The Tower of London is one of Britain’s most important historic sites and a particularly rich place for understanding the intersection of monarchy, Christian worship, Tudor politics, the English Reformation, imprisonment, execution, burial, and national memory.
At the heart of the fortress, the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula has served the Tower community for more than five centuries. The present chapel was built in 1519–1520 during the reign of Henry VIII, replacing earlier chapels on or near the site. It remains a working chapel and preserves a remarkable concentration of Tudor religious and political history.
Among those buried or commemorated in connection with the chapel are Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, Lady Jane Grey, John Fisher, and Thomas More. Their stories make the Tower especially valuable for Christian travelers because the site preserves the human consequences of the Reformation-era struggle over royal authority, church allegiance, conscience, doctrine, and succession.
The Tower should not be reduced to executions and prisoners, however. The White Tower, royal apartments, defensive works, Crown Jewels, chapels, military history, and continuing ceremonial life reveal a much longer story of royal power and the changing relationship between crown, church, and nation.
Read our field guide, Tower of London: What Christian Travelers Should Notice. Then explore our Christian Heritage & Church History resources, discover London Christian Tours, or consult official Tower of London visitor information.
