The Tower of London

The ancient Tower of London is on the north bank of the Thames, next to Tower Bridge. It was started by Willian the Conqueror who invaded Britain in 1066. he built the Tower to impress and frighten the English.

It was once a prison for enemies of the king. People say the ghost of the men and women who died in the Tower still walk here at night. There are many buildings here, but the most important is the White Tower, which is the oldest. Its walls are thirty metres high. There’s also a jewel House which contains the famous Crown Jewels.

The men who guard the Tower and the Crown Jewels are the Beefeaters. They can tell you everything about its history. Their clothes are the uniform of royal guards of the year 1500.

As well as Beefeaters, other soldiers guard the Tower are guardsmen of regiment of foot soldiers- the same regiment that guards Buckingham Palace. And they have their own ceremony on Tower Green.

Sometimes you can see another regiment firing its guns. This happens on special occasions, like a royal birthday. Today the Tower no longer frightens Londoners, but the guns sometimes frighten visitors!