The Bridge Over the Thames: Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge: London's Iconic Landmark

The famous bridge spanning the River Thames in central London is Tower Bridge (often confused with London Bridge).

Key Features

• Type: Combined bascule (drawbridge) and suspension bridge.
• Opened: 1894.
• Length: 244 m (800 ft); towers 65 m (213 ft) high.
• Function: Bascules lift to allow tall ships passage (still done ~800×/year).
• Design: Victorian Gothic style by Horace Jones & John Wolfe Barry.

Not London Bridge

London Bridge is a modern concrete box-girder bridge (1973) upstream. The 1831 stone London Bridge was sold and rebuilt in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

Visiting

Tower Bridge Exhibition: walk high-level glass-floor walkways, see Victorian engine rooms. Book online.