A dazzling history of the Tower of London, one of the world's busiest tourist attractions, and the people who populated it. Castle, royal palace, prison, torture chamber, execution site, zoo, mint, home to the crown jewels, armory, record office, observatory, and the most visited tourist attraction in the UK: The Tower of London has been all these things and more. No building in Britain has been more intimately involved in the island's story than this mighty, brooding stronghold in the very heart of the capital, a place which has stood at the epicenter of dramatic, bloody and frequently cruel events for almost a thousand years. Now historian Nigel Jones sets this dramatic story firmly in the context of national—and international—events. In a gripping account drawn from primary sources and lavishly illustrated with sixteen pages of stunning photographs, he captures the Tower in its many changing moods and its many diverse functions. Here, for the first time, is a thematic portrayal of the Tower of london not just as an ancient structure, but as a living symbol of the nation of Great Britain.

The Tower of London holds almost a thousand years' worth of secrets! The Tower of London draws more than 2 million visitors a year! Almost 1,000 years old and first built by William the Conqueror in 1066, the tower has been a fortress, a palace, a zoo, and an exhibit site for the amazing Crown Jewels. But the tower's reputation as a prison is probably what accounts for its popularity! Two young princes in the time of King Richard III were never again heard from after entering the castle, and two of King Henry VIII's wives were held captive here. Author Janet B. Pascal brings to life one of the most fascinating landmarks in the world.

A history of the building itself, told through the stories of the people, royal and common, good and bad, heroes and villains, who lived and died there. This book presents a microcosm of human experience, from love and death to greed and betrayal, all played out against romantic period settings ranging from medieval knights to the days of World War Two.

Explores the Tower's grand history with beautiful illustrations.