TOWER OF LONDON

It's one of London's most popular monuments (around 2 million visitors every year) and a must-see if you want to understand London's history. If you have to visit only one monument during your stay, this may well be it. The visit, both inside and out, is very pleasant and offers beautiful views of the Thames quays, Tower Bridge... The Tower of London evokes the glorious but also sinister and bloody history of Britain's past. It was built in the ^11th century by William the Conqueror to ensure the capital's security, but above all to command the respect of the English people. It was built on the ancient Roman fortifications that can be seen during the tour. The original wooden palace has not stood the test of time, unlike the White Tower, built in 1077 and used as a royal residence and fortress until the ^17th century. Surrounded by a 3.60 m-wide moat, an impenetrable enclosure commanded by 12 towers and a barbican protecting the drawbridges, the tower is an ideal prison. This has been amply demonstrated. The executioners were not idle during the War of the Two Roses, nor during the reign of Henry VIII, two of whose six wives were beheaded here. This medieval fortress is made up of towers and buildings dating from different centuries. The oldest and most splendid, the White Tower, houses the arms and armour collections, including a room specializing in tournament armour. The"Armoury in action" room will appeal to the youngest visitors, as they can virtually practice becoming gunners or archers. St John's Chapel, on the second floor, is the oldest church in London (circa 1080). It served as a place of worship for kings and queens for 900 years, and is still used as a chapel for all Tower staff. The Bloody Tower inherited its name after Edward IV's two sons, aged 10 and 13, disappeared there in 1483. They may have been murdered on the orders of their uncle, Richard of Gloucester (later to become the Richard III immortalized by Shakespeare), to prevent them from ever claiming the throne. At the bottom of St Thomas' Tower, the famous Traitors' Gate overlooks the Thames. Prisoners would enter and never leave. Beauchamp Tower, often used as a prison, still bears the inscriptions of prisoners on its walls. The tower is still guarded by Yeomen Warders, also known as Beefeaters, who still wear the dark-blue, red-edged uniforms of the Tudor era. For commemorative events, they don a similar costume, but in the scarlet color so popular with tourists. The tower has not been used as a prison for a century, although Nazi Rudolf Hess was incarcerated in Gaoler's House in May 1941. The place remains, however, a stronghold for priceless crown jewels . Be warned: you'll have to queue again to get into the jewels section. Most of the old jewels were melted down or sold by Cromwell. The Imperial State Crown, made in 1838 for Queen Victoria, contains no fewer than 3,000 precious stones, including a huge ruby worn by Henry V at the Battle of Azincourt. The Queen Mother's crown is adorned with the fabulous Kohinoor diamond (109 carats) and the Royal Sceptre is topped by the world's largest ever cut diamond (516.5 carats). It is said that this diamond was sent to England by post, as this was the best way to avoid attracting attention... You are unlikely to linger too long in front of the jewels, as conveyor belts prevent you from stopping for long periods in front of the showcases. As you glide along, the jewels pass before your eyes, astonished by such modern scenography. For centuries, the Tower of London has also been home to exotic animals - lions, polar bears and monkeys - symbols of British power. In 1832, they were set free. Today, an interactive exhibition brings them back within these walls, recreating the royal menagerie virtually. The tour is punctuated by numerous panels on which French is always to be found.

The ravens of the Tower of London. Although visitors are asked to leave at the end of the day, the Tower of London has been home to certain guests for centuries: crows. The story goes that King Charles II wanted to get rid of these birds because the astronomer John Flamsteed complained about their troublesome presence. However, he was told that the day the crows left, the tower and the British monarchy would collapse. Since then, they have become a symbol of the monarchy and its good health. They are therefore well cared for. To avert disaster, Charles II decided to keep six ravens inside the tower at all times. To make sure they didn't escape, he had their wings trimmed. Today, there are still seven ravens in the Tower of London, each with its own name, which a ravenmaster is responsible for watching over and feeding. Their cages can be seen in front of the White Tower. Despite this surveillance, in 1981 Grog escaped and was last seen outside an East End pub. Other crows, however, had to be dismissed for misconduct. In 1986, the raven George was dismissed because of his repeated attacks on TV aerials. He was placed in a zoo, and the following announcement was made: "This Saturday, September 13, 1986, Raven George, engaged in 1975, has been placed at Welsh Mountain Zoo. Unsatisfactory conduct. His services are no longer required." In 1996, two more ravens were dismissed for their aggressiveness towards visitors. Ravens can live to a ripe old age. The oldest to live at the Tower of London is Jim Crow, who died at the age of 44. They are one of the Tower of London's most famous attractions and are always meticulously cared for, their good health being the guarantee that the British monarchy will live and endure. Their size is impressive, and they can even be a little scary. They are now free to fly around the Tower of London, but still have a few of their wing feathers clipped as a sign of appreciation. The guardians of the monarchy are not to be lost! They are pampered and fed twice a day by Master Raven. They eat a special diet of mice, chicks, rats and assorted raw meats. They eat over 170g of raw meat a day! As a special treat, they receive blood-soaked cookies.

Every day at the Tower of London, the ceremony of the Keys takes place. The ritual has remained unchanged for 700 years. At 9:50 p.m. sharp, Chief Yeoman Warder, in full regalia, a candlestick in one hand and the Tower keys in the other, makes his way to the Traitors Gate, where an escort of guards awaits. One of them holds the candlestick while the Chief closes the gate. They proceed in this way to the gates of each tower. Finally, they head for the Bloody Tower, where the guard shouts:

"Who goes there?

- The keys.

- What keys?

- King Charles' keys."

They are then granted passage. When the main guard greets him, the Chief replies, " God Save the King ". He then deposits the keys at King's House while the retreat is sounded. This old-fashioned spectacle is reminiscent of a Shakespeare play, which is performed outdoors and has been sold out for many years. To attend the Keys Ceremony (it's free), write at least two months in advance to Ceremony of the Keys Office, Tower of London, EC3N 4AB, stating your name, the date you wish to attend and the number of people (no more than 6 in summer, 15 in winter), enclosing a stamped envelope or international reply coupon.