Posted on by dennis

Tower of London

The Tower of London doesn’t tower physically nearly as much as it does historically. I suppose it towered over the huts surrounding it a few hundred years ago; modern towers overshadow it. However, it is still an amazing fortress. Viewing its moats, walls and built in firing positions makes apparent why it was attacked so few times. Did you know Anne Boleyn lost her head here? She did, thanks to Henry VIII. The usual punishment for treason was burning at the stake, but Henry, in his monarchical mercy, commuted her sentence to mere beheading.

The Tower of London. It only looks towering due to the skill of the photographer.
If it were me designing a fortress, I wouldn’t put windows on the ground floor. Seems vulnerable. The winding switchbacks would have been sure to slow the charging enemies, however. Nice touch.
This pretty chapel is still in use, and has been for centuries. The local priest, presumably Anglican, preaches here to no one every Sunday.
Now this is a tower. The locals call it The Shard, although it has an official name. I spotted it from the Uber river boat.
Statues of the great and near-great abound in London.
Look at the soldier of the Horse Guard! My tour group had the great fortune to see a Changing of the Guard. I was disappointed to learn that no nappies (diapers) were involved.
This little soldier was an impromptu addition to the changing of the guard. The little man had the whole outfit; he marched and saluted like the professional he will be someday. He charmed everyone, even the police armed with assault rifles.
Nice view of the London Bridge, eh? Not! That’s the Tower Bridge, the London Bridge is in Arizona. Its place in London was taken by a ordinary bridge from anywhere.
Waterloo Station is a major transit hub in London. It is a magnificent structure that houses the Underground and passenger railroads.
This is a statue of an old lady whose inability to control her offspring led to World War I.

3 Replies to “Tower of London”

  2. Great photography. Thank you for sharing your London visit. Juxtaposing “The Shard” with the Tower of London is quite revealing of the times they are changing. And, of course, I always enjoy seeing pictures of you.

  3. Looks like you took in all the major sites of London. Great photos, isn’t it wonderful what monuments you can erect when you have a kingdom and an empire!

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