Tower Bridge is London’s most recognisable Thames crossing, its Victorian Gothic towers and blue-painted suspension elements forming a familiar silhouette just downstream from the Tower of London. Opened in 1894, it takes its name from the fortress rather than the towers built into the bridge itself.
The bridge was designed to keep road traffic moving without blocking ships from reaching the busy Pool of London. Its ingenious bascules—the two sections of roadway that rise to let vessels through—remain in use today. Watching a bridge lift from the riverside is a memorable way to appreciate the engineering behind the landmark.
Walking across Tower Bridge is free, but a ticket to the Tower Bridge experience takes you up to the high-level walkways, where glass floor panels reveal the traffic and river below, and into the historic Victorian engine rooms. Book ahead for the exhibition, and check the official bridge-lift schedule if you want to see the bascules in action. For a rewarding approach, walk along the south bank from London Bridge.