tower bridge london
View of Tower Bridge, bascule and suspension bridge in London, UK

Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge for many tourists has been top of the list of places to see in London. Every tourist who comes to London can exhibit this wonderful bridge which consists of spectacular history. Tower Bridge shares the same tourist mindset as the Clock Tower i.e. Big Ben. The History of the Bridge is as fascinating as it sounds.

About Tower Bridge

The city of London is built on both sides of the river Thames. By the 19th century, the city grew and the eastern part of the city grew rapidly and got densely populated. The journeys between the busy port areas became tedious and took hours to cross at peak hours of morning and evening. In 1876 the City of London Corporation responsible for the east part of London decided to make the Tower Bridge. Over 50 designs were submitted for consideration of the Tower Bridge in the Special Bridge Committee. The final and chosen design of the Bridge was won by Horace Jones and John Wolfe Barry.

Eight years was the time taken to create the masterpiece which we see today. With an army of about 430 labours and 5 contractors, it was made possible to finish the project. It was completed in 1894 and was opened by King Edward VII. It was the most sophisticated bascule bridge of its time. The bascules were operated by hydraulics, using steam to power the enormous pumping engines. Since 1976 the bascules have been operated by oil and electricity rather than steam as it appeared to be more economical and less dangerous. It takes about 1 min to raise the bascules to their maximum angle of 86 degrees.

How to reach Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge Exhibition was reopened in 2002 and celebrated its Silver Jubilee in 2007. Tower Bridge is a great tourist destination and one of the most visited tourist spots. Tourists who want to see Tower Bridge can enjoy the exhibition and can take the nearest tube station which is London Bridge Station operate on the Northern and Jubilee Line. Tourists who are coming from the eastern side of London can hop off at Tower Hill station and walk through the Bridge. London Tour buses are available opposite the Tower of London. Your London tour will be incomplete if you didn’t visit this great bridge.

Tower Bridge Lift Times

If you want to see when the bridge lifts and lets the ships or big cruises pass by, don’t miss out on when the bridge lifts. Tower Bridge lifts around 800 times a year. Find out when the next Bridge Lift will be, and which vessel the Bridge will be lifted by going to the Tower Bridge office website.

Book your VIP Tower of London and Tower Bridge Access Tour

Enter the Tower of London before anyone else, and see the official opening ceremony on a 3-hour guided tour. Admire the Crown Jewels before the crowds arrive. Then, enjoy skip-the-line access to the Tower Bridge Experience and engine rooms.

Book by clicking here – Tower of London and Tower Bridge VIP Early-Access Tour