UN threatens to put Tower of London on danger list
By Terry Kirby, Chief Reporter
08 January 2007
Booming London, which recently overtook New York to become the financial capital of the world for the first time since the Empire, is constructing lots of new skyscrapers. Here's how London's skyline should look in 2012. It's because of this high rise development that put the Tower of London on the danger list.
Unesco is threatening to place the Tower of London on its list of endangered World Heritage Sites because of the number of skyscrapers being planned for the surrounding area.
The fortress, which William the Conqueror started building in 1078 to dominate London, would be the only building in the developed world on the endangered list.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has got until the end of the month to demonstrate to the UN agency's World Heritage Committee why the Tower of London should not be included on the list. It is expected to say that the correct planning procedures were followed for the proposed developments.
The Shard of Glass will be Europe's tallest skyscraper
20 Fenchurch Street will be a "bent" skyscraper
These include the 306-metre-high "Shard of Glass" tower planned for London Bridge, which will be Britain's tallest building. Although plans for a second tower, the 200-metre Minerva building, have been scaled down, two other proposed buildings, a 288-metre high Bishopsgate tower and a 209-metre building at 20 Fenchurch Street, have also raised alarm at Unesco.
The World Heritage Committee said last year that it noted "with great concern" the proposed developments which failed to respect the significance of the site and "deeply regretted" that the Government had not yet examined the impact of such developments on the Tower. It also suggested that the developments would have a wider impact, affecting other World Heritage Sites, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.
A joint team from the World Heritage Centre and the independent International Council on Monuments and Sites subsequently visited the site. The Government has been asked to respond to the criticisms by the end of this month, and give a timetable for "corrective action".
A culture department spokesman has admitted it would not be possible to "row back" on permission for the Shard of Glass. He stressed that permission for the development was granted after a public inquiry which considered the environmental impact, adding: "Our response to these criticisms will be that our planning controls are among the most sophisticated in the world. As a result we are pretty confident we will not be placed on the danger list."
Unesco will make a final decision in June.
independent.co.uk
Tower of London factfile
* The Tower of London has served many purposes. Its primary function was as a fortress, a royal palace and a prison (particularly for high status and royal prisoners (such as the "Princes in the Tower" and the future Queen Elizabeth I). It has also served as a place of execution and torture, an armoury, a treasury, a zoo (from the 13th century until the 1820s. It was possible to hear lions roaring as you sailed past on a ship down the Thames), a mint, a public records office, an observatory, and—since 1303, the home of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.
* At least 6 ravens must be kept in the Tower at all times. According to legend, if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London, the White Tower, the Monarchy, and the entire Kingdom would fall. There are currently 8 ravens at the Tower whose wings are clipped to prevent them from flying away, and they are cared for by the Ravenmaster, a duty given to one of the Yeomen Warders. Their names are Gwylum (a male aged 18 ), Thor (a male aged 15), Hugine (a female aged 11), Munin (a female aged 11), Branwen (a female aged 3), Bran (a male aged 3), Gundulf (a male aged 1) and Baldrick (a male aged 1). The oldest raven ever to serve at the Tower of London was Jim Crow, who died at the age of 44.
* Some famous prisoners to have been held in the Tower include Sir Walter Raleigh, King Henry VI, his wife Magaret of Anjou, Guy Fawkes. The last person to be imprisoned in the Tower of London was the NAZI, Rudolph Hess, who was imprisoned there in 1941.
* The Crown Jewels were temporarily taken out of the Tower during World War II, and reportedly were secretly kept in the basement vaults of the Sun Life Insurance company in Montreal, Canada, along with the gold bullion of the Bank of England. However, it has also been said that they were kept in the Round Tower of Windsor Castle, or the Fort Knox Bullion Depository in the United States.
* The Tower includes the following towers, listed in alphabetic order:
By Terry Kirby, Chief Reporter
08 January 2007
Booming London, which recently overtook New York to become the financial capital of the world for the first time since the Empire, is constructing lots of new skyscrapers. Here's how London's skyline should look in 2012. It's because of this high rise development that put the Tower of London on the danger list.
Unesco is threatening to place the Tower of London on its list of endangered World Heritage Sites because of the number of skyscrapers being planned for the surrounding area.
The fortress, which William the Conqueror started building in 1078 to dominate London, would be the only building in the developed world on the endangered list.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has got until the end of the month to demonstrate to the UN agency's World Heritage Committee why the Tower of London should not be included on the list. It is expected to say that the correct planning procedures were followed for the proposed developments.
The Shard of Glass will be Europe's tallest skyscraper
20 Fenchurch Street will be a "bent" skyscraper
These include the 306-metre-high "Shard of Glass" tower planned for London Bridge, which will be Britain's tallest building. Although plans for a second tower, the 200-metre Minerva building, have been scaled down, two other proposed buildings, a 288-metre high Bishopsgate tower and a 209-metre building at 20 Fenchurch Street, have also raised alarm at Unesco.
The World Heritage Committee said last year that it noted "with great concern" the proposed developments which failed to respect the significance of the site and "deeply regretted" that the Government had not yet examined the impact of such developments on the Tower. It also suggested that the developments would have a wider impact, affecting other World Heritage Sites, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.
A joint team from the World Heritage Centre and the independent International Council on Monuments and Sites subsequently visited the site. The Government has been asked to respond to the criticisms by the end of this month, and give a timetable for "corrective action".
A culture department spokesman has admitted it would not be possible to "row back" on permission for the Shard of Glass. He stressed that permission for the development was granted after a public inquiry which considered the environmental impact, adding: "Our response to these criticisms will be that our planning controls are among the most sophisticated in the world. As a result we are pretty confident we will not be placed on the danger list."
Unesco will make a final decision in June.
independent.co.uk
Tower of London factfile
* The Tower of London has served many purposes. Its primary function was as a fortress, a royal palace and a prison (particularly for high status and royal prisoners (such as the "Princes in the Tower" and the future Queen Elizabeth I). It has also served as a place of execution and torture, an armoury, a treasury, a zoo (from the 13th century until the 1820s. It was possible to hear lions roaring as you sailed past on a ship down the Thames), a mint, a public records office, an observatory, and—since 1303, the home of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.
* At least 6 ravens must be kept in the Tower at all times. According to legend, if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London, the White Tower, the Monarchy, and the entire Kingdom would fall. There are currently 8 ravens at the Tower whose wings are clipped to prevent them from flying away, and they are cared for by the Ravenmaster, a duty given to one of the Yeomen Warders. Their names are Gwylum (a male aged 18 ), Thor (a male aged 15), Hugine (a female aged 11), Munin (a female aged 11), Branwen (a female aged 3), Bran (a male aged 3), Gundulf (a male aged 1) and Baldrick (a male aged 1). The oldest raven ever to serve at the Tower of London was Jim Crow, who died at the age of 44.
* Some famous prisoners to have been held in the Tower include Sir Walter Raleigh, King Henry VI, his wife Magaret of Anjou, Guy Fawkes. The last person to be imprisoned in the Tower of London was the NAZI, Rudolph Hess, who was imprisoned there in 1941.
* The Crown Jewels were temporarily taken out of the Tower during World War II, and reportedly were secretly kept in the basement vaults of the Sun Life Insurance company in Montreal, Canada, along with the gold bullion of the Bank of England. However, it has also been said that they were kept in the Round Tower of Windsor Castle, or the Fort Knox Bullion Depository in the United States.
* The Tower includes the following towers, listed in alphabetic order:
- Beauchamp Tower (pronounced Beecham)
- Bell Tower
- Bloody Tower (or the Garden Tower)
- Bowyer Tower
- Brick Tower
- Broad Arrow Tower
- Byward Tower
- Constable Tower
- Cradle Tower
- Develin Tower
- Deveraux Tower
- Flint Tower
- Lanthorn Tower
- Martin Tower
- Middle Tower
- St. Thomas's Tower
- Salt Tower
- Wakefield Tower
- Wardrobe Tower
- Well Tower
- White Tower
Last edited:
