Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge, the emblematic bridge of London

The London audio-guided tour takes you before Tower Bridge, undoubtedly the most famous of the thirty-three bridges of the city and one of its most recognisable symbols. Spanning the Thames, it draws crowds of visitors every day.

A Victorian feat of 1894

Built in 1894, Tower Bridge was intended to facilitate the crossing of the Thames, as London expanded and its population grew rapidly. Its Victorian neo-Gothic architecture, typically English, rests on two towers sixty-five metres high, built of Cornish granite and Portland stone. A bascule bridge, it could be raised to let large ships pass, a technical feat for its time.

What there is to see

The bridge impresses with its two twin towers connected by upper walkways. An exhibition allows you to discover its history and its mechanisms, and to walk on the glazed walkways that offer a plunging view over the Thames. At the foot of the bridge, the panorama over the Tower of London and the skyscrapers of the city makes it one of the most photographed places of the capital.

Practical information

Tower Bridge spans the Thames, near the Tower of London, in London. The pedestrian and road crossing is free; the exhibition and the glazed walkways follow their own schedule, with a charge, whose opening times may vary with the season. The bridge lifts are announced in advance.

When was Tower Bridge built?

In 1894, in a Victorian neo-Gothic style, to facilitate the crossing of the Thames in a rapidly expanding city.

Why can Tower Bridge be raised?

It is a bascule bridge, designed to be raised to let large ships pass on the Thames.