The Tower of London is a historic castle located on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. The tower was built towards the end of 1066, and the White Tower was built by William the Conqueror in 1078. From 1100 to 1952, the castle was used by a prison, although that was not its primary purpose; it was instead a grand palace that was meant to serve as a royal residence. The Tower has served variously as an armoury, a treasury, a menagerie, the home of the Royal Mint, a public record office, and the home of the Crown Jewels of England. Under the Tudors, the tower was used less as a royal residence, and the peak of the tower's use as a prison occurred during the 16th and 17th centuries. In the latter half of the 19th century, institutions such as the Royal Mint moved out of the castle to other locations, and 12 men were executed for espionage during World War I and World War II. After the Second World War II, damage caused by The Blitz was repaired, and the Tower would become one of London's most popular tourist attractions.
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