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The White Tower

 

            
            
            
            
            
             Some may call it a castle and some may call it a prison. The Tower of London has been one of the most versatile fortresses in history. Among the many towers included in this fortress is the White Tower. The White Tower was and still is a great masterpiece of London. The White Tower, of The Tower of London, has underwent many changes and themes throughout its history.
             The White Tower, structurally, underwent many manipulations and structural forms. It is called The White Tower due to its white color. This color was started by William I in 1097 after its completion. The building was whitewashed to make it look larger (Hibbert 20). As if it is not large enough. The White Tower is 118 feet by 107 feet at over 90 feet tall. It was only meant to be a symbol of power and domination of the Normans (Hibbert 20).
             Military precautions were incorporated into the construction, carried out by the architect of the tower. Completion of this building in 1097. The windows were narrow and long; only large enough to get arrows out, but hard for intruders to get them in (Hibbert 20). Walls are thick and impermeable. Some of them are thirteen to fifteen feet thick. They are constructed of strong limestone from Caen and ragstone up from the river Kent. The strong stone made it much harder for intruders to penetrate them. Another precaution was to center the tower in a conglomeration of other towers during years after the White Tower was built. Intruders would have to get through the outer shells to get to the king. This rarely happened. One last of the many safety precautions was a removable staircase to the second floor. This was opposed to the original entrance on the first floor (Hibbert 20). Being able to remove the staircase ensured that no one could get through the entrance unless let in.
             Kings and queens had a lot to do with strengthening and adding to the White Tower. The original designer of the tower was Gundulf, selected by William I.


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