Global Treasures: Tower of London and Tower Bridge

Television Director: Ullman, Frank

Producer: Scarson, Peter O.

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Catalogue Number: GTR-DVD-1168

UPC: 879061007675

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Global Treasures - History's Most Protected Monuments - Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Places as unique and diverse as the wilds of East Africa's Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America make up our world's heritage. Join us as we explore one of these protected monuments.

The Tower of London is the home of the Crown Jewels and one of the many historical sights of the United Kingdom's capital city. Just as with the British Empire, the Tower has a colorful and dramatic past, and it was originally designed as a fortress by William the Conqueror.

Not far from the Tower's original main entrance, prisoners were taken through Traitors' Gate into the notorious dungeons. In 1843, the moat dried up, but the old fortress and its towers have survived to the present day. It must have been a terrifying experience to be imprisoned there, and few prisoners lived to tell the tale of the rigors of the Tower.

Many members of the English royal family were executed in the Tower, but there were times when official execution was replaced by cold-blooded murder. Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII, was the most famous of those who fell victim to the Tower.

Tower Bridge is a masterpiece of Victorian technology and construction. Its drawbridge once allowed large sailing ships to travel to the centre of the city. Today, however, the majority of large ships dock downstream, and now the famous old bridge is raised around 900 times each year to facilitate the passage of numerous vessels that travel along the Thames.

Even today, the River Thames is ruled by this majestic bridge, and the spectacular view from the Bridge's 50-metre-high walkway is truly breathtaking.

Tower Bridge and the Tower of London are without any doubt two of London's most striking and fascinating landmarks.