The most important and oldest building in the Tower of London is the Norman Tower located in the center of the fortress. It is the main body of the entire building complex. It is also called the White Tower because it is built of milky white stone. The White Tower is where the owner lives and the garrison troops are stationed, so it is the strongest. The White Tower is 27.4 meters high, 35.9 meters long from east to west, and 32.6 meters long from north to south. The bottom wall is 4.6 meters thick and the top is 3.3 meters thick. It has double-layer walls with small windows and is made of hard and rough rough stones. The four corners of the tower protrude outward, and four tall towers stand out. The tall towers are three square and one round. There are spiral stairs in the corners leading to the top floor. The tower is divided into three floors, equipped with parapets and battlements, and small spiers at the four corners are covered with small onion-shaped domes. As a typical example of architecture at that time, perhaps the most attractive thing about the White Tower is the St. John's Chapel. This small imitation Romanesque church is not only used to hold religious ceremonies, but also for lords to hold secret meetings, so there will be no There are retainers coming and going. In short, the entire building is like a giant fortress. From the 12th to the 17th century, it has been one of the main castles of the British kings.
When the Tower of London was originally designed, it was not considered to be a prison for prisoners. However, soon after the construction of the White Tower began, several prisons in London were overcrowded, and the government had to imprison some prisoners in the basement of the White Tower. At most, 1,700 prisoners were held inside. From then on, prisoners were often transported here, and the Tower of London gradually became a national prison. There is a water gate under the outer wall in the southwest corner of the fortress, which is the only entrance to the fortress. Prisoners who are sentenced by the court and sent to the Tower of London for imprisonment must pass through this water gate before they can enter. Therefore, this water gate is called the "Rebel's Gate". Door".