Castle · London, United Kingdom
Tower of London
The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in London, England. Built 1066. It drew 2,741,126 visitors in 2016.
Photo: [Duncan] from Nottingham, UK via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | London, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Type | Castle |
| Built | 1066 |
| Annual visitors (2016) | 2,741,126 |
| Coordinates | 51.5081° N, 0.0761° W |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Tower of London is known for
The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in London, England.
About Tower of London
The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is separated from the eastern edge of the square mile of the City of London by the open space known as Tower Hill. It was founded toward the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest.
History
Victorious at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, the invading Duke of Normandy, William the Conqueror, spent the rest of the year securing his holdings by fortifying key positions. He founded several castles along the way, but took a circuitous route toward London; only when he reached Canterbury did he turn towards England's largest city. As the fortified bridge into London was held by Saxon troops, he decided instead to ravage Southwark before continuing his journey around southern England.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Tower of London website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | London |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | London City Airport (LCY) |
| Distance from the airport | 5.5 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- London Heathrow Airport (LHR) · London, United Kingdom · 16.7 miles away
- London Gatwick Airport (LGW) · London, United Kingdom · 25.3 miles away
- London Luton Airport (LTN) · Luton, Luton, United Kingdom · 28.3 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
Where to stay nearby
Places to stay near Tower of London, with a link to each place's own site.
- The Tower Hotel · Tower Hill, London
Hotel beside the Tower with river views
- citizenM Tower of London · Tower Hill, London
Modern hotel by the Tower
Where to eat nearby
Places to eat near Tower of London, with a link to each place's own site.
- St John Bread and Wine · Spitalfields, London
British restaurant near the Tower
- The Ivy Tower Bridge · Tower Bridge Road, London
Brasserie by Tower Bridge
More landmarks in United Kingdom
More castles
![[Duncan] from Nottingham, UK](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ATower_of_London_from_the_Shard_%288515883950%29.jpg){kind=link}
Frequently asked questions
What is Tower of London?
The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in London, England.
Where is Tower of London located?
Tower of London is in London, United Kingdom. Its coordinates are 51.5081° N, 0.0761° W.
How do I get to Tower of London?
The nearest town is London, and the nearest airport is London City Airport (LCY), about 5.5 miles away (straight line).
When was Tower of London built?
Tower of London was built 1066.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_London — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q62378 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- http://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/ — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.