Interesting facts from the history of GB

William I, usually known as William the Conqueror was the first Norman King, reigning from 1066 until his death in 1087.
As part of his efforts to secure England, William ordered many castles, keeps and mottes built – among them the central keep of the Tower of London, the White Tower. The early castles were simple earth and timber constructions, later replaced with stone structures.
The Tower of London was built after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. It served as a castle, a prison, an armoury, a treasury, an observatory, a menagerie and a museum.

Even kings and queens were imprisoned in the Tower. Some were executed and some were murdered: Queen Anne Boleyn the second wife and the fifth wife Catherine Howard of Henry VIII were beheaded in the Tower
People often see Ann’s ghost walking around the Tower with her head under her arm.

The Tower of London is one of the most imposing and popular of London’s historical sites. Now it is a museum. It comprises 20 towers. The oldest is the White Tower, dates back to the ll th century and the time of William the Conqueror. Nowadays a lot of tourists visit the Tower of London, because of the Tower’s evil reputation as a prison. The Tower is famous as home of the Crown Jewels. Today they can be viewed in their new jewel house. They include the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother which contains the celebrated Indian diamond.
The Crown Jewels of the Queen are kept in the Tower of London. They are silver and golden, decorated with sapphires, rubies, emeralds, pearls and diamonds.

The ravens appeared at the Tower in the 17th century and the legend says that if they leave or die the country will fall.
The ravens have special cages. Under the special care of the Raven Master, the ravens are fed a daily diet of raw meat and biscuits dipped in blood. They get one rabbit every week and love hard-boiled eggs from time to time

The luxury life is only for the best behaved ravens. When they die, they are buried in a special cemetery of the Tower of London and their names are recorded on the roll of honor.

Of course, no visit to the Tower would be complete without seeing the ravens; huge black birds who are an official part of the Tower community. Legend states that if the ravens were to leave the Tower the Crown will fall, and Britain with it. And there is no danger of them flying away, because their wings are clipped.
The ravens names are: Branwen (femail 3 years), Baldrick (mail 3 months) Gwyllum (mail 17 years) Munin (femail 10 years), Thor (mail 14 years), Hugine (femail 10 years).