London’s famous Victorian bascule bridge over the River Thames is Tower Bridge.
Tower Bridge stands beside the Tower of London and opened in 1894. Its two towers are connected by high-level walkways, while the central roadway uses two bascules that can lift to let tall ships pass. The design combined a suspension bridge’s visual character with a movable central span.
Construction began in 1886 after Parliament approved a crossing east of London Bridge. Architect Horace Jones and engineer John Wolfe Barry led the project. The bridge was built from steel and faced with masonry, giving it the Gothic appearance often associated with London.
Tower Bridge is frequently confused with London Bridge, which is farther upstream and has a much plainer modern appearance. The bridge’s bascules were originally powered hydraulically, using steam-powered pumping machinery before the system was converted to electricity.