The Tower of London was once a royal palace, fortress, prison, armory, and observatory built in 1675.

The oldest building called the White Tower was built in 1078. Here you can see instruments used for tortures and executions.

The entrance fee is $17.25 and, since it was a cold and rainy day in January, it was not overcrowded.

There are one-hour tours conducted by the yeoman wardens (also known as "beefeaters.") They dress in period costumes and are quite knowledgeable on British history.

The Bloody Tower is where Sir Walter Raleigh was imprisoned for 13 years and where the two sons of Edward IV were murdered by Richard III.

Moving on to the Tower Green, there is a plaque to show where both Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard were executed.

In the Jewel House, you will find the Imperial State Crown, known as the Crown Jewels. Made in 1837 for the inauguaration of Queen Victoria, it consists of 300 jewels and the Black Diamond. Queen Elizabeth wears it when she opens Parliament.

You will be moved along when you view this on moving sidewalks and cameras are not allowed.

In some of the towers you can see items preserved such as the King''s throne and a prayer room. There are students of history dressed in period costumes to offer information on the Tower.

The rooms in the Tower are cold and dreary, but make for a fascinatiing tour of what once housed the royal family of England.

As you enter or leave the tower, you may notice the ravens. They are official residents of the Tower and legend says that as long as they remain, the Tower will always stand.

The beautiful Crown Jewels are located here. View items made of pure gold dating back 500 years. See armour from the middles ages and hear the stories that made the Tower of London famous.

The Tower of London has so much history. It was a prison, but from the outside it seems like a castle. It has the queen's crown and some things from the medieval times. This is a very nice attraction in London to see.

Take the Circle or District lines (yellow or green) to the Tower Hill stop. The exit from the Underground leads right to the Tower.

Admission to the Tower is £11 for adults and includes the opportunity for two free tours. The Royal Yeoman Warders (Beefeaters) give a overview of the tower tour and also a more in depth Punishment and Prisoner tour. The standard tour leaves every thirty minutes and ARE NOT TO BE MISSED!

The Beefeaters (who are retired, highly-decorated military officers) give an insightful, largely funny tour. During these tours you also gain access to the Chapel Royal of St. Peter. Other sights to be seen within the Tower include the Crown Jewels. A long queue leads you along corridors where you are shown scenes from Queen Elizabeth's cornonation and in-depth descriptions about the jewels. You can view some of the gold serveware on your own, but the actual jewels must be seen from people-movers. Because of the crowds, this is a great feature which allows you to get as close to the jewels as you are allowed without having someone standing directly in front of you. The White Tower holds an impressive collection of Royal Amouries. There are two gift shops on site and a cafeteria-style restaurant.

Do walk along the River Thames on your way out of the Tower and view the amazing landmark Tower Bridge.

Everyone we talked to about our trip to London told us that the tower was the place to take kids, so this was at the top of our list of attractions to visit.

We arrived a little late in the afternoon, but were still able to join another group of tourists guided by a red and blue-clad "beefeater" through the grounds. This greatly enhanced our visit, as the wry-witted Yeoman Warder explained the history attached to the centuries-old buildings. The tour ended in the Chapel Royal of St. Peter ad Vincula, which covered the bones of hundreds of executed prisoners (including royalty) who did not visit the tower by choice.

Always a lover of Tudor history, I was especially fascinated by hearing about the "Queen's House" that was built for Anne Boleyn as a wedding present, only to hold her during the grim days that led up to her execution. The boys looked for the place in the stairs that once hid the bodies of two ill-fated princes who disappeared before their uncle took their throne. Then we took an hour or so to poke around the displays of royal armour in the White Tower, a building that was put up on orders of William the Conqueror!

While I've heard the queue to see the crown jewels can be long, we sped through near closing time. To top it all off, the kids spent a mint in the crowded gift shop when we were done with our visit. It was an enjoyable afternoon.

Entrance fees: £12 for adults, £10 for kids. Admission for kids under 5 is free.

Tip: After the tower, go down to the docks by the Tower Bridge and catch a boat ride on the Thames. This is a quick way to see a lot of the city with children.