Tower Bridge, completed in 1894, has two raised bascules and a Victorian high-level walkway.
The combined bascule and suspension bridge crosses the River Thames beside the Tower of London. It was designed by Horace Jones and John Wolfe Barry, and construction lasted from 1886 to 1894. Its two leaves can be raised to allow tall vessels to pass through the central navigation channel.
The bridge’s high-level walkways were originally intended to let pedestrians cross while the bascules were raised. They were closed in 1910 because they had become associated with loitering, but reopened as part of the visitor attraction in 1982.
Tower Bridge is often incorrectly called London Bridge. London Bridge is a separate crossing upstream and has a much simpler modern design. Tower Bridge’s stone-clad towers and blue details are its most recognizable features.