Queen's Tower, London facts for kids

The Queen's Tower is a tall tower in London, standing about 87 meters (287 feet) high. It has a shiny copper dome on top. You can find it at Imperial College London in an area called South Kensington, England. To get to the very top, you have to climb 325 steps up a narrow spiral staircase!

This tower used to be the main part of a much bigger building called the Imperial Institute. Now, the Queen's Tower is the only piece left of that original building.

A Tower with a Story

The Imperial Institute was started in 1887 to celebrate Queen Victoria's 50 years as queen (her Golden Jubilee). Many years later, in 1957, people began to tear down the building. At that time, the tower was often called the Collcutt Tower, named after its architect, Thomas Edward Collcutt.

The tower was almost torn down too! But a famous poet named John Betjeman led a public campaign to save it. He loved old buildings from the 1800s. He warned that people's tastes in architecture change, and destroying this building would be a big loss, even if Victorian styles weren't popular then. Thanks to him, the tower was saved!

Fixing Up the Tower

After the rest of the Imperial Institute was demolished in 1966, the Queen's Tower needed repairs to stand alone. New foundations were built to make it strong.

At the bottom of the tower, you can see two stone lions. These lions used to stand at the entrance of the Imperial Institute. There were four lions originally; the other two are now at the Commonwealth Institute, but they are not in as good condition.

More recently, in 2022, work started again to fix the stone parts and replace the copper roof. This was needed because some of the stone had become damaged. The wooden vents around the bell area will also be replaced. This big repair job is expected to take two years to finish. It needed a huge, tall scaffold tower, like a giant temporary structure, to reach all the way up!

The Famous Bells

Inside the middle of the tower, about two-thirds of the way up, there are ten large bells. These bells are used for a special type of ringing called change ringing. They are known together as the Alexandra Peal.

The bells were a gift in 1892 from Mrs. Elizabeth M. Millar, who lived in Melbourne, Australia. Each bell is named after a member of the Royal Family. The biggest bell is named after Queen Victoria. Other bells are named after the Prince and Princess of Wales (Albert Edward and Alexandra), two of Queen Victoria's other children (Alfred and Arthur), and five of her grandchildren (Albert Victor, George, Louise, Victoria, and Maud). These bells are rung on important royal anniversaries and during the graduation ceremonies at Imperial College London.

Amazing Views from the Top

The highest viewing area is just below the copper dome at the very top of the tower. When you step out, you get a unique view! You can even see the top of the Albert Memorial near the Royal Albert Hall.

Since the Queen's Tower is one of the tallest buildings in west London, it offers amazing views in every direction. On a clear day, you might be able to see as far as 32 kilometers (20 miles) away! However, as of February 2022, the viewing gallery is closed to visitors.

Imperial College London

Today, the Queen's Tower is looked after by Imperial College London.