Things to see at the Tower of London
When you hear “Tower of London,” you might imagine something like the Eiffel Tower. The official name of the Tower of London is “His (Her) Majesty's Royal Palace and FortressPalace and Fortress（His (Her) Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London)”. It may be clearer to call it “London Castle”.
The castle built along the River Thames surrounds the central White Tower with several towers and walls. As you tour the buildings, you can trace how its role changed throughout history from royal palace to fortress and prison.
William 1, known as William the Conqueror, conquered England in the 11th century and built the Tower of London to rule the people of London. The White Tower, which corresponds to a castle keep, was completed in 1078. Through the end of the 13th century, repeated expansions, including massive defensive walls and a moat, transformed it into a fortress.
Afterward, the Tower of London also begins to serve asa prison and execution site. In the 16th century, Henry 8's political opponents and others who incurred his displeasure were sent one after another to the Tower of London. His 2nd wife, Anne Boleyn, was beheaded on charges including conspiring to assassinate the king, adultery, incest, and witchcraft. It is said that the restless spirit of Anne Boleyn appears at the Tower of London.
The Tower of London also has a unique history as a royal menagerie (Royal Menagerie). It is said to have begun in the 13th century, when King John kept large animals such as lions. For a long time, it was entertainment reserved exclusively for the nobility, but it was opened to the general public in the 18th century. It is now closed, but statues of animals recalling what it was like at the time have been placed throughout the Tower of London.
It is also known as the setting of Natsume Soseki's short story “The Tower of London.” In the work, Soseki writes, “The history of the Tower of London is the history of England in concentrated form.”
White Tower
This is the central building of the Tower of London. It corresponds to the castle’s keep.
Seen from a distance across the River Thames, the building looks like a simple symmetrical structure, but in reality its appearance changes considerably depending on the viewing angle. The part projecting prominently toward the front is St John's Chapel.
Line of Kings
Statues of an English king and a horse wearing highly ornate armor are on display.
It can also look as though the Japanese imperial chrysanthemum crest is on the horse’s head. It is purely coincidental.
Henry 8. The ornament known as a codpiece, used to conceal the male genitals, immediately draws the eye. The unnecessarily large codpiece may have expressed his self-esteem.
This is James 2, King of England, also known as James 7, King of Scotland. The carved lion represents England, while the unicorn represents Scotland.
This dragon sculpture was made by combining parts of suits of armor.
Japanese samurai armor is also on display.
St John's Chapel
Inside the White Tower is a special space that projects outward like a sunroom. The substantial arches are made of Caen stone from France.
Wakefield Tower
Various types of horrifying torture instruments are on display. By viewing how they worked together with the photographs, you can trace the Tower of London’s history as a prison and place of interrogation in concrete terms.
It seems that both the hands and feet were tied with ropes and pulled in opposite directions.
Traitors' Gate
In Natsume Sōseki’s novel The Tower of London, it is referred to as “Rebels’ Gate.”
The prisoners crossed the River Thames by boat and entered the Tower of London through Traitors’ Gate. In “The Tower of London,” the River Thames is compared to the Sanzu River.
Jewel House
The Crown Jewels, the treasures of the British royal family, are displayed here, including the 530-carat Cullinan I diamond.
Ravens
Ravens are generally seen as unwelcome birds, but that is not the case at the Tower of London.
In the 17 century, a fortune-teller tells Charles 2 that if the ravens disappear from the Tower of London, the tower will collapse and the kingdom will fall.
Since then, the ravens have been carefully protected by the Ravenmaster.
It says, “The ravens eat 170g of raw meat in 1 day, plus bird biscuits soaked in blood (The ravens eat 170g of raw meat a day plus bird biscuits soaked in blood.).”
Animal statues
The Tower of London has a history as a royal menagerie. The animal statues convey what it was like at the time.
The royal menagerie is said to have begun in the 13th century, when King John kept lions and other animals.
A polar bear chained up. It was an era when neither concern for animal welfare nor laws protecting animals existed.
Immediately south of the Tower of London is Tower Bridge, another of London's iconic tourist attractions.
The changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace is famous, but you can see it at the Tower of London too. The scale is not comparable, though.
Red telephone boxes are one of London’s icons, but the Tower of London has a chic black one.
Basic information about the Tower of London
The information below was checked against official sources on October 11, 2026. Please also check the latest information on the official website when planning your trip.
- 🔗 Official website
- Visitor information is available on the official Historic Royal Palaces website.
リンク先を開く（hrp.org.uk）www.hrp.org.uk
- 📍 Address
- Tower of London, London, EC3N 4AB
- 🕒 Opening hours
- Hours vary by date. On October 11, 2026, it is open from 10:00 to 17:30, with last entry at 16:30.⚠️ Parts of the buildings or routes may be closed because of conservation work or events.
- 🚫 Closing days
- Closures for individual dates are listed in the official calendar. The Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula may be closed because it is used as a local chapel.
- 💶 Admission fees
-
- Adults (18–64 years) £38.00／including donation £41.80
- Children (5–15 years) £19.00／including donation £21.00. Must be accompanied by an adult.
- Ages 16–17 £19.00／including donation £21.00
- Ages 65 and over・full-time students aged 18 and over・disability discount £30.30／including donation £33.40. Students need a valid student ID, and visitors using the disability discount need to provide supporting documents.
- Ages 0–4・eligible adult carers and companions Free. Carer tickets are for companions accompanying visitors using a disability discount ticket.
- 🎫 Tickets
- Tickets can be purchased online in advance or at the ticket office on the day. Advance booking is recommended. Admission includes public areas such as the Crown Jewels and White Tower, plus the Yeoman Warder tour when spaces are available.⚠️ Tickets are valid for 1 entry only and do not allow re-entry.
- ⏱️ Time required
- The official website recommends at least 2 hours, or 2–3 hours to explore the highlights in detail.⚠️ Visit duration varies depending on the wait for the Crown Jewels, participation in the Yeoman Warder tour, and changes to the areas open to the public.
Getting to the Tower of London
Tower Hill Station From Tower Hill Station to the Tower of London, it is approximately a 5-minute walk according to the official information.
Tower Hill station is served by the Circle Line and the District Line.
According to the official access information, it takes about 5 minutes to walk from Tower Hill station to the entrance. If you use a river boat on the Thames, you can use Tower Pier, which is next to the entrance. There is no parking on the grounds, so if you are driving, check nearby parking and the day's traffic restrictions before setting out.
Details about public transportation, boats, and parking can be found in the following official information.
The related guide “ロンドン：観光スポット・グルメ・交通・モデルコースを解説” is currently available only in Japanese.
