The Tower of London, one of the UK's most visited historic attractions, has launched a new early-morning tour that lets visitors meet the fortress's famous ravens, guided by one of the birds' keepers, before the site opens to the public.
According to the attraction's website, those who want to join the tour must arrive earlier than usual visitors, since participants gather at 8am and begin the tour at 8:15am, an hour before the Tower's official opening.
The organisers describe the experience as a 45-minute talk about the Tower's most famous residents, delivered before the ravens' cages are opened for the day. Visitors learn the birds' names and personalities, how they are fed and cared for, and the history, myths and traditions that have made them an enduring symbol of the Tower for centuries. The tour also promises stories usually hidden from public view and a better understanding of the important role the ravens play in the Tower's heritage, according to the organisers.
What the Ravens Experience includes
Participants are also allowed to take exclusive photographs of the ravens and to watch as the birds are released into the Tower grounds for their daily walk.
The Ravens Experience tour runs twice a week, on Wednesdays and Fridays. Tickets for adults cost £90, and places must be booked online in advance.
The ticket price also covers access to all areas of the Tower of London that are open to visitors, including the exhibition of the Crown Jewels. The Crown Jewels are the historic regalia of the British monarchy, including crowns, sceptres and other items used in coronation ceremonies, and their exhibition is one of the site's biggest draws for visitors.
A centuries-old symbol of the Tower
Construction of the Tower of London began in the 11th century on the orders of William the Conqueror, and the fortress on the north bank of the River Thames has since served as a royal palace, a prison and a treasury. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site managed by the charity Historic Royal Palaces, which also looks after other royal sites such as Hampton Court Palace and Kensington Palace.
Ravens have lived at the Tower for centuries and are cared for by a dedicated keeper known as the Ravenmaster, one of the Yeoman Warders who guard the fortress. According to a long-standing legend, the kingdom is said to fall if the ravens ever leave the Tower, a superstition that has helped make the birds one of the site's best-known symbols.
