Iconic UK landmark where visitors could be JAILED just for taking a selfie with £5bn treasure – don’t get caught out
EXPERTS have revealed that visitors to one iconic UK landmark could be jailed just for taking a selfie with a £5billion treasure.
The historic attraction is one of seven tourist hotspots worldwide where experts say it is against the law to take selfies.
Visitors are banned from taking selfies in the Jewel House at the Tower of London, as photographs of the building’s interior could help thieves steal the Crown Jewels.
Photos are also banned for religious reasons in the Chapel of St John inside the White Tower, the iconic main fortification at the Tower of London.
Tripods and selfie sticks are not allowed anywhere in the Tower without the permission of its conservation team.
If you take pictures inside the Jewel House with the intent of using them to plan the theft of the Crown Jewels, you could face a long prison term.
The Crown Jewels include more than 100 pieces of treasure and 23,000 including St Edward’s Crown, which used to crown new kings and queens during their coronation ceremony, and the Imperial State Crown, which is used by the monarch at state occasions like the opening of Parliament.
Although external experts estimate their value at around £5billion, they are officially considered to be priceless.
ParrotPrint’s photography experts said: “The precious crown jewels are kept under high security at the Jewel House in the Tower of London, with over 100 CCTV cameras and guards round the clock watching out for people trying to sneak a selfie.
“Inside the Jewel House taking photos or videos with these royal gems is strictly forbidden as it’s seen as a security risk.”
They named six other global landmarks where taking selfies is completely illegal.
The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has banned all photography in the gallery, as it claims selfies detracts from appreciation of the paintings.
The Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City has also banned selfies and all photography, after a renovation in 1980 funded by Japan’s Nippon Television Network came on the condition of exclusive photo rights inside.
Pilgrims on their way to Mecca in Saudi Arabia are also banned from taking pictures on religious grounds.
In America, visitors to New York zoos and Lake Tahoe in California are not allowed to take selfies with wild animals like bears and tigers.