Tower of London illuminates for World War I centenary

2018 marks 100 years since the conclusion of World War I.

Once referred to as the Great War, this five-year conflict forever transformed Europe and the globe.

In honor of this monumental centenary, the Tower of London is hosting a remarkable event titled 'Beyond the Deepening Shadow: The Tower Remembers.'

This eight-night event in London, running from November 4 to 11, fills the Tower’s moat with thousands of glowing torches to honor the countless lives lost during the war.

The final evening, November 11, marks Remembrance Day in the UK and the anniversary of the moment the war officially ended 'at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.'

The ceremony at the Tower of London begins at dusk, with the number of torches increasing from 5 to 9 each night.

The event starts with a bugler playing 'The Last Post,' a bugle call traditionally performed at military funerals or to honor those who died in battle.

Following this, the yeoman warders begin the task of lighting the torches.

Yeoman warders, often called 'Beefeaters,' are the historic guardians of the Tower of London and the crown jewels. They also guide visitors on tours of the Tower.

Across the UK and the Commonwealth, many people wear red poppies on Remembrance Day, evoking lines from the iconic poem 'In Flanders Fields' by Canadian poet John McCrae: 'In Flanders fields the poppies blow / Between the crosses, row on row.'

Numerous other events are held around the UK and beyond to honor the end of World War I.

In Washington, D.C., the Smithsonian Museums launched new World War I exhibits on April 6, 2018, marking the anniversary of the United States' entry into the war.

In France, several commemorations are planned for the weekend of November 11, including a speech by President Emmanuel Macron at the Arc de Triomphe and a military tribute at the Hôtel National des Invalides.