Walking around the Tower of London - History Class

For my History of London class, we went walking around the City of London. We met up at the Tower Hill Underground Station and walked from there to other monuments and buildings in the area. We stopped by the monument to the Merchant Marines who died in WWI and WWII. It was right next to the Tower of London, which has an interesting historical context. The tower was built in 1066 by William the Conquerer, and the areas around it were known for both public executions and being a "free" area of the city. People who would run to certain areas of the city to avoid being arrested or to avoid debts. Near the water was known for ruffians and other scandalous sorts of people. Interesting enough.

The memorial to the Merchant Marines was impressive, as there were wreaths of poppies (a tribute from the Battle of the Somme and later Armistice Day) everywhere. At the Vietnam Memorial, I haven't noticed such a prevalent presence of people paying tribute, merely tourists.

We then went to the Church of St. Olave - a Norwegian church that had an integral position in organizing the Norwegian rebel underground during WWII. It was amazing to walk in, realize that all of the statues to ships in the church was because Norwegian shippers were part of the rebel underground. During the Great Fire of London in 1666, there were so many people who died that the cemetery was overpacked with people. There were steps from the church up to accomodate for the number of bodies buried there.

It's incredible to me so walk around the City and realize that almost every building has its' history. Anything that was built before, and is still standing 1666 (Fire) was related to something that shaped London's future. We also went to the first synagogue in London, and the Guildhall. The synagogue provided refuge for immigrants during the 20th century. The guildhall allowed for different craftsmen to unite and provide support for each other. Later, the different guilds gained enough power to challenge the monarchy.

Unlike my personal history of the churches in America, the churches in England all have their unique and influential history. They can be tied to different pieces of European history. While the churches in US can be styled off of traditional Victorian or Tudor architecture, the English churches are the original.

There are ruins of Roman walls that surround the original City. I love Roman ruins and history, and seeing actual evidence of them juxtaposed with the modern buildings like the Gherkin and Lloyds was incredible. Overall, the depth of history in London is mind-blowing and I can't wait to explore more.