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Tarot Card Meanings:
The Tower

What is The Tower in tarot?

The Tower is card number sixteen in the Major Arcana. It represents sudden upheaval, disruption, and the breaking down of established structures. Depicting a lightning-struck tower with people falling from it, this card signifies dramatic change and the need to rebuild from the ground up after a period of chaos and revelation.

The Tower Keywords

Upright: Sudden upheaval, disruption, revelation, collapse, breaking down of structures, chaos, transformation, awakening.

Reversed: Avoiding disaster, delayed upheaval, resistance to change, lingering instability, suppressed emotions, fear of transformation.

The Tower Symbols

  • Lightning bolt: Sudden and unexpected change or revelation.
  • Crumbling tower: Collapse of established structures and false beliefs.
  • Falling figures: Loss of stability, upheaval, and being thrown into chaos.
  • Crown toppling off the tower: A fall from power or a loss of control.
  • Dark, stormy sky: Turmoil, confusion, and the intensity of the situation.
  • Flames: Destruction, but also the potential for purification and transformation.

These symbols are based on the Rider-Waite Smith tarot. Symbols may differ in other decks! 

the tower from the rider waite smith tarot
The Tower as depicted in the Rider-Waite Smith Tarot by A.E. White, illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith

What does The Tower tarot card mean?

The Tower in the tarot signifies sudden upheaval and disruption, where established structures and beliefs are dramatically shattered. This card represents a period of chaos and turmoil, forcing a breakdown of false illusions and prompting a necessary transformation. It highlights the intensity of unexpected changes that can lead to profound personal awakening and growth. The Tower encourages embracing the opportunity to rebuild from the ground up, allowing for the creation of a more authentic and stable foundation after the storm has passed.

What does The Tower reversed tarot card mean?

When the Tower appears reversed in a tarot reading, it signifies an attempt to avoid disaster or delay inevitable upheaval, often stemming from a resistance to change. This card suggests lingering instability and suppressed emotions, indicating that the underlying issues are not being addressed. It reflects a fear of transformation and an unwillingness to confront the necessary breakdown of false structures. The Tower reversed urges you to face these challenges head-on, allowing the necessary changes to occur and ultimately paving the way for a more stable and authentic foundation.

El Tarocchi Tarot Reader Insight

The Tower is a necessary upheaval.

In my 20+ years of reading tarot, I’ve found that The Tower is often the most feared card in the deck, BUT it is frequently the most honest. While many interpretations focus on disaster and catastrophe, this card often appears in my readings as a necessary upheaval of structures that no longer serve. It represents the moments when the universe identifies a foundation (e.g. a job, a relationship, or a belief system) built on a shaky premise, and decides to clear the site for you.
In a practical sense, The Tower isn’t usually a random lightning strike; it is the inevitable result of ignoring cracks and weaknesses in the structure for too long. When this card appears in a reading, I never advise clients to stop The Tower from collapsing. Instead, we can look at what remains once the dust settles. True stability isn’t found in a structure that can never fall, but in the resilience you develop by learning how to rebuild from the ground up.
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How does The Tower in appear in different tarot decks?

agatha tarot deck the tower
The Tower from the Agatha All Along Tarot by Andrea Hannah and Brittany Horn
A photo of the Tower card from the NewWave Tarot
The Tower from the NewWave Tarot by by M. Miro and A. Mokuseioh