The Tower of London: Iconic Fortress on the Thames

"The Tower" universally refers to the Tower of London—a historic castle and UNESCO World Heritage Site on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, United Kingdom.

Key Facts

• Founded: 1066 (William the Conqueror). White Tower (keep) completed ~1078.
• Roles: Royal palace, prison, armory, treasury, menagerie, mint, record office, Crown Jewels repository.
• Famous Prisoners: Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, Lady Jane Grey, Thomas More, Walter Raleigh, Guy Fawkes, Rudolf Hess (last, 1941).
• Executions: 7 on Tower Green (Anne Boleyn, etc.); 100+ on Tower Hill (public).
• Guardians: Yeoman Warders ("Beefeaters") since 1485; Ravens (legend: kingdom falls if they leave).
• Visitors: 2.8M+/yr (pre-pandemic).

Other "Towers"

If not London: Tower of Pisa (Italy), CN Tower (Toronto), Tokyo Tower, Eiffel Tower (Paris), Space Needle (Seattle), Tower Bridge (London, adjacent). But unqualified "The Tower" = Tower of London.