Tower Bridge

Welcome to Tower Bridge, perhaps the most recognisable bridge in the world. You are looking at a structure that, despite its medieval-looking towers, is younger than it seems: it opened in 1894, in the late Victorian era. The two grand towers are clad in stone to harmonise with the Tower of London beside it, but underneath the cladding hides a daring steel skeleton — bold engineering for its time. The bridge is a bascule bridge, from the French word for see-saw. Its two halves can lift to allow tall ships to pass through, and they still do, around eight hundred times a year. A fun fact: the schedule of every lift is published online, so you can plan to be here when it opens. The high-level walkways above your head, originally built for pedestrians, fell into disuse and were closed for nearly a century. Today they have been transformed into a glass-floored experience, where visitors look straight down at the traffic crossing forty-two metres below. A practical tip: cross slowly, then walk down to the south side for the best photograph of the whole bridge. From here you have one of the finest views in London — gleaming towers of the City to the west, the Tower of London to the north. Take your time, listen for a passing river boat, and let the bridge do its quiet, daily work.