Secrets of the Tower of London

The Tower of London, it’s near about 1,000 years, has been standing up on the River Thames. Actually designed as a castle for William the Conqueror in 1078, it’s hardly a cozy palace like Buckingham or Kensington. on the centuries it build, a stone wall was erected around the gleaming Caen stone residence, and later a moat. An extra wall and series of towers rose up around the complex, making the tower virtually impenetrable by 1350

At the time of the Tudor Dynasty, the Tower of London gained its scandalous reputation as a torture chamber. While the residence functioned as a state prison, it was also where Henry VIII imprisoned two of his six wives (Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard) and where schemer Guy Fawkes was tortured and executed. Even the Duke of Gloucester, best known as Richard III, is said to have held captive and murdered his nephews, 12-year-old Prince Edward and his younger brother, 9-year-old Richard. Skeletons found beneath a staircase in the tower in the 1600’s are thought to be those of the two young royals. it’s become the British myth. The tower of London is not only the sign of execution or death of humanity but also the sign of cruelty of British emperor.

According to say, 22 total executions took place at the Tower of London and that’s the reason dark and bloody reputation precedes the historic site. Today, tourist to London flock here in droves to see the Crown Jewels, and the display of antique suits of armor (like Charles I’s gilt, gold leaf-armor) at the Line of Kings: the world’s longest-running tourist attraction, which dates back to 1688.

Royal treasure isn’t the only thing hidden inside the Tower of London. For more surprising facts and well-kept secrets, read on.

The ravens are the Tower’s mentors

Charles II insisted that the resident ravens—six in total, plus one spare—should be protected. He believe that if the ravens go away than the kingdom London tower will be destroyed. So, he obey the ravens as the guardian of Tower. Finally he started to worship the raven. there is also a reason some of prediction by a nun has been fulfill centered by the ravens.

It saves $32 billion worth of treasure

You know that time British role the hold world and there is proverb that “British sun never set” The dazzling Crown Jewels—a priceless collection of historic ceremonial objects—have been on display since the 17th century. Among the most prized items is the Star of Africa, a single diamond worth $400 million, and the Imperial Crown, which sits protected in a bullet-proof glass case, and is embedded with exactly 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds and 5 rubies.

It was as deadly as it sounds

This tower has the infamous tales of torture, Where 22 people were executed inside the Tower’s walls. Josef Jakobs, a German spy, was the last person to be killed on the property. He was shot by a firing squad on August 15, 1941.

Animals once called the Tower home

Before the Tower was a prison, it was a zoo for exotic animals. Founded by King John as a royal menagerie in 1210, the gallery’s various residents included lions, ostrich, elephants, and even a polar bear snatched from Antarctica. Supposedly, the poor creature hunted fish in the River Thames.

A sorcerer was imprisoned in the 1500’s

One of the tower’s more unusual inmates was an innkeeper from Bristol named Hew Draper. This being the 1500s, authorities incarcerated Draper for the gravest offense: sorcery. Evidence of his occult practices can still be seen today in the Salt Tower, where Draper left a cryptic astrological sphere, labeled with the twelve zodiac signs, inscribed on the stone wall of his cell.

credit: www.travelandleisure.com