London landmark: The Tower of London has stood over London for over 900 years. The fortress was established in roughly 1078 by William the Conqueror -- the first Norman King of England. Now it's a tourist hotspot, more than three million people visit each year to discover the secrets behind the Tower's stone walls.
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Secrets and history: The Tower has long been home to secrets, history, myths and legends. It's played host to deaths and disappearances. Visiting in 2018, you'll struck by its size: the Tower covers 12 acres of the city -- it's almost a village in itself.
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Skyline staple: William wanted the castle to be a omnipresent reminder of his victory to the people of London. The Tower remains a staple of the London skyline.
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Historic exhibits: Today, the White Tower showcases historic arms and armor as part of the Line of Kings exhibition. This exhibit has been a feature of the Tower since the 17th century.
Courtesy Historic Royal Palaces/Royal Armouries
Changing trends: The exhibit charts royal armor through the ages and is a must-see for history buffs, charting how tourism trends have changed over the years.
Courtesy Historic Royal Palaces/Royal Armouries
Britain's showpieces: The Tower also plays host to Britain's Crown Jewels. Under armed guard inside the Tower, they're a marvel to behold. The Imperial State Crown -- pictured here traveling by car to the State Opening of Parliament -- was made in 1937, using precious jewels said to date back to the 1300s.
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Real deal: The jewels you see in the Tower of London are the real deal, but even replica sets are worth thousands. This replica set was made in honor of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, with an estimated worth of £5,000- £7,000.
Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for Sotheby's
Opening ceremony: Every morning, the Tower is officially opened by the Yeoman Warders. They guard the Tower and everything inside -- and also lead tours of the Tower for tourists.
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High flying job: To become a Yeoman Warder, you have to have served at least 22 years in the armed forces as a Warrant Officer or Senior Non Commissioned Officer -- and hold Long Service and Good Conduct medals.
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Traditions and customs: Yeoman Warders still live inside the Tower of London with their families -- continuing a tradition that dates back to the 1400s. Some of the accommodation dates back to the 13th century.
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Bird's eye view: One of the Tower of London's quirkiest residents is the Ravenmaster. Chris Skaife is a Yeoman Warder whose principal role is to look after the Tower's feathered residents.
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One of a kind: "I am responsible for the safety and the welfare of our magnificent ravens," Skaife tells CNN. "My job is unique, as far as I'm aware, I am officially the only Ravenmaster in the world."
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Importance of the raven: Ravens are intertwined with the Tower's history and legacy: "There are many myths and legends associated with the Tower," explains Skaife. "One such legend reminds us that should the ravens leave the Tower of London, it will crumble and a great harm will befall the Kingdom."
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Royal decree: No one is sure where the ominous raven legend came from -- but when Charles II came to the throne in 1630, he decreed that there must always be six ravens at the Tower -- to ensure Britain's safety.
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Bond with birds: Skaife has a particular bond with one of his ravens -- Merlin, affectionately known as Merlina -- pictured here. "My relationship with the ravens depends very much on the actual personality of each individual raven that we have here at the Tower of London," says Skaife.
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Animal farm: In the 21st century London is known for its Regents Park-based zoo, but during the reign of King John (1199-1216) the Tower of London hosted the Royal Menagerie -- a large collection of exotic animals.
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First elephant: The Royal Menagerie hosted the first polar bear and elephant in the UK. The elephant was a gift from Louis IX of France in 1255. The Menagerie was officially closed in 1830.
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Grisly history: There have been a total of 22 executions inside the Tower of London. The last person to be executed was a German spy -- Josef Jakobs, who parachuted into England.
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Lost princes: One of the Tower's greatest mysteries is the lost Princes in the Tower. These two boys disappeared in the Tower while under the custody of Richard, Duke of Gloucester in 1483.
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Notorious prison: In the 1950s, infamous gangsters the Kray twins were held in the Tower for one night for failing to turn up for their national service. They were the last prisoners in the Tower.
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Buried treasure: Rumor has it that there's mysterious buried treasure somewhere in the Tower -- the Lieutenant of the Tower during the Cromwell period (1649-1660) hid £20,000 of gold coins in the stone walls. The riches have yet to be discovered.
