The Tower of London arose as a result of the fight concerning who would succeed King Edward the Confessor as the next King of England. King Edward had initially promised William I, the Duke of Normandy, that he would have the throne upon King Edward's death. However, upon his deathbed, he was persuaded to relinquish the throne to his brother-in-law Harold, Earl of Wessex, who was English. This enraged Duke William, who led his army into England from France to obtain what he considered was his rightful throne. He easily defeated Earl Harold at the Battle of Hastings and was crowned King of England on Christmas Day. However, Duke William-who was now called King William the Conqueror-was in a country that was largely hostile toward him. In order to provide protection for himself, he built wooden forts across the country. Realizing that he needed a more permanent structure to show the English he was there to stay, and in case of a large attack, he decided to build a fortress to protect himself.
On the north bank of the Thames, he commenced the building of this fortress with a large stone tower that would become known as the White Tower. This site, in the southeastern corner of London, was optimal for numerous reasons. The Romans had already built over five kilometers of fortified stone walls in their ancient city of Londinium.1 One of the stronger parts of the wall came to that area of the Thames. Therefore, William the Conqueror needed only to dig two ditches and fill them with water for the other two sides of his fortress-the Thames and the Roman wall already served as two of the sides. In addition, this hill overlooked London, thus making it a perfect place from which to repel enemies. The Tower was completed approximately twenty ...
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...egend that if the Tower is ever without the ravens, then Britain would fall.8 The Tower of London contains many exhibitions detailing the Tower's place in history. There are also multiple special events, such as “living history” events and historical reenactions. Today, the Tower faces many environmental threats. Air temperature, car exhaust, water, and light are all continually damaging the Tower. The Tower is protected and conserved by the Historic Royal Palaces organization. This monument is one of the oldest and perhaps one of the most important in England's history. Today, this incredible historical monument is visited by millions of people from across the world every year.
Works Cited
Hynson, Colin. The Tower of London. Milwaukee, WI: World Almanac Library, 2005.
Fisher, Leonard Everett. The Tower of London. New York City: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1987.
William the Conqueror and his Patronage William I, better known as William the Conqueror, began his medieval and political career at a young age when his father left him to go on a crusade. Effectively William became the Duke of Normandy. He had to fight against other members of the Norman royalty who desired William's land and treasure. William learned at an early age that the men who ruled Europe during the middle ages were primarily interested in their own greed at the expense of all else, including the concepts chivalry and honor. He soon became a feared military commander, conquering all in Normandy who would oppose his interests.
Australia has the terrible condition of having an essentially pointless and prefabricated idea of “Aussiness” that really has no relation to our real culture or the way in which we really see ourselves. We, however subscribe to these stereotypes when trying to find some expression of our Australian identity. The feature film, The Castle, deals with issues about Australian identity in the 1990’s. The film uses techniques like camera shots, language and the use of narration to develop conflict between a decent, old fashioned suburban family, the Kerrigans and an unscrupulous corporation called Airlink. Feature films like The Castle are cultural products because they use attitudes, values and stereotypes about what it means to be Australian.
On the 14th of October 1066, Duke William of Normandy defeated King Harold at the Battle of Hastings. His win could be summed up by the fact that William was a better leader. Other factors that contributed to William’s victory include: William was better prepared, the English army was severely weakened as Harold had just fought off an invasion in the North of England, and Harold made a fatal mistake of prematurely entering the Battle of Hastings.
Wales has long been known as a country of myth and magic. She hides her secrets in her hollow hills. Pen Y Bryn, The Princes’ Tower is the latest treasure that has come to light and one of the most fascinating. In 1992 Kathryn and Brian Pritchard Gibson bought what they believed to be a thirty-six acre chicken farm with a 17th century Elizabethan manor house and it has changed their lives dramatically. The stone manor and out buildings are nestled against a forested hill in Snowdonia. It is just north of Bangor above the shores of Abergwyngregyn, ‘the mouth of the white shell river’ overlooking the Menai Straights with the mountains forming a protective backdrop behind. Kathryn Gibson says, The locals, it seems, have always called the house Twr Llewelyn, or Llewelyn’s Tower. They told us that’s where the princes lived and that below it there’s a Roman settlement and a bronze age fort. When asked how they came by this knowledge they always answered, "Nain (Grandmother) told me." It was only the academics who ignored this local lore that had been handed down for centuries.
For this book review I read, Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes. The main character is a young girl named Deja, who narrates the whole story in first person. Life is difficult for Deja and her family, especially since her father is sick and very depressed and the family has been forced to move into a homeless shelter. Deja has to transfer to a new school where she is assigned to work on a project about September 11th that slowly helps her understand how much that day has affected her father’s life and the life of her entire family. The story takes place in 2016 in New York City. The conflict is person vs. self.
The reign of William the Conqueror began after he won the English crown with his victory at Hastings in 1066. He brought a lot of fundamental changes to his new kingdom. He divided the conquered land among the warriors in his army and established a feudal regime more or less on the Norman pattern by transforming most of English states into fiefs. And as a product of feudalism, scores of castles were erected across the land. On his death, the kingdom was passed to his two sons, William the second (1087-1100) and Henry the first (1100-1135). Both men were strong and ruthless, but Henry was the abler of the two. He rid England of rebellion and imposed severe taxation. His firmness and military skills enforced peace on the land, and that was just what a successful state needed.
Our nation's revolution was a great achievement in U.S History. With the dawn of a new nation, there would have to be a central location to make the new decisions of our country. Our capitol has stood as the heart of our country since the late 1700s. The United States capitol is among the most architecturally impressive and symbolically important buildings in the world. For almost two centuries it has housed the meeting chambers of the senate and the House of Representatives. Begun in 1793, the capitol building has been built, burnt, rebuilt, extended, and restored. Today our capitol stands as a monument to the American people and their government. (AOC.gov)
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament, serves as the meeting place for the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The Old Palace was a medieval building that was destroyed by fire in 1834. After the fire, a competition was held for architects to submit plans for the new building that should be in a Gothic or Elizabethan style hoping to embody the conservative values of England. A Royal commission chose Charles Barry’s designs for a Perpendicular Gothic palace. Barry’s own style was more classical than Gothic which is why Augustus Pugin’s involvement was so crucial in Barry winning the competition. Barry’s plans reflected more of his knowledge of the neo-classical style through its symmetry. Pugin was the leading authority on Gothic architecture at the time. Almost all of the remains of the Old Palace were incorporated into the new design. Their work on the Palace began in 1840 and, while most of the work was finished by 1860, the New Palace of Westminster was not complete until a decade later. One of the most identifiable features of the Palace is the Elizabeth Tower, commonly identified by its main bell, “Big Ben”. The building is also known for two main spaces; the Lord’s Chamber and the Common’s Chamber. It is well identified by its main façade which runs parallel to the River Thames. The Palace, as it stands today, has been conserved very well to best display the designs as Charles Barry and Pugin intended them to be displayed. The Palace was, and remains, the center for political life in the United Kingdom, just as it remains a major iconic landmark of London. Many articles and books have been written discussing and disputing the history and design of the New Palace of Westminster, as well as the...
St. Paul’s Cathedral, in London, England, was designed by architect Sir Christopher Wren. Approval of this most significant architectural project took six years just for the plan. Construction, which began in 1675, took thirty-five years until finally complete in 1710. It was built to replace a church that had been leveled by the Great Fire of 1666. St. Paul's is the largest cathedral in England, and said to be Wren's masterpiece. He brought a range of new forms, and architectural combination into English architecture. Masonry, brick, timber, and cut stone were used to form the structure of the cathedral. St. Paul’s Cathedral has been one of the main socially significant buildings in London. Cathedrals all around, have always played a large role in the communities they serve. Their fundamental purpose is to bring people closer to God, but over the centuries they have served as a focal point for trade, as a stronghold and a place of safety in times of war, and as immense status symbols. The functions, of a cathedral, take on an additional significance for St Paul's, because it’s known as the cathedral of the capital city and, of the nation. The present building is also the first cathedral to have been built since the creation of the Church of England in 1534, when religion was brought under the direct control of the monarch. This quote from Simon Thurley, Chief Executive of English Heritage really shows the significance the Church has made in England. “St Paul's Cathedral is the internationally recognized signature of London and the capital's most important historic and architectural focal point. Only St Paul's and the Palace of Westminster are protected by strategic views but the proposed tower disregards this legal protection and the significance of the Cathedral as the icon of London.” The West Front, which faces the heart of the City of London, is an iconic image with great national significance. It is through the famous West Doors that so many British monarchs and distinguished figures have entered the Cathedral. The nation’s “best-loved” church, St Paul’s has hosted some of the most important commemorative events in British history. In recent years the memorial service for the victims of 9/11, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and the Queen Mother’s 100th birthday. Also, it was where the funeral services of Nelson, the Duke of Wellington, and Winston Churchi...
During the 1800’s Great Britain’s empire stretched around the world, and with raw materials easily available to them this way, they inevitably began refining and manufacturing all stages of many new machines and other goods, distributing locally and globally. However, despite being the central ‘workshop of the world,’ Britain was not producing the highest quality of merchandise. When comparing factory-made products made in England to surrounding countries, most notably France, those products could not compare as far as craftsmanship and sometimes, simply innovation. It was suggested by Prince Albert that England host a sort of free-for-all technological exposition to bring in outside crafts into the country and also show their national pride.
I chose to write about the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty serves as a symbolic fixture of the principles America was founded on. She represents freedom, liberty, and opportunity. The location of the Statue of Liberty is an amazing feat in itself, it is right in the middle of a very wide and a very deep Hudson river, and at the time it was brought there, with the limited technology, was amazing. Adding to the location, The State of Liberty as everyone knows is right next to the old customs ports where thousands of hungry, and poor immigrants fresh off the boat would pass through looking for a better life. The fact that Liberty is a woman is an ingenious idea because a woman tends to be more sympathetic and willing to help, if Liberty was a man the statue would seem more cold, stiff, and even militant. Throughout history statues have been built to represent a great moment but the Statue of Liberty was build to symbolize a great idea and country. At that time in history people were flocking to America because they were either being persecuted in their home countries or they were just disappointed at the status of their lives and wanted to come to “the land of opportunity” to start a new life.
The Royal Pavilion The Royal Pavilion was a very fashionable building in it's day. The architecture was quite fashionable as it used the idillic style which was fashionable and the farmhouse idea was fashionable, however the Indian style the Royal Pavilion used was unfashionable. On the outside of the Pavilion the Prince also used the neo-classical style which was fashionable back then. Trompe l'oeil was a fashionable interior design which the Prince used. However the Prince did use chinoiserie which was unpopular then but was popular 50-60 years before the Prince used it.
I think a gigantic funerary mosque of white marble, built in Agra by order of the Mogul emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, the Taj Mahal is the most perfect jewel of Moslem art in India and is one of the universally admired architectures of the world’s heritage. Not only see the beautiful Taj Mahal from the video, I also knew the history of itself and its country. A white marble tomb sums up many of the formal themes that have played through Islamic architecture. The video did talk a lot of how much Shah Jahan himself and his father loved art and made many gorgeous artworks. Taj Mahal’s refined style is a conspicuous contrast to the Hindu architecture of pre-Islamic India, with its thick walls, arches, and heavy supports. Even though Taj Mahal is the symbol of grief and sadness, it still has it beauty looks from marble and sand stone.
Spanning “over a fifth of the world’s land surface” and the governance of 458 million people at its peak, the British Empire came to bear the name of the “vast empire on which the sun never sets.” At the time of writing this in 1773, Macartney, a British statesman and colonial administrator, also asserted that the Empire’s “bounds nature has not yet ascertained.” When considering the significance of the Palace of Westminster, London in British imperial history, this statement could not ring truer. The House of Commons and the House of Lords meet within the Palace of Westminster, and it was within these democratic buildings that many of the most controversial aspects of the Empire were decided, discussed and debated. Whether this be over topics
One of the world’s greatest love stories produced a timeless monument. The structure’s sheer beauty inspired poetic words from the builder himself. The monument is an engineering marvel that has been studied by scholars and historians alike. Visitors throughout history have been infatuated by the shrine’s elegance. Count Hermann Keyserling describes the monument as, "A massive marble structure, without weight, as if formed of ether, perfectly rational and at the same time entirely decorative (Taj Mahal, 2008).Keyserling went on to say, “It is perhaps the greatest art work which the forming spirit of mankind has ever brought forth (Taj Mahal, 2008)." An American novelist, Bayard Taylor referred to this structure as a castle in the air (Taj Mahal, 2008). Constructed as a tomb for the emperor’s deceased wife, the Taj Mahal stands as one of the greatest manmade creations in the history of the world.