10 facts about Tower Bridge
- Tower Bridge is sometimes mistakenly referred to as London Bridge, which is actually the next bridge upstream.
- Tower Bridge was designed by Horace Jones, the City Architect, in collaboration with John Wolfe Barry.
- Tower Bridge is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, England, over the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London, which gives it its name. It has become an iconic symbol of London.
- The construction work on Tower Bridge was completed in 1894.
- The high-level walkways of Tower Bridge, to be used by pedestrians when bascules were up, were closed down in 1910, due to lack of use.
- The bascules of Tower Bridge were initially powered by energy created from steam. However, since 1976, oil and electricity are being used to produce the energy.
- It was in 1982 that Tower Bridge was opened to the public for the first time since 1910.
- Tower Bridge was painted red, white and blue in 1977, as a part of the Queen's Silver Jubilee celebrations.
- The total length of Tower Bridge is 244 m (800 ft), while its longest span is 61 m (200 ft).
- In 2007, Tower Bridge celebrated 25 years of welcoming visitors to its Exhibition.
