In the book, devoted to 900 anniversary of the Tower, the Duke of Edinburgh, wrote that "in its history, the Tower of London and was a fortress and palace, and royal jewelry store, and an arsenal and a mint and a prison, and an observatory, and a zoo, and a place that attracts tourists. " First, the royal family lived in a highly secure White Tower, the thickness of the walls of which reaches I5 feet. The so-called "gate traitors", leading to the river, reminiscent of the past, when before they were famous prisoners sentenced to death. Among the prisoners were Sir Walter Raleigh, who spent 13 years in the Tower, and Queen Anne Boleyn. But the future Queen Elizabeth 1 was released and crowned. Judging by the documentary evidence of the sufferings of the prisoners in the days of the Reformation mistreatment became the norm. A collection of royal jewelry was dismantled, but with the return of the monarchy Stuart revived the original idea of the museum in memory of the military achievements of the King and country. In 1834. royal menagerie was moved to the zoo, and the Tower Ravens were left alone. 

Today, the Tower, which already is neither a palace nor a prison, retained traditional features, ranging from clothing Beefeater (soldiers guard) to the Tower of ceremonies. Most of the royal jewels back to the period after the English republic, but some ancient articles relate to an earlier time, and used during the sacred moments of the coronation. Among them, a spoon, which probably dates to the end HIIv?? and the sacred vessel, which may have used at the coronation of Henry IV at 1399g. Edward Crown weighing about 5 pounds was made in the 1661g. for the coronation of Charles 11, Crown Victoria (1838g.) is decorated with a ruby "Black Prince". Tower Bridge was built in 1894 in Gothic style. For its construction had been spent in excess of 1 million pounds, and since then it was diluted with about 1 million times to skip the crust Bley. People were allowed to visit the bridge since 1982. On the bridge, engine room arranged with hydraulic equipment that survived after the electrification of 1976., Item management, and exhibitions. Visitors can go to the other side of the footpath between the two towers, Dock St. Catherine, located on an area of 23 arkov between Tower and London's docks attract visitors with its collection of historic ships, Dickens Inn hotel, new shops and yacht harbor. "Belfast", a powerful British cruiser of the Second World War, is moored in the river. Already in the 20s HIHv. Docks were crowded with foreign ships trading with ivory, marble, wool, rubber, tea and wine, but because Larger ships were moored in the estuary, docks and warehouses fell into disrepair. Today flourish here the Twin Towers and the hotel "Tower Tistl."