According to legend, what will happen if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London?

The kingdom and the Tower will fall

The Thames will flood the whole city

In 2014, the Tower's moat was filled with what to mark 100 years since World War I began?

Flags of the fallen soldiers' regiments

Tower of London Quiz: Ravens, Crown Jewels and History of England

This Tower of London quiz explores the historic fortress on the River Thames in England, with questions on the legend of the ravens, the Yeoman Warders known as Beefeaters, the Crown Jewels and the Cullinan diamond, the White Tower of William the Conqueror, the Ceremony of the Keys, Anne Boleyn, the Princes in the Tower, the royal menagerie, Traitors' Gate and the 2014 poppies. Ten questions.

Start Tower of London Quiz

🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 90 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 90s

Ravens
According to legend, what will happen if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London?
Guards
What are the Yeoman Warders of the Tower of London popularly called?
Jewels
Which famous diamond, the largest clear-cut diamond in the world, is set in the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross?
Towers
Who began building the White Tower, the oldest part of the fortress, around 1078?
Ceremonies
The Ceremony of the Keys, the locking of the Tower each night, has taken place for roughly how long?
Executions
Which queen, the second wife of Henry VIII, was executed at the Tower in 1536?
Mysteries
The Princes in the Tower, who disappeared in 1483, were the sons of which king?
Animals
For centuries, the Tower held a royal menagerie. What did a polar bear given to Henry III do in the Thames?
Gates
Which riverside entrance was used to bring prisoners into the Tower by boat?
Memorials
In 2014, the Tower's moat was filled with what to mark 100 years since World War I began?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: According to legend, what will happen if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London?
Answer: The kingdom and the Tower will fall
At least six ravens are kept at the Tower at all times, plus spares. A Ravenmaster looks after them and feeds them meat and biscuits soaked in blood.
Q2: What are the Yeoman Warders of the Tower of London popularly called?
Answer: Beefeaters
They must have served at least 22 years in the armed forces. They live inside the Tower with their families and lead guided tours.
Q3: Which famous diamond, the largest clear-cut diamond in the world, is set in the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross?
Answer: The Cullinan I
Cullinan I, also called the Great Star of Africa, weighs about 530 carats. It was cut from the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found.
Q4: Who began building the White Tower, the oldest part of the fortress, around 1078?
Answer: William the Conqueror
The keep was built to show Norman power over London. It was named the White Tower after it was whitewashed in 1240.
Q5: The Ceremony of the Keys, the locking of the Tower each night, has taken place for roughly how long?
Answer: About 700 years
It has been held every night for centuries, even during the bombing of World War II. Visitors can attend by booking free tickets well in advance.
Q6: Which queen, the second wife of Henry VIII, was executed at the Tower in 1536?
Answer: Anne Boleyn
She was beheaded by a swordsman brought from France. A glass memorial on Tower Green marks the site of executions inside the fortress.
Q7: The Princes in the Tower, who disappeared in 1483, were the sons of which king?
Answer: Edward IV
Their uncle, Richard III, took the throne. What happened to the boys remains one of England's most famous mysteries.
Q8: For centuries, the Tower held a royal menagerie. What did a polar bear given to Henry III do in the Thames?
Answer: Catch fish
The bear was kept on a chain and allowed to swim and fish. The animals were moved to London Zoo in the 1830s.
Q9: Which riverside entrance was used to bring prisoners into the Tower by boat?
Answer: Traitors' Gate
Prisoners such as Anne Boleyn are said to have entered through it. The gate faces the Thames under St. Thomas's Tower.
Q10: In 2014, the Tower's moat was filled with what to mark 100 years since World War I began?
Answer: Ceramic poppies
The installation had 888,246 poppies, one for each British and colonial soldier killed in the war. Millions of people came to see it.

Tower of London Quiz – England's Historic Fortress

The Tower of London is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in England. Founded by William the Conqueror after the Norman Conquest of 1066, it has been a royal palace, a fortress, a prison, an armory, a mint, a zoo and the home of the Crown Jewels. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The oldest part, the White Tower, was begun around 1078. Over the centuries, later kings added walls, towers and a moat. The Tower became infamous as a prison and place of execution. Anne Boleyn and Lady Jane Grey were beheaded on Tower Green, and the Princes in the Tower disappeared there in 1483.

Today, the Tower is guarded by the Yeoman Warders, known as Beefeaters, who live inside its walls and give tours. Legend says the kingdom will fall if the ravens leave, so at least six are kept at all times. Every night, the Ceremony of the Keys locks the gates, as it has for about 700 years.

The Crown Jewels are displayed in the Jewel House. They include the crowns and sceptres used at coronations, such as the Imperial State Crown and the Sovereign's Sceptre with the Cullinan I diamond. Visitors also see armor, Traitors' Gate and the medieval palace.

The Tower once held a royal menagerie with lions and a polar bear. In 2014, its moat filled with ceramic poppies.

The Tower is next to Tower Bridge, the famous Victorian drawbridge often confused with London Bridge. Visitors can walk along the castle walls, see the medieval palace and explore the Royal Armouries' collection of weapons and armor.

This quiz covers the history, legends, treasures and traditions of the Tower of London.

What This Quiz Teaches

This quiz is perfect for history fans, royal watchers and travelers to London.

The legend of the ravens
The Yeoman Warders and the Ceremony of the Keys
The Crown Jewels and Cullinan I
The White Tower and William the Conqueror
Anne Boleyn and the Princes in the Tower
The royal menagerie, Traitors' Gate and the poppies

Quick Facts About the Tower of London

The Royal Mint was based at the Tower for about 500 years.
The Tower's moat was drained in the 1840s.
The last execution at the Tower took place in 1941.
The Crown Jewels are still used by the monarch.
About 3 million people visit the Tower in a typical year.
The Tower's chapel holds the graves of executed queens.