Tower of London

known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle

on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the square mile of the City of London by the open space known as Tower Hill.

founded towards the end of 1066 as part of the

Norman Conquest of England. The White Tower, which gives the entire castle its name, was built by William the Conqueror in 1078, and was a resented symbol of oppression, inflicted upon London by the new ruling elite.

There were several phases of expansion, mainly under Kings Richard the Lionheart, Henry III, and Edward I in the 12th and 13th centuries. The general layout established by the late 13th century remains despite later activity on the site.

of the Princes in the Tower.
Despite its enduring reputation as

a place of torture and death, popularised by 16th-century religious propagandists and 19th-century writers, only seven people were executed within the Tower before the World Wars of the 20th century.

country's most popular tourist attractions. Under the ceremonial charge of

the Constable of the Tower, it is cared for by the charity Historic Royal Palaces and is protected as a World Heritage Site.

(also known as a donjon), which was often the strongest

structure in a medieval castle, and contained lodgings suitable for the lord – in this case the king or his representative. According to military historian Allen Brown, "The great tower [White Tower] was also, by virtue of its strength, majesty and lordly accommodation, the donjon par excellence". As one of the largest keeps in the Christian world, the White Tower has been described as "the most complete eleventh-century palace in Europe"

reign of Henry III

unknown, although the lions were kept in the barbican known

as Lion Tower.The royal collection was swelled by diplomatic gifts including three leopards from Frederick III, the Holy Roman Emperor. By the 18th century, the menagerie was open to the public; admission cost three half-pence or the supply of a cat or dog to be fed to the lions.

for treason against Henry VIII, allegedly haunts the chapel of

St Peter ad Vincula, where she is buried, and has been said to walk around the White Tower carrying her head under her arm.

and the Princes in the Tower.