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Tower
of London |
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Our
top priority in London was seeing the Crown Jewels, so we hurried over to
the
Tower of London to see the Jewels.
Founded in the 11th
century, the Tower of London has been the setting for many great events
during its 900-year history as a royal palace and fortress, prison and place
of execution, arsenal, mint, menagerie and jewel house. Now it’s also home
to Ted’s Fish and Chips! Yum! (we ate there twice!) |
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| Looking
across the grassy "moat" inside the outer walls. River Thames is
behind the buildings. |
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(1) Middle Tower
(2) Byward Tower
(3) Bell Tower
(4) Traitor's Gate
(5) St. Thomas's Tower
(6) Bloody Tower
(7) Wakefield T.
(8) White Tower
(9) Chapel of St. John the Evangelist
(10) Queen's House
(11) Gaoler's House
(12) Tower Green
(13) Block (site)
(14) Beauchamp T.
(15) Royal Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula
(16) Waterloo Barracks
(17) Jewel House
(18) Oriental Gallery |
(19) Devereux Tower
(20) Flint Tower
(21) Bowyer Tower
(22) Brick Tower
(23) Martin Tower
(24) Regimental Museum
(25) Former Hospital
(26) Workshop
(27) Constable T.
(28) Broad Arrow Tower
(29) Salt Tower
(30) Lanthorn T.
(31) Cradle Tower
(32) Well Tower
(33) Develin T.
(34) Brass Mount
(35) Legge's Mount
(36) Tower Wharf
(36) Tower Wharf
(37) Queen's Stair |
| Tower map (from
Planetware) |
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We
were amazed that the Jewel House was completely empty (of people) when we
got there. There is a people-mover sidewalk in front of the jewel cases to
keep the crowd moving, but since there was no one there we were able to keep
going around and around to see the jewels repeatedly. It was fascinating to
learn that the British monarchs were quite practical and frugal with their
jewels. Not surprisingly, the major gems were re-used from crown to
crown. In some cases, the jewels were rented for the crowns. In one
case, the queen put her own jewels into the crown because she didn't feel
happy wearing rented jewels.
Mom
wanted a souvenir there, but I made her keep her hands in her pockets!
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Tower Bridge |
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Tower Bridge has stood over the River Thames in London since 1894. It
is one of the most easily recognizable bridges in the world. It is 880
feet long, with the longest single span being 200 feet. |
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Tower Bridge
(from the south side of the Thames) |
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Tower Bridge
(from the north side of the Thames) |
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By the
end of the 19th century, the city of London had outgrown itself. Thousands
of cars and pedestrians relied on a single bridge -- the London Bridge -- to
travel in and out of the capital city each day. The traffic jams were
unbearable. So it was with great anticipation that Londoners awaited the
completion of a new bridge across the Thames, the Tower Bridge. Once the
bridge was completed in 1894, however, the public was appalled with the
results. The architect’s original design was simple and had a medieval
style. But he died in 1887, and a later architect added his own artistic
touch. When the Tower Bridge opened to traffic in 1894, the journal The
Builder cursed the bridge, calling it "the most monstrous and
preposterous architectural sham that we have ever known." But public opinion
mellowed over time, and today, the Tower Bridge is one of London's best
loved landmarks. |
| Mom on the bridge |
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