Tower of London to be lit up with poignant light show over Remembrance period
The immersive after-dark experience, Poppy Fields at the Tower of London, will run from November 8-16.
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The Tower of London is to be illuminated with a poignant light show in remembrance of those who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars.
Visitors to the immersive after-dark experience will be invited inside the walls of the famous fortress next month to see the historic White Tower transformed with moving images reflecting on the conflicts.
The Luxmuralis sound and light installation, Poppy Fields at the Tower of London, will run for nine nights, from November 8-16, including Remembrance Day.
Falling poppy petals, silhouettes of soldiers and the World War One military medal “For Bravery in the Field” will be among the artwork lighting up the Tower, accompanied by music and poetry recordings.
Ticketholders will also be granted special access to see the Crown Jewels without the usual crowds, and learn about their removal from the Tower during both world wars.
Discounted tickets are available for veterans and serving members of the Armed Forces, with £1 tickets on offer for those in receipt of certain financial means tested benefits.
Historic Royal Palaces, the independent charity which cares for the Tower of London, said: “Poppy Fields at the Tower will create space for visitors to remember those who lost their lives in those conflicts, as well as all those who served, and will also look forward, exploring the collective desire for peace.”
In 2014, the Tower of London hosted Blood Swept Lands And Seas Of Red, an art installation that saw the moat filled with thousands of ceramic poppies to mark the centenary of the start of the First World War.
Charles Farris, public historian at Historic Royal Palaces, said the ancient monument acted as a “symbol of national determination and resoluteness” during the two world wars.
“Poppy Fields at the Tower of London will see the iconic fortress transformed into a moving and reflective artistic experience,” Mr Farris said.
“Visitors will see a combination of historic photographs, documents, maps, and plans, combined with artworks including tumbling poppies projected onto the walls of the Tower.”
He added: “The Tower of London played a historic role in the First and Second World Wars, it was a place of recruitment, part of the city’s anti-aircraft defences, and an important military prison. It was also a symbol of national determination and resoluteness.
“Throughout the First World War the Tower remained open to visitors, including the armed forces.”
The spectacle will feature never before seen photographs and documents from the Historic Royal Palaces and Royal Fusiliers archives.
The Tower of London continues to be a royal fortress.
It serves as the regimental headquarters of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.
The White Tower houses the Tower Armouries, and the community is home to many who served in the armed forces, including the Yeoman Warders, otherwise known as Beefeaters, who guard the fortress.
Tickets and more information can be found at hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/.
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