请用英语介绍Tower of London

请用英语介绍Tower of London
请用英语介绍Tower of London

请用英语介绍Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress The Tower of London,more commonly known as the Tower of London (and historically simply as The Tower),is an historic monument in central London,England on the north bank of the River Thames.It is located within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and is separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space known as Tower Hill.
The Tower of London is often identified with the White Tower,the original stark square fortress built by William the Conqueror in 1078.However,the Tower as a whole is a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat.
The Tower's primary function was a fortress,a royal palace,and a prison (particularly for high status and royal prisoners,such as the Princes in the Tower and the future Queen Elizabeth I).This last use has led to the phrase "sent to the Tower" (meaning "imprisoned").It has also served as a place of execution and torture,an armoury,a treasury,a zoo,a mint,a public records office,an observatory,and since 1303,the home of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.

The Tower of London, seen from the River Thames, with a view of the water gate called "Traitors' Gate."The Tower of London is a dominating landmark in central London—in the London Borough of Tower Ham...

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The Tower of London, seen from the River Thames, with a view of the water gate called "Traitors' Gate."The Tower of London is a dominating landmark in central London—in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets— on the eastern border of the City of London, beside the northern bank of the River Thames.
It is often identified with the White Tower, the original stark, square fortress built here by William the Conqueror in 1078. It can be seen, however, as a complex of several buildings set within the outer defensive walls and moat.
The Tower's primary function was as a fortress, a royal palace and a prison (particularly for high status and royal prisoners, such as the Princes in the Tower and the future Queen Elizabeth I). This last use has led to the phrase "sent to the Tower" meaning "imprisoned". It has also served as a place of execution and torture, an armory, a treasury, a zoo, a mint, a public records office, and an observatory.
The 15th century Tower in a manuscript of poems by Charles, Duke of Orléans (1391-1465) commemorating his imprisonment there (British Library)
The Tower of London was founded in 1078 when William the Conqueror ordered the White Tower to be built inside the SE angle of the City walls, adjacent to the Thames [1]. This was as much to protect the Normans from the people of the City of London as to protect London from outside invaders. William ordered the Tower to be built of stone which he had specially imported from France and appointed Gundulph, Bishop of Rochester as the architect.
Some writers, such as Shakespeare, in his play Richard III, have ascribed an earlier origin to the Tower of London and have stated that it was built by Julius Caesar. This supposed Roman origin is, however a myth, as is the story that the mortar used in its construction was tempered by the blood of beasts.
In the 12th century King Richard the Lionheart enclosed the White Tower with an outer curtain wall and had a moat dug around it filled with water from the Thames. The moat was not very successful until Henry III, in the 13th century, employed a Dutch moat building technique. This king greatly strengthened the outer curtain wall, breaking down the city wall to the east, to extend the circuit, despite the remonstances of the citizens of London and even supernatural warnings - if the contemporary monastic chronicler Matthew Paris is to be believed.
The fortification was completed by betwen 1275 and 1285 by Edward I who built an extra circuit of defences, enclosing the existing ones, filled in the pre-existing moat and built a new moat around the new outer circuit wall. The moat was drained in 1830, and human bones were in the refuse found at its bottom.

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Founded nearly a millennium ago and expanded upon over the centuries since, the Tower of London has protected, housed, imprisoned and been for many the last sight they saw on Earth.
It has been th...

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Founded nearly a millennium ago and expanded upon over the centuries since, the Tower of London has protected, housed, imprisoned and been for many the last sight they saw on Earth.
It has been the seat of British government and the living quarters of monarchs…the site of renown political intrigue, and the repository of the Crown Jewels…It has housed lions, bears, and (to this day) flightless ravens… not to mention notorious traitors and framed members of court, lords and ministers, clergymen and knights.
During the tour, you will notice that some personages and some words have a question mark icon by them (blue and red, respectively). Clicking on these icons will take you elsewhere on the Web and provide additional information about the subject. For royalty these links will take you to their Royal Genealogies listing, for others to biographical information. For words (usually those associated with architecture) links will take you to its definition at the Webster Hypertext Dictionary. Enjoy your visit!

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