The History Of Tower Bridge In 1 Minute

Tower Bridge was built 120 years ago to ease road traffic whilst still maintaining river access to the busy Pool of London docks. With its giant moveable roadways that lift up for passing ships, the bridge is an iconic symbol of London and arguably one of the most famous and instantly recognisable structures in the entire world.
The increased commercial development in the East End of London led to the requirement for a new river crossing downstream of London Bridge and with that, the city needed a bridge to cross the river. As a traditional bridge was not possible, cutting off access to sailing ships, a Special Bridge or Subway Committee was formed in 1877 to find a solution for the river crossing problem. They opened the design to public competition and in 1884 the design by Horace Jones, in collaboration with his engineer John Wolfe Barry, was approved. They had developed the idea of a bascule bridge with two bridge towers built on piers and a central span split into two bascules, which could be raised to allow river traffic to pass.

The construction work started in 1887 and took eight years, five major contractors and the work of 432 employees to be finished. Two massive piers, containing over 70,000 tonnes of concrete, were sunk into the riverbed to support the construction. Over 11,000 tonnes of steel provided the framework for the towers and the walkways, clad in Cornish granite and portland stone for protection and to give a pleasant appearance. When Jones died in 1886, George D. Stevenson took over the project and replaced the original brick facade with the more ornate Victorian Gothic Style, intending to harmonise with the nearby Tower of London. The total cost of Tower Bridge was £1,184,000 and it was officially opened on the 30th June 1894 by the Prince of Wales.

In 1974, the original operating mechanism was largely replaced by a new electro-hydraulic drive system, and in 2008 a facelift for the bridge was announced costing £4 million and taking four years to complete. The work entailed repainting and the installation of a new lightening system in the walkways. For the 2012 Summer Olympics held in London, the bridge featured in publicity and a set of Olympic rings were suspended from it to mark one month until the start of the games.

Today Tower Bridge is an undoubted landmark and a popular destination for visitors from around the world.
📅 The bridge lifts at various times throughout the year.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.