Tower Bridge Overview

Tower Bridge is a triumph of late Victorian engineering and an iconic part of the London skyline. Setting new standards in bridge construction the combined bascule and suspension bridge spans 61 metres across the Thames and rises far above it in elegant form. The immense east London structure took eight years, five contractors and 432 construction workers to build, taking its complete form in 1894.

The reasons for the construction of the bridge have been somewhat lost to modern Londoners, with shipping playing a decreasing part in the livelihood of the capital. London's maritime past was however a key factor in determining that late in the Victorian age no bridges existed to the east of London Bridge. Concerns of shipping access were soon though subordinated to the need to provide pedestrian cross-river access for London's expanding East End population, making a new bridge an absolute necessity. The chosen structure allowed for pedestrian crossing – via the upper walkways while the bridge was raised – as well as allowing vessels in and out of the Thames' eastern docks and quays.

Tower Bridge Location

Docklands Light Railway (DLR) stations Tower Hill and Tower Gateway are within easy reach of London Bridge.

Located in the borough of Tower Hamlets, the bridge is in easy walking distance from the City of London and interesting East End enclaves such as Brick Lane. Alternatively, a visit to the bridge could be worked into a day exploring further east still, where the river bends to surround the Isle of Dogs. There the ultra-modernity Canary Wharf's skyscrapers and the Millennium Dome's curvature face up to the regal splendour of Greenwich's naval college and royal observatory.

Once a month visitors can also go up the neighbouring GLA building and take a look at the structure itself, in addition to enjoying the view afforded by Tower Bridge. And for a glimpse of plush quayside living, visitors can duck into the sheltered and picturesque surroundings of St Katherine's Docks, located alongside the Tower of London on the north bank of the Thames and featuring inventive use of old shipping warehouse buildings for modern commercial outlets.

Why Visit Tower Bridge

Situated some 42 metres above the River Thames, Tower Bridge's gleaming blue upper walkways afford special views of the city centre to the west, the docklands to the east and the array of splendid buildings, old and new, that line the historic river.

Only a stone's throw away, St Paul's Cathedral is one of the many monuments to London's history that can be gazed upon from the lofty heights of the walkways. But visiting the bridge is more than just a panoramic river crossing: the experience can bring visitors in to the Tower Bridge Exhibition. Here the history of the construction is explained, including alternative blueprints for the structure, while visitors can also delve into the Victorian Engine Rooms that house the original steam engines originally used to power the machines that raised the bascules of the bridge. Hydraulic power is still used but is now fuelled by oil and electricity.

Some lucky visitors will also see Tower Bridge raising its arms as bulky river traffic still passes between its towers – and the structure has been the site of a fair few dramas in the past. In the 1950s a bus had to make a dramatic jump between the two sides of the bridge as they raised apart, while more recently Bill Clinton's visiting motorcade was unexpectedly divided as the bridge separated.