Tower Bridge

History

Completed in 1894, Tower Bridge was instantly hailed as a London icon and one of the great engineering marvels of its age.

Tower Bridge, LondonIt took eight years, five major contractors and the relentless labour of 432 construction workers to build Tower Bridge. At the time, it was the largest and most sophisticated bascule bridge ever built.

Two massive piers had to be sunk into the river bed to support the construction, over 11,000 tons of steel provided the framework for the Towers and Walkways. This was then clad in Cornish granite and Portland stone, both to protect the underlying steelwork and to give the Bridge a more pleasing appearance.

Learn more about Tower Bridge:

  • Southwark Bridge
  • The need for a bridge
  • Sir Horace Jones
  • Design
  • Construction
  • The towers
  • The footbridges
  • The bascules
  • Abutment arches
  • The Official Opening

The above pages are under construction