royal Weapon Chamber and the 300-year-old exhibition of Line of Kings (line of kings).
Other Towers of the London Tower
In the thirteenth century, during the reign of Heinrich III, when the territory of the fortress was significantly expanded, two more defensive walls were built around. The inner wall has thirteen towers, the outer wall is six more. Basically, these towers were used as a prison for those who represented the danger of the royal monarchy.
The Bloody Tower (The Bloody Tower) is widely known among them, where many Officers of the Royal Blood of England have lost their heads. Among them are the most famous prisoners - two prince, the sons of the King Edward IV, sharpened by his father's brother, who was then to the throne under the name of King Richard III.
The Saint Thomas Tower, which is located near the bloody tower, is known that the prisoners were delivered on the boat, through the so-called traitor's gate.
The most important prisoners were often kept in the Boshamp (Beauchamp) tower, sometimes even with their personal servants. The inscription that preserved on the wall of this tower indicates that Lady Jane Gray was in the conclusion of Lady Jane Gray, who became the queen of England just nine days, then executed on the territory of Tower Green.
The popularity of the Green Tower (Tower Green) is explained by the fact that it has become a kind of memorial for executed or those killed by order of the state. The fulfillment of the death sentence in the walls of this tower or on the territory next to it meant the privilege: the execution procedure did not occur under the mockery of the idle crowd, and was performed in silence and solitude. The three queens are the most famous among those executed on the territory or near the territory of the Tower Green Memorial: Anna Bolein (at the age of about 30 years), the second wife of Henry VIII, killed by the orders of her husband because of the lack of children; Catherine Howard (aged 20), the fifth wife of Heinrich VIII and Lady Jane Gray (aged 16 years).
Thomas Ma who refused to recognize King Henry VIII by the head of the Anglican Church, was signed in Bella Tower. He was here until his execution on the orders of Heinrich VIII. For some time, even Queen Elizabeth I is imprisoned in the same tower.
Joman Warders Tower (Yeoman Warders)
To get to the London Tower through the main entrance, you will have to find the Bylard Tower Tower, where all guests meet bifira or yoman wardens (jailers). Nowadays, they not only guard the tower, but also conduct excursions through the fortress. Total bifuters have about 40 people. They wear historical clothes: on holidays - red, in ordinary blue. By the way, quite recently, the first woman was adopted for this position.
In the festive edition, which was devoted to the 900th anniversary of the foundation of the Tower, the Duke of Edinburgh wrote that the London Tower (from the English Tower) was a fortress, and a palace, was used as a repository of royal jewelry, and Arsenal, and the mint, and the observatory, and the zoo, and the state archive, and the place of execution of punishments, and the prison, especially for representatives of the highest class.
The official name of the London Tower is the palace of Her Highness and the fortress Tower London, but for the last time the rulers used this place as the palace at the time of the Board of King Yakov I (1566-1625). White tower, a square building with small turrets at the top of every corner, gave the name of the Tower as a whole. It is located in the center of the entire complex of several buildings located along the River Thames.
The history of Tower began in the XI century, when the Duke of the Normand Wilhelm began to "be" in the green British Islands (a conqueror known as Wilhelm). 1066 - he crossed his army through La Mans. On September 28, the Duke landed in Pesensi and immediately gave an order about the construction of the castle.
Two days later, he went to Hastings and laid another castle there. Over the next few years, Wilhelm and Norman barons covered all England with stone castles to keep the winsted country in obedience. Anglo-Saxons for a long time could not accept the authorities of the Inozers who spoke French, but resistance local residents No longer changed anything. The new page of England's history began.
Most of the Norman castles in those days had an artificial hill on which there were major fortifications. Tower has become a fortress of absolutely new type. Its territory, limited by the remnants of the Roman fortress wall, was without artificial embankments.
Norman Donts, to which the White Tower belongs, had particularly powerful walls, since initially Normans did not appreciate their castles with other defensive structures. The impressive belts of fortifications with bastions began to be built around the White Tower only in the XIII century after the British were familiar with the practice of the facilities of the castles in the East and in Continental Europe. That is why the thickness of the walls of the White Tower, which was built by two centuries earlier, reaches almost 4 meters!
Its dimensions are unusual and its size - 32.5 × 36 meters - at a height of 27 meters. It is inferior only to Denzhon in Kolchester (Essex County) and is one of the largest medieval donzhons in Western Europe.
In its configuration and layout of premises, the White Tower refers to a very rare group of donzhons, characteristic of England, and moreover only for the XI-XII centuries. She was built by the Norman Mason and the surrounding Anglo-Saxon chernobykh, apparently, on the project of Gandalf, Bishop Rochester. It was assumed that the London Tower will defend the river path from attacks, but first of all - to rise above the city and protect the ruling dynasty from citizens-Anglo-Saxons.
From the east and the south, the White Tower was protected by the old walls of the Roman city, and from the north and west - defensive pivans up to 7.5 meters wide and a depth of 3.4 meters, as well as earth fortifications with wooden frequencing on top.
The White Tower was completed only by half, when in 1087 her owner, Wilhelm the conqueror, died during hostilities on the continent. For many years it was completed with 13 towers. The tank names resemble the life of the fortress in those long-standing times, about gloomy events, with it related.
The Bloody Tower is according to legend, in it the Crown Princes, Children Eduard IV, when Richard III captured power. Bellol - here they beat in Nabat. Salt, well ... Huge Tower of St. Thomas, settled on the territory of the Thames, is the main "water gates" of the fortress. Through the gates of trains located under the tower, in Tower delivered its prisoners. The bell tower is one of the most famous fortress facilities. She was erected in the 1190s. For 500 years, evening ringing is heard - a sign for extinguishing light and fire, although the current bell was installed only in 1651
From the earliest times of the history of Tower near the bell tower there was a residence of constable. In the times of Tudor, when the protection of Tower Prisoners was laid on the deputy constable, the bell tower became the place of conclusion of the most important persons. There in 1554 contained Princess Elizabeth, the future Queen Elizabeth I. For 2 months, it was interrogated, since she was suspected of a conspiracy against his consolidated sister Mary I.
Sir Thomas Mor, the former Kingdom Chancellor, the author of the famous Roman "Utopia", was sharpened in the bell tower on April 17, 1534 for refusal to recognize Henry VIII head of the Anglican Church instead of Pope. Was executed at Tower Hill July 6, 1535
In the House of Queen (the White Building, decorated with black wood near the bloody tower) lives the commandant of the London Tower. Many high-ranking prisoners lived here. 1605 - in the Chamber of the Council on the upper floor, before and after torture, the Guy Fox was interrogated, accused of participating in the powder conspiracy against Yakov I. Later, Guy Fox was executed.
One prisoner of the Queen's house was able to escape on the eve of his execution. It was the Scottish Count Nitsdale, captured after the defeat of the uprising of the Jacobites, who tried to overthrow George I. He escaped, grating himself under the woman and changing into women's clothing, transferred to his wife. The last prisoner of the Queen's house was the Personal Secretary of Hitler and his deputy in the party Rudolf Gess, who was here for 4 days in May 1941
If we take into account all the above, it would be strange if there was no harness in Tower and did not tell legends about him. Black crows are not only one of the main legends, but also an important symbol of the fortress. It is known for certain that the first raven appeared in the castle in 1553 in the days of the "Nine-day Queen" Jane Gray. It was then that for the first time and sounded the famous "Vivat!", Foreshadowing the bad news, - Gray executed.
But the iconic crows were in the times of Queen Elizabeth, by order of which her favorite Duke Essex for the raised riot was enclosed in a prison chamber. During the expectation of the sentence, a huge black raven knocked at the Duke Camera window and, looking at Essays's eyes, shouted three times "Vivat!". Duke's relatives who visited the relatives of the bad omen, they, in turn, were separated by a culmina throughout London - the sad outcome was obvious to everyone. A few days later, the Duke Essex subjected to cruel execution. This legend lived for several centuries - Raven was doomed to the scaffold, while the fortress did not lose the status of the royal prison and did not become a museum.
Since that time, whole dynasty of the crows were settled on the territory of the castle, and their lives in the Tower took a lot of legends. So, one of them lives to this day: the Tower and the entire British Empire will collapse, as soon as the crows leave him.
It may be because in the XVII century, the King of Karl II issued a decree, which states that six black ravens should live in the castle. To follow this was appointed a special guardian guardian of the crows, the duties of which included the full content of birds. This tradition exists in now.
Since then, practically nothing has changed: 7 black crows (one - spare) live in remarkable conditions in the fortress in spacious avoices. For the content of the crows every year, the state allocates a solid budget. Thanks to the excellent nutrition, "Tower Keepers" rather reused. In their everyday diet, about 200 grams of fresh meat and blood biscuits are included, besides that, once a week, eggs are relying eggs, pair meat rabbit and fried croutons.
Each raven has its name and temper: Boldrick, Municipal, Tor, Gugogin, Guvlum and Branvin. Evaluate the importance of black crows in the history of Tower often managed to scientists and restorers, in the most unexpected places in the vintage nests of birds. In one of these nests, discovered discovery of new legends and hypotheses were relatively noted. The hands of the historians were the bracelet with the initials of that very Jane Gray, the hairpin Elizabeth Tudor and a glass with the coat of arms of Essex.
London is considered almost the main world capital in the number of ghosts. According to the stories of the inhabitants, there you can meet the ghosts of kings and their approximations everywhere. The exception did not and the Tower, during the existence of which a lot of secrets accumulated and scenes of bloodshed.
One of the often described ghosts is considered the ghost of King George II, who died from a heart attack in anticipation of important documents from Germany. According to testimony, in the windows of the castle, you can often observe the unfortunate face of George II, looking for a look at the weather.
Available a large number of Certificates of the meeting with the ghost of the behead, carrying his head under the arm. She was executed for the fact that she did not give birth to the king of the Son. To get rid of her and get married again, the king accused her in the heavily and treason. Anna Bolein belongs to the words: "The king is so kind to me. Initially, he made me a maid. After the maid, I made marquis. From the marquise made the queen, and now from the queen makes me the holy Great Martyr! " This woman died without torment and with a calm heart.
Her head did not take it to everyone who demanded the custom of those times. She was put under the right hand of the executed and, together with the body, were placed in a forged chest, then Nasteched in Tower under the floor of the Capella of Saints Peter and Venkula. According to eyewitnesses, the execution of the wife of King Heinrich VIII was noticed in different parts of the castle, more often she met the fortress walking around the park.
Another legend claims that during a long time along the corridors of the castle wandered the ghost of the killed archbishop of Thomas Baketa. Executed in England the oldest ghost disappeared only after the grandson of the Killer Henry III built a chapel in the walls of the fortress.
The ghosts of children were repeatedly seen in Tower - the killed 12-year king Eduard V and his 9-year-old brother Richard. "Little Princes", as they called, closed in white robes, holding hands, silently walk along the corridors of the castle.
Another famous ghost is Walter Rayley's navigator, who was twice imprisoned for participation in the conspiracy and eventually devoted to a public execution.
The most frightened vision, according to eyewitnesses, is the scene of the execution of the Countess Salisbury. Margaret Paul, Countess Salisbury, was executed in 1541. This elderly lady (she was for 70) suffered because her son Cardinal Paul had religious doctrines of Heinrich VIII and even did something in the interests of France. When the king realized that he did not get the cardinal, he ordered him to execute his mother.
Countess escaped from the hands of the executioner and with terrible curses ran around the scaffold. The executioner was chased after her, having strikes with an ax. Wound, she fell and executed. This vision often appears before eyewitnesses at the very place on which the scaffold was located.
The ministers of the fortress claim that the spectacle can be observed every year on the day of execution - the image of the Countess and the executioner clearly visible, wild screams are heard, after the decapitation of all the visions disappear and dead silence comes.
Ghosts have never seen in main Tower Tower. There is a legend that during the construction of the tower in the XI century, an animal was brought to the expulsion of evil spirits. In confirmation of this during repair work in XIX century In the wall laying, the cat's skeleton was discovered.
How many more secrets keep the London Tower, it remains only to guess, but it is clear that the next legends of the main royal prison will be revealed and confirm and confirm.
Despite this, about 100 people continue to live in the castle, and almost 200 each day they come to the fortress to work, and among them another symbol of the London Tower - "free yomen", bifirates, the guard of the royal fortress.
