Open 7 days a week for breakfast, weekend brunch, afternoon tea and.Tower Bridge was officially opened by the Prince of Wales (not the current one obviously) over 120 years ago. Explore The Ivy City Garden, Located in the historic Bishopsgate Gardens of London. While Tower Bridge is one of the worldвЂ™s most famous bridges, used by over 40,000 people on a daily basis, very few are aware of the rich history behind this combined bascule and suspension bridge in London which crosses the River Thames, connecting Tower Bridge Approach, formerly known as Iron Gate, on the north bank of the river, with Tower Bridge Road, previously known as Horsleydown Lane.

The Bridge is celebrating its birthday today вЂ“ it was opened on this day in 1894 by the Prince of Wales, (the future King Edward VII) with much celebration.Tower Bridge is the more glamorous between the two, and maybe that is why people worldwide end up using its photos to depict a bridge in the city of London. ItвЂ™s certainly a beautiful bridge. Anyone who sees this Bridge immediately knows that itвЂ™s in London (so itвЂ™s often the first thing shown in stock footage about London).

50 designs for the bridge were submitted in 1876 but they were all rejected. There were many different designs for the bridge. Is Tower Bridge London Bridge Even though some people call it so, Tower Bridge isnвЂ™t. Come inside to explore its.Tower Bridge took eight years to build, starting 1886 and finishing in 1894. ItвЂ™s Not Actually Called London BridgeCompleted in 1894, Tower Bridge was instantly hailed as a London icon and one of the great engineering marvels of its age. The bridge crosses the River Thames close to the Tower of London, which is why it gets called вЂTower Bridge.вЂ™So, with much fanfare, here are 10 facts and figures you probably didnвЂ™t know about the iconic Bridge.

The rest of the bridge is in Southwark LB. There Were Over 50 Designs for the BridgeHydraulic machinery still used to open bridge. This is actually called Tower Bridge, London Bridge is further down the river and is much more utilitarian. ItвЂ™s a common misconception that the bridge is called London Bridge (and that thereвЂ™s a song about it).

In fact, itвЂ™s named after the Tower of London which is located on one side of the Bridge. WhatвЂ™s in a Name?Tower Bridge isnвЂ™t named so because it is one of the few bridges on the Thames that features towers. You Can Watch the Bridge Live, 24 Hours a DayThereвЂ™s a live HD Webcam trained on Tower Bridge 24 hours a day. Check out a gallery of the other designs here. The evaluation of the designs was surrounded by controversy, and it was not until 1884 that a design submitted by Sir Horace Jones, the City Architect (who was also one of the judges), was approved. Over 50 designsВ were submitted вЂ“ some close to what was built and some that were absolutely bonkers.

In 1982 they were reopened as part of the Tower Bridge Exhibition, a display housed in the bridgeвЂ™s twin towers, the high-level walkways and the Victorian engine rooms. Ladies of the NightThe high-level open air walkways between the towers gained an unpleasant reputation as a haunt for prostitutes and pickpockets as they were only accessible by stairs they were seldom used by regular pedestrians, and were closed in 1910. The bascules, weighing over 1,000 tons each, are counterbalanced to minimize the force required and allow raising in five minutes. The central span of 200 feet (61 m) between the towers is split into two equal bascules or leaves, which can be raised to an angle of 86 degrees to allow river traffic to pass. Raw NumbersThe bridge is 800 feet (244 m) in length with two towers each 213 feet (65 m) high, built on piers.

The bridge is on the London Inner Ring Road, and is on the eastern boundary of the London congestion charge zone. ItвЂ™s quite an amazing sight! Crossing the ThamesThe bridge is crossed by over 40,000 people every day and itВ is still a busy and vital crossing of the Thames. There is no charge for vessels.В You can see when the Bridge will open next on its website. Today, 24 hoursвЂ™ notice is required before opening the bridge. River traffic is now much reduced, but it still takes priority over road traffic.

It was made of steel and consisted of two towers built on piers. Victorian EngineeringDespite having an architectural design that makes the bridge look old, it is in fact a very modern piece of architecture as construction of the bridge began in 1886 at the height of the Victorian era. So, if you ever get to cross, donвЂ™t speed across вЂ“ enjoy it as a leisurely pace or else youвЂ™ll get a ticket (even in a rental car!). A camera system measures the speed of traffic crossing the bridge,В utilizingВ a number plate recognition system to send fixed penalty charges to speeding drivers.

Tower Bridge In London