One of the big draws at the Tower of London -- since the days of Charles II, in the 17th century-- has been the chance to see the Crown Jewels.
What exactly are the Crown Jewels? Basically all the gold and glitter used in coronations: ten crowns are on display, plus scepters, jewelled swords, and The Orb. Most date from the coronation of Charles II, when royalty returned to England in 1661: new jewels had to be made then, as Parliament had scrapped the old ones when beheading Charles' father, Charles I, in 1649. (The gold was used for coins.)
One of the sceptres has the biggest cut diamond in the world, the 530-carat Star of Africa. One of the crowns has the famous Koh-i-Noor diamond.
No picture taking inside these display rooms!
