Which river flows beside the Tower of London?

The River Thames flows beside the Tower of London.

The castle occupies the eastern edge of central London on the north bank of the Thames. William the Conqueror began the White Tower in the 1070s, soon after the Norman conquest of England, and later monarchs expanded the fortress into the complex seen today.

The river was strategically important because it gave the fortress access to transport, trade, and a defensive water barrier. The Tower served at different times as a royal residence, prison, armoury, treasury, and place of execution.

People sometimes confuse the Tower of London with Tower Bridge, which stands immediately to the east. They are separate landmarks, although both are closely associated with the Thames and the historic district of Tower Hamlets.