Tom Tower

Tom Tower is the octagonal gatehouse of Christ Church College in Oxford, topped by a faceted ogee dome. It stands above Tom Gate and serves as the main entrance to the college where St Aldate's Street meets Pembroke Square.

The original gatehouse was begun by Cardinal Wolsey but left incomplete after his fall from power in 1529. Christopher Wren finished the structure in 1682, giving it the distinctive form it still has today.

The bell Great Tom rings 101 times each evening at 21:05, a number tied to the original scholars of the college. This nightly ritual shapes the rhythm of college life and the surrounding neighborhood even today.

The tower sits at the corner of St Aldate's Street and Pembroke Square, visible from multiple angles across Oxford's city center. The gatehouse itself is freely accessible, and the immediate surroundings are easy to explore on foot.

The bell Great Tom weighs over six tons and is the largest bell in Oxford, which gives it its powerful sound. Few visitors notice that it rings at the same time every evening regardless of what else is happening in the college or city.

GPS coordinates: 51.75000,-1.25667

Latest update: December 7, 2025 19:29