The White Tower stands inside a layered fortress whose walls grew over centuries around the Thames. Begun after the Norman Conquest, the Tower of London served royal, military, and administrative purposes, making it a record of power as well as a famous landmark.
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The White Tower’s pale stone mass dominates the complex, but it was only the beginning of a much larger fortress. William the Conqueror began building the Tower in the 1070s, soon after the Norman Conquest, to defend London and make royal power unmistakable.
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UpgradeQuick facts
- William the Conqueror began the Tower’s construction in the 1070s.
- The White Tower was built with stone brought from Caen in Normandy.
- The Tower later housed the Royal Mint and continues to protect the Crown Jewels.
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