Fodor's Expert Review Clifford's Tower

This rather battered-looking keep at the top of a steep grassy mound is the largest remaining part of York Castle, once one of the greatest fortresses of medieval England and the administrative center of northern England. The squat stone tower, used as a treasury and then a prison, dates from the mid-13th century. The timber Norman tower that preceded it, built in 1068 by William the Conqueror, was destroyed in 1190 when more than 150 Jews locked themselves inside to protect themselves from a violent mob. Trapped with no food or water, they committed mass suicide by setting their own prison aflame. From the top of the tower, you have good views of the city. Following a major conservation project, walkways now open up rooms hidden since a fire in 1684 and there's a viewing platform that offers wonderful vistas.