Day 3 Tower of London

This was my favorite place to visit. There is so much history behind these walls I can't even begin to write it all down. Start with the guided tour. The beefeaters will walk you through it all. If you know much about Tudor history already, this will be an overview, but if you ask more questions, you'll get more out of the tour guide. They take you to traitor's gate, which is where the convicted came through on boat, up the stairs, and to their "apartments" or cells, depending on your social status. The moat is no longer there, they drained thewater out of it. You can see the hill from behind you which is where the convicted were beheaded. There is also a patch of green grass in the middle of the courtyard where those of nobility were beheaded so the public could not view them and throw things at them. Also at the Tower, you can see the apartments which started as a palace for Queen Anne Boleyn, but King Henry VIII grew tired of her before they were finished. The third window to the right of those apartments is the room where she stayed the night before her coronation and the night before her beheading. The little chapel next to this is where two of King Henry VIII's wives are buried, Anne being one of them. The Tower was hosting an exhibit here for the month of October as well. Three stories of the actual tower had King Henry VIII's armour on display. These were loaned to the Tower by various personal owners. It was the first time they have every been on display in the same room and after October, they will go back to their owners. Also on display next to his armour was the oldest soccer ball. King Henry loved sports. After all this, you must see the crown jewels. The sceptor has the largest diamond in it. The jewels were impressive. They make you watch a short video of Queen ELizabeth II's coronation and then you go into another room to look at them, but they send you on a conveyor belt to keep the lines moving forward. It was a short viewing, but still worth it. Once you go outside the Tower, but still behind the main gates, you can see the torture devices used at the time and actual grafitti from prisoners about to be executed. For those who love history, this is a very exciting place. They say it is haunted with Anne Boleyn's ghost. The Tower is still guarded since they consider it a Royal Palace.