LONDON part 5: The TOWER OF LONDON and SKY GARDEN

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Dear friends, after a long break (a period full of commitments and things to do), I'm back to post a new video that belongs to my London series.
This time I'll take you with me to visit two extremely different places that are just a few steps away from each other.
The extraordinary Tower of London, with its long and controversial centuries-old history, and the Sky Garden, the famous garden located on the top of the Walkie Talkie skyscraper. Old and new, therefore. Two unmissable places, for different reasons, but which I absolutely invite you to visit when you come to London.
The Tower of London is one of the most important and recognizable landmarks of the city of London and beyond. It is an imposing but harmonious complex made up of various buildings arranged within two concentric rings of walls that delimit it. A UNESCO world heritage site since 1988, it truly contains a lot of English history and has also had, over time, a sinister and mysterious fame.
Built on the left bank of the Thames, it was initially seen as a synonym of oppression given that its construction, which began in 1077, was commissioned by William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy.
The White tower, still in perfect condition like the rest of the complex which owes its color to a whitewashing project carried out in 1240, served to guard the entrance to the Thames and remind everyone, with its grandeur, of the power of the Norman Conqueror.
This Tower was so important that the entire fortress took its name from it, being called the "Tower of London".
At first it served as a fortress, then it became a sinister prison where "traitors" and enemies of the Crown were locked up, then becoming a witness to dark events, tortures and crimes of important figures of the Kingdom.
It was later used as a royal residence until the 17th century, an armoury, then a state mint until the mid-19th century and even a private zoo, with animals from all the colonial lands.
Finally, inside the Tower of London we can also admire the wonderful Crown jewels stolen for security reasons from the Abbey of Westminster to be taken to what was considered the safest place in the entire Kingdom.
A priceless treasure made up of approximately 140 crowns, swords, necklaces, heraldic coats of arms, robes, objects for setting the royal table and 23,578 precious stones, all acquired during the history of the English Crown over the centuries.
I was truly amazed by the impressive beauty and finesse of these marvels, so finely chiseled and crafted that they not only have an inestimable value, in fact, but also a symbolic one, given that they represent the authority of the monarchs to sit on the throne.
After a tour of the Tower of London, I will take you not far away, still in the City of London, to visit the Sky Garden which will give you splendid 260° panoramic views of the city from the top of its 160 m (527 ft) and 37 floors.
Many of London's iconic sights, such as Tower Bridge, the City, St. Paul's Cathedral, the Southbank area and even the are perfectly visible from this incredible garden in the sky, as exactly it has been called.
Built in 2010, it is the tallest roof garden in the city and is part of the skyscraper known as Walkie Talkie due to its particular shape, narrower at the base and wider at the top. The top three floors are occupied by the Sky Garden, which presents itself as a futuristic environment in glass and steel and large windows that project the London skyline.
Different and numerous plants are welcomed in this large space, where there are also bars and restaurants where you can stop and eat something surrounded by a unique atmosphere. The Sky Garden has in fact become one of the most famous tourist attractions in London, which can be visited, with a little luck and attention, even for free, following the site's instructions.
A visit at sunset or in the evening is particularly recommended, to enjoy an even more suggestive panorama.
I hope you have fun watching this video too!
A big hug from Milan and a big wish to all of you for health and serenity!
Renata