Who built the White Tower at the Tower of London?
William the Conqueror built the White Tower in the early 1080s. Gundulf, Bishop of Rochester, oversaw the construction under William's instructions, according to the Textus Roffensis.
Questions about White Tower (Tower of London)
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Why is the White Tower called the White Tower?
Henry III ordered the tower to be whitewashed in 1240. He instructed the Keeper of the Works to have the Great Tower whitened both inside and out, likely following a European fashion for painting prestigious buildings white.
What were the Princes in the Tower and what happened to them?
Edward V and his younger brother Richard of Shrewsbury were confined to the Tower of London after their father Edward IV died. They were last seen in public in June 1483, and the most likely explanation for their disappearance is that they were murdered later that summer. Bones believed to be theirs were found beneath a staircase in 1674 and re-interred in Westminster Abbey.
What is the White Tower used for today?
The White Tower now houses collections from the Royal Armouries and is part of the Tower of London, which is a museum and visitor attraction. The Tower of London was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1988 and is in the care of Historic Royal Palaces.
Was there a bomb explosion at the White Tower?
There have been two notable bomb incidents at the White Tower. On the 26th of January 1885 a bomb damaged displays inside. In 1974 a bomb exploded in the Mortar Room, killing one person and injuring 35; police investigated suspicions that the IRA was responsible but no group claimed the attack.
What is St John's Chapel inside the White Tower?
St John's Chapel is a Norman chapel occupying the south-east corner of the White Tower across two floors, its apse forming the semi-circular projection on the building's exterior. The only other keep in England with a similar apsidal projection is Colchester Castle in Essex. Henry III decorated it in the 13th century with a gold-painted cross and stained glass depicting the Virgin Mary and Holy Trinity.