The Tower’s Closing Ceremony

One of the oldest rituals at the Tower of London is the Ceremony of the Keys. Beginning at 9:30 p.m., it’s an event marking the locking up of the tower for the evening. Except for one evening during the Blitz of World War II, this event has taken place every night for over 700 years and involves the passing of the monarch’s keys for the security of the fortress. A nominal fee is charged for tickets, which must be pre-booked online. As one might wonder, there’s also an opening of the tower, when the Duty Yeoman Warder and a military escort of the main guard march to open both the Middle Tower and the Byward Tower around 9:00 a.m. Some tour companies offer access to this event along with early entry to the Crown Jewels exhibition. You can watch the action near Traitors’ Gate.

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