Tower of London
A Norman fortress that has been a palace, an armoury, a mint and a prison, and still holds the Crown Jewels. Arrive at opening or the jewels become a moving queue.
Nine hundred years of use, not display
William the Conqueror began the White Tower to hold London down, and almost every century since has added to it or repurposed it: royal palace, arsenal, treasury, mint, menagerie, prison and place of execution. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it is still a working institution with a garrison and residents. That layering is what makes it worth three hours rather than one — you are not looking at a castle preserved at a moment, you are looking at one that never stopped being used.
Explore Tower of London on the map
City locations, drawn from our published destination data. Attractions, hotels and restaurants are not mapped yet.
What to see
The Crown Jewels are the headline; the fortress is the visit.
👑 The Crown Jewels
- The working regalia of the monarchy, seen from a moving walkway that does not stop
- The queue is shortest in the first hour and by mid-morning it is long
🏰 The fortress
- The White Tower, the Norman keep at the centre, with the Line of Kings armour collection
- The Medieval Palace and the wall walk between the towers
- Tower Green, the scaffold site, and the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula
🐦⬛ The traditions
- The ravens, which are resident and have keepers
- The Yeoman Warder tours, included and led by the residents themselves
Getting there
On the north bank beside Tower Bridge, and very well connected.
🚇 Underground
- Tower Hill on the District and Circle lines is two minutes away
- London Bridge is a ten-minute walk across the river
🚢 By river
- River boat services stop at Tower Pier, which is the pleasant arrival from Westminster
When to go
The Crown Jewels queue is the whole reason to be early.
🕰️ Time of day
- At opening, going straight to the jewels and doing the fortress afterwards
- Late afternoon works in winter but the site closes earlier
📅 Season
- School holidays and summer weekends are the fullest
- Winter weekdays are genuinely quiet
⏱️ How long
- Three hours with a Yeoman Warder tour; two if you skip it
Worth knowing
The order you do things in decides the day.
🎟️ Order of play
- Jewels first, then the White Tower, then the walls — reversing that means queueing
- The Yeoman Warder tours are included and are the best introduction; they run frequently
📷 Photography
- Not permitted in the Jewel House; permitted almost everywhere else
👟 Practical
- Cobbles and spiral stairs throughout; the wall walk is not step-free
👨👩👧 With children
- The armour in the White Tower and the ravens hold attention better than the regalia
Nearby
Within a short walk or one stop.
Frequently asked
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