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The Tower of London stands on the north bank of the River Thames in the City of London. William I founded the White Tower, the great Norman keep, from 1078 to assert control over his new capital. Successive kings added curtain walls, moat, and towers — the complex served as royal residence, armoury, treasury, menagerie, and prison.
The Crown Jewels displayed in the Jewel House include regalia used at coronations. Ravens kept on the green obey legend that the kingdom falls if they leave. Executions on Tower Green included Anne Boleyn and Lady Jane Grey; the Princes in the Tower disappearance (1483) remains a forensic and historical controversy.
"This Tower is a citadel to defend or command the city; a royal palace; a prison for the most dangerous offenders; the only place of coinage; a treasury; and an office of records."
— John Stow, A Survey of London (1598), on the Tower
Yeoman Warders (Beefeaters) guide visitors; the Tower remains a working fortress under the Constable's command. UNESCO inscribed the Tower of London in 1988 as a key Norman and medieval monument. Pair with Westminster Abbey for coronation versus fortress narratives.