A survivor of the Great Fire of 1666, the Tower of London — the very mention of which often induced shudders in the old days when it was a working establishment of the Crown — was built as both a palace and a fortress. Lying adjacent to the Thames River, which has receded somewhat now, the tower often received many a poor wretch destined for its dungeons, or even worse, its facilities of execution.

Two queens — Anne Boleyn, the hapless wife of Henry VIII and the mother of Queen Elizabeth, herself a prisoner in the tower before she could claim the throne, and Lady Jane Grey, the poor soul who was gulled into accepting the throne for a few days — were decapitated in the courtyard next to the White Tower, the oldest section of the building. After a ride on the Thames, hardly a pleasure cruise, Sir Thomas More, chancellor under Henry VIII, was received at the tower, later to have his head lopped off because he had refused to sanction his redoubtable sovereign’s divorce from Queen Catherine. As he ascended the platform of execution, he, an old man by this time, asked for assistance. His wit having not deserted him, he muttered, “Help me up. As for the coming down, I’ll shift for meself.”

But today such gruesome aspects of the history of this ancient pile are taken lightly by the thousands of tourists who traipse through the building each year, these groups headed by a Beefeater (the name evidently descends from the French “boeuf,” as one who serves the food from a buffet) dressed in the traditional costume of scarlet and black (these men are actually pensioners who make a few extra dollars shepherding visitors about). For, make no mistake, the tower is one of the biggest magnets in all of Britain.

It’s not just the historical associations, the displays of armor and other medieval weaponry, the diverse artifacts, that attract the throngs. Probably the biggest draw are the Crown Jewels, displayed so brilliantly that one is immediately dazzled by the glare they throw off. Lines that extend for blocks are testimony to the desire of the average tourist to feast his or her eyes on what must be the greatest concatenation of ice (and other assorted gems) in the world.

One enters and leaves the room wherein are displayed the Crown Jewels by a single narrow staircase. Usually the crowds are so dense that one has no time to dawdle over this stunning horde but must keep moving. Since the walls of the room are eight feet thick, there is small likelihood that the jewels will be stolen, though Captain Blood tried to make off with them in 1671, a feat that has not been repeated.

Apart from the intrinsic beauty and value of the jewels in and of themselves, they are even more gloriously highlighted because of the contrast with their drab, murky setting in a circular room in the Wakefield Tower, the central keep. Among the chief items are the Great Sword of State, the Royal Scepter with the Cross, the Imperial Crown of State, Saint Edward’s Crown (worn by the sovereign only at his or her coronation) and the Sovereign’s Orb.

Although these items demand immediate attention, the tourist should not miss the gold spurs applied to the sovereign at the coronation, the vessel which contains the anointing oil during the coronation ceremony and the sapphire ring, symbolizing the wedding of the queen or the king to the realm. At his or her coronation, the monarch carries the golden orb in the left hand, the Royal Scepter in the right. The latter contains the largest cut diamond in the world, 516 1/2 carats, called the Great Star of Africa. In the crown designated for the Queen Mother is the celebrated Koh-i-Noor diamond, which, according to tradition, may be worn only by a woman.

When Queen Elizabeth II was crowned, the Archbishop of Canterbury placed Saint Edward’s Crown on her head. This exquisite piece takes its name from the saintly King Edward the Confessor, the first monarch to be buried in Westminster Abbey in 1066. This crown was designed and executed to replace the one destroyed by Oliver Cromwell during the Interregnum (1642-1660). In gold studded with precious stones, it weighs seven pounds, one compelling reason why it is worn only during a coronation.

The Imperial Crown of State, with its 2,283 diamonds, 117 sapphires, 11 emeralds and five rubies, is worn by the sovereign at the annual opening of Parliament. The huge ruby blazing forth in this setting was given to the Black Prince and later worn in his helmet by Henry V, the nephew of the short-lived Black Prince, at the decisive Battle of Aguincourt during the Hundred Years’ War with France. The star sapphire in the same constellation of gems was taken from James II and presented to George III by Cardinal Henry Stuart, the last of his line. Also adorning the Imperial Crown are Elizabeth I’s pearl earrings and the Second Star of Africa, a gem removed from the ring of Saint Edward and introduced into this stunning piece.

Not to be overlooked are the Imperial Crown of India, the Crown of the Prince of Wales and the bracelets presented to Queen Elizabeth by the Commonwealth Governments in 1953.

Obviously, these jewels reflect plenty of history as well as emit strong gules that will engage those who have no interest at all in their historic associations. But, as they say, there is something for everyone in this fabulous collection.