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Tower of London (UK)

By , About.com Guide

Definition: London's famous Tower has been used for a number of different things during the 1000 years it's stood on the river Thames in London. The Tower was originally built by the Norman king William the Conqueror in AD 1066 as his principal castle; William built the the site on the ruins of a Roman fortress built by the emperor Claudius I in the first century AD. Since that time, the tower has been used to house British royalty and their jewels, royal prisoners and arms, and, most recently, a museum of the British history.

This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Sources for the term include the references listed on the front page of the Dictionary, and the websites listed in the sidebar.

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