A sea of blood-red poppies has once again poured over the Tower of London — this time to mark 80 years since the end of the Second World War.
Nearly 30,000 ceramic poppies, originally part of the 2014 sensation Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red, have returned to the iconic fortress in a powerful new installation, The Tower Remembers.
The display, which opened today and runs until Armistice Day, sees poppies cascading down the White Tower before forming a dramatic crater at the heart of the ancient walls — symbolising a battlefield wound.
The poppies, on loan from the Imperial War Museums, were first unveiled a decade ago in a tribute that drew over five million people and captured the nation’s heart.
“This is about remembrance, reflection, and bringing people together,” said artist Paul Cummins. “It’s a joy to see the poppies return to where it all began.”
Poet Laureate Simon Armitage has penned a new work, In Retrospect, for the occasion, describing it as a “meditation on recollection” as WWII slips from living memory.
“I want the poppy to throw responsibility back at us,” he said. “Not just let the flower do all the work.”
Designer Tom Piper, who worked on both installations, said: “This may be smaller, but it packs just as much punch. These poppies speak of sacrifice, survival and the universal cost of war.”
This is about remembrance, reflection, and bringing people together
The Tower itself was bombed during the Blitz, with several buildings damaged and two lives lost — reminders of the conflict’s reach even into the heart of British history.
On May 6, the new display will be lit for the first time, mirroring the floodlit Tower that stood as a symbol of hope in 1945.
Brigadier Andrew Jackson, Governor of the Tower, said: “This place is steeped in wartime history. As the war fades from living memory, we must never forget. This display helps keep those stories alive.”
The installation will remain in place through VE Day, VJ Day, and until November 11 — when the poppies will return to the IWM collection.
