The Tower has been many things: a palace, a fortress, a prison, a place of execution, a Zoo. Today, it is best known as a historical museum. About 150 people and six ravens live here.
Kings sometimes get strange presents. About 700 years ago King Henry III got 3 leopards, 1 elephant and a polar bear. He kept them in the Tower. The elephant died after two years but the polar bear was happy as it went swimming and fishing in the Thames with a strong rope round its neck. That was the start of the London Zoo. In 1835 all animals left the Tower and were sent to the Zoo in Regent's Park. Only the ravens stayed on.
There are always at least 6 ravens at the Tower. The first ones probably built their nests here because they liked the old stone houses and walls. There is a story that they bring good luck to Britain, if they stay at the Tower. That's why they get "paid" meat and biscuits every day. But their wings are cut so that they can't fly away. They are not very friendly. Once one of them bit a German minister.
The Beefeaters used to guard the Tower and its prisoners. Today they work mostly as guides. They show people around and tell stories about all the terrible things that have happened here. They still wear the high ruffs and scarlet tunics assigned to them during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
The Tower was a royal palace long ago. Then it became a prison. Kings, queens and noblemen were locked up here. Many, like Lady Jane Grey, lost their heads on Tower Green inside the walls or nearby on Tower Hill. The last time it was used as a prison was during the Second World War when German spies were kept and sometimes shot there.
The Crown Jewels are shown in the Jewel House. They are well looked after. Once they were stolen by a man called Colonel Blood. But he was caught just as he was leaving the Tower. Thomas Blood didn't have to go to prison. The king gave him a pension instead. It was in 1671.
Kings sometimes get strange presents. About 700 years ago King Henry III got 3 leopards, 1 elephant and a polar bear. He kept them in the Tower. The elephant died after two years but the polar bear was happy as it went swimming and fishing in the Thames with a strong rope round its neck. That was the start of the London Zoo. In 1835 all animals left the Tower and were sent to the Zoo in Regent's Park. Only the ravens stayed on.
There are always at least 6 ravens at the Tower. The first ones probably built their nests here because they liked the old stone houses and walls. There is a story that they bring good luck to Britain, if they stay at the Tower. That's why they get "paid" meat and biscuits every day. But their wings are cut so that they can't fly away. They are not very friendly. Once one of them bit a German minister.
The Beefeaters used to guard the Tower and its prisoners. Today they work mostly as guides. They show people around and tell stories about all the terrible things that have happened here. They still wear the high ruffs and scarlet tunics assigned to them during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
The Tower was a royal palace long ago. Then it became a prison. Kings, queens and noblemen were locked up here. Many, like Lady Jane Grey, lost their heads on Tower Green inside the walls or nearby on Tower Hill. The last time it was used as a prison was during the Second World War when German spies were kept and sometimes shot there.
The Crown Jewels are shown in the Jewel House. They are well looked after. Once they were stolen by a man called Colonel Blood. But he was caught just as he was leaving the Tower. Thomas Blood didn't have to go to prison. The king gave him a pension instead. It was in 1671.
ПЕРЕКЛАД
Тауер був багато чим: палацом, фортецею, в'язницею, місцем страти, зоопарком. Сьогодні він відомий як історичний музей. Близько 150 чоловік і шість воронів живуть тут.
Королі іноді отримують дивні подарунки. Близько 700 років тому король Генріх III отримав 3 леопардів, слона і білого ведмедя. Він тримав їх у Тауері. Слон помер через два роки, але білий ведмідь був щасливий, коли почав плавати і ловити рибу в Темзі з міцною мотузкою на шиї. Це було початком Лондонського зоопарку. У 1835 році всі тварини покинули Тауер і були спрямовані в зоопарк в Риджентс-парку. Тільки ворони залишилися.
У Тауері є завжди принаймні шість воронів. Перші з них, ймовірно, звили гнізда тут тому, що любили старі кам'яниці і стіни. Існує легенда, що вони приносять удачу Великобританії, якщо знаходяться в Тауері. Ось чому вони отримують "плату" - м'ясо та печиво кожен день. Але їхні крила обрізані, так що вони не можуть полетіти. Вони не дуже доброзичливі. Одного разу один з них поранив німецького міністра.
Біфітерс використовувалися для охорони Тауера і його полонених. Сьогодні вони працюють в основному в якості гідів. Вони показують і розповідати про всі жахливі речі, які сталися тут. Вони як і раніше носять високі коміри і червоні туніки, покладені на них в період правління королеви Єлизавети I.
Тауер був королівським палацом давно. Потім він став в'язницею. Королі, королеви та дворяни були замкнені тут. Багато, наприклад леді Джейн Грей, були обезголовлені всередині стін Зеленої Вежі або поруч на Тауер-Хілл. Останнім раз він використовувався як в'язниця під час Другої світової війни, коли тут тримали німецьких шпигунів, а іноді і розстрілювали.
Коронаційні регалії виставлені в Джюел Хауз. Вони добре охороняються. Одного разу вони були вкрадені хтось Колонель Бладом (Полковником Кров). Але він був спійманий, коли виходив з Тауера. Томасу Бладу не довелося сидіти в тюрмі. Король дав йому пенсію замість цього. Це було в 1671.
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