Bookable
An Apollonaut travel guide
A fortress by the river.
An introduction to the Tower’s setting, on the north bank of the Thames beside Tower Hill and Tower Bridge.
On this page
Read the setting
The Tower stands on the north bank of the Thames in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the City of London by Tower Hill, with Tower Bridge crossing the river beside it.
A guide can give context without turning a place into a backdrop. Notice how the walls step down to the river, how the White Tower still rises above them, and how the glass towers of the City now stand close by.
Walls within walls
The Tower’s two rings of walls and its moat date largely from the 13th century, built around the older Norman keep.
Begin with a detail and ask who built it, who was kept behind it and who guards it now. A photograph alone cannot tell you that.
A Tower of London chapter
The Tower shows one side of London’s riverside: a medieval fortress that is still a royal palace, with people living inside its walls.
Look at the meeting of the two: the Yeoman Warders’ homes and the ceremonies of the Tower, among stones that have stood for almost a thousand years.
Make room for context
Pair this reading with the Tower’s history and the Journal. This is an introduction for visitors, not a claim that our team manages these places or represents the people who run them.
Read at the source
Sources & further reading
- Wikipedia: Tower of London
- Historic Royal Palaces: Tower of London access guide and sensory map (2026)
Links lead to the original publishers.
