Tower Bridge London Private Guided Tours

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The Victorian towers with raised bascules.

Crossing the River Thames Near to the Tower of London, Tower Bridge is a recognisable and popular London landmark. A Grade I listed monument, the bridge was built between 1886 and 1894 and is one of five bridges spanning the Thames managed by the Bridge House Estates, a charitable trust founded in the thirteenth century.

Tower Bridge is a popular visitor destination. The walkways offer a panoramic view of London and the river, taking in St Paul’s Cathedral and Canary Wharf. A scary moment is provided by the glass floor that lets the visitor look down into the river. Each tower has an exhibition space which tells the story of the building of the bridge and the life of local people in the Victorian era.

Architecture

Tower Bridge was designed in the Gothis Revival style by Horace Jones and engineered by John Wolfe Barry with input from Henry Marc Brunel. The bridge is 240 metres long. Its iconic shape is created by its two 65 metre towers and two horizontal walkways. Built to improve access to the East End of London, the bridge has a pair of central bascules which open to allow shipping through.

3/4 view of towers, walkways and raised bascules.

The mechanism for raising the bascules was originally hydraulically powered but was converted to an electro-hydraulic system in 1972. Thousands of tons of concrete were used to support the structure as well as thousands of tons of steel to build the framework of the bridge and towers, which were then clad in Cornish granite and Portland stone.

The Magic of Harry Potter

Harry and the Order's route though Tower Bridge on their broomsticks in the opening scenes of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix wasn't in the book but certainly made for an exciting opening to the film. Tower Bridge is one of London's most iconic tourist spots and its Gothic Revival architecture looks like it has come right out of the wizarding world.

London Drive Round Tour
Visit London's popular attractions in a one day chauffeur-driven drive round tour with an experienced tour guide.
Chauffeur Driven