Comment on Tower of London
It's recognisable around the world. A symbol of strength which in parts is approaching 1,000 years old.
Comment on Tower of London posted 2007-03-30 by Stephen Cook from Bristol
Comment on Tower of London
The clue is in the first few words: "Built by William the Conqueror...". It must've been the Green Zone of its day, the heavily fortified refuge for the swaggering invaders after each day of theft, repression and violence. We've successfully resisted invaders for 940 years. The spoor of the last one we failed to resist might be notable, but it certainly isn't iconic.
Comment on Tower of London posted 2006-08-07 by Mark Iliff from Caversham
Comment on Tower of London
The Tower of London is a World Heritage Site, visited by millions of people every year. It is one of the most fascinating and complex of historic sites, with an extraordinary wealth of buildings and archaeology, as well as personal and social associations. William the Conqueror's White Tower stands at the centre of all this, literally and figuratively. It is iconic in its own right, an instantly recognisable emblem for the whole of the Tower, London, and the country as a whole.
Comment on Tower of London posted 2006-06-14 by Graham Keevill from Didcot
Comment on Tower of London
When I first visited the Tower, aged 3, I told my parents when I grew up I wanted to be a knight and work at the Tower of London. And that is what happened. I am now the Live Interpretation Manager at the Tower, reponsible for putting on historical events and, from time to time, dressing up as a knight. I met my wife while we were working in Medieval costume at the Medieval Palace at the Tower. I was the knight, of course, and she was the washerwoman!
Comment on Tower of London posted 2006-05-02 by Chris Gidlow from Tower of London
Comment on Tower of London
The Tower has been an icon since construction began on the White Tower over 1,000 years ago: since then, the Tower has functioned as a royal palace, a lodging for kings/queens prior to coronation, a menagerie, the site of execution, a prison, and now a popular destination. One can stand in awe of the Crown Jewels for fun, or contemplate the sorrows of the Princes in the Tower, Anne Boleyn, Katherine Howard, or Lady Jane Grey, along with the less famous victims of Tower Hill. The Tower offers testimony to every period of English history, from the Conquest to the modern age.
Comment on Tower of London posted 2006-01-30 by Irene Rheinwald from Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Comment on Tower of London
Definitely a national icon, immediately recognizable and associated with the long traditions and continuities of the English state. The use of the Tower for imprisonment and execution is only one of its functions over the years. Its survival is a reminder of the complexity and depth of our history.
Comment on Tower of London posted 2006-01-30 by Simon Bradley from London
Comment on Tower of London
The norman castles of Englandhave withstood seiges, and tragedies, and have wonderful histories behind them. They have sttod the test of time, and the Tower is the iconic symbol of them all
Comment on Tower of London posted 2006-01-30 by Ann Crawford from Tiverton, Devon
Comment on Tower of London
It is very far from being an icon for Catholics, rather a place of death and martyrdom. My own family suffered in the centuries long persecution of Catholics in England; all were heavily taxed, many lost their homes, many fled to the continent, some were imprisoned (but not in the Tower.) Two of England's finest intellects and gentlemen in any generation, Saints Thomas More and John Fisher were executed there. I weep every time that I see the place.
Comment on Tower of London posted 2006-01-24 by chris gillibrand from Brussels
Comment on Tower of London
The Tower of London has a reputation as being one of the most haunted places in England, and so having one of the greatest concentrations of phantoms. One of whom was Lady Jane, also known as "The Nine Day Queen". To this day, there are those who work at The Tower who have claimed to have seen the spectre of the unfortunate short-lived Monarch.
Comment on Tower of London posted 2006-01-16 by Christopher Anthony Walford from Wood Green London UK England
Comment on Tower of London
I'm not too sure that "Katherine saw the heads of her two executed lovers mounted on spikes on Tower Bridge" as the narrative suggests in 1541. Tower Bridge was not built until 1894! Perhaps she was looking at London Bridge?
Comment on Tower of London posted 2008-07-16 by Phil Dykes from London