The Tower of London has dominated the London skyline and the pages of English history ever since it was constructed by William the Conqueror in the wake of his Norman invasion of 1066.

Following his victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William the Conqueror commissioned several structures to solidify his control over London. The most iconic of these is the White Tower, the central keep of what is now known as the Tower of London. Built starting in the 1070s, this massive stone fortress was designed to be a symbol of Norman power and a literal stronghold to intimidate the city's inhabitants. William also established the foundations for two other lesser-known fortifications on the western side of the city walls: Baynard's Castle and Mountfichet's Tower. These structures were strategically placed to command the River Thames and the city's western entrance. While only the Tower of London remains a major landmark today, these builds collectively represented a military and architectural "chokehold" that transformed London from a Saxon town into a Norman capital.