Tower of London

The Tower of London was one of the things I was looking forward to most in London, and even more so after attending the Ceremony of the Keys the night before. English history is one of my biggest interests, and there's so much history in this place that it's mind-boggling. The innermost White Tower is Norman and has been standing since 1080--it's nearly 700 years older than my country! Any building would see a lot in that amount of time, but the fact that the Tower was a royal building means that the number of significant events that have taken place in its walls increases exponentially. From royal residence to prison, it's seen over 100 executions--including those of two English queens (three if you count Lady Jane Grey...). Maybe I look a little too happy to be in a place with such a violent history, but I couldn't contain it--I was in my element.

The tower's seven ravens are a superstitious necessity; according to tradition, Charles II insisted that they be protected after receiving a warning that if the ravens ever left the tower, the monarchy would fall. (Technically only six ravens are required, but better to be safe than sorry, right?)

Intricate carvings are found throughout the Tower's rooms--it helped prisoners pass the time. Some are heraldic, some religious, and some just strange. One prisoner, Hew Draper, was accused of sorcery; he proceeded to make multiple astrological carvings, which likely didn't help his case much. 

We spent the better part of the day in the Tower, and ate lunch in the New Armouries Cafe. If we didn't have other things on our itinerary, we could have easily spent a whole day exploring every nook and cranny. I'm not typically one for touristy spots, but some are popular for a reason and the Tower is definitely one of them. I would go back in a heartbeat. Anyone up for a trip? :)