The White Tower

The Tower of London is one of the most iconic London sites, suffused with glory and gory detail. It is strange that the actual history, while having its share of gore, is a lot more varied than people expect. The White Tower, seen here from the outside, is the only old part left, the rest having been reconstructed in the 19th Century in a style that felt appropriate for a Medieval castle back then. And yes, this is the part of the Tower used to imprison spies and monarchs. For a large number of years, it housed the King's zoo, until too many people got eaten and the animals were shifted to Regents Park. The Mint used to be here, too, but for a lot of its life it got a bit ramshackle.