Tower Bridge is the famous London bridge that combines two bascule leaves with suspension sections over the River Thames.
The bridge stands beside the Tower of London and opened in 1894. Its two central road sections, called bascules, can be raised to allow tall ships to pass between the Upper Pool of London and the river’s downstream reaches. Hydraulic machinery originally powered the lifting system; electric and oil-hydraulic systems replaced it in the twentieth century.
Tower Bridge is often mistakenly called London Bridge. London Bridge is a separate crossing farther upstream and has existed in several forms at different locations. Tower Bridge’s distinctive Gothic Revival towers, connected by high-level walkways, were designed to fit the architectural character of the nearby medieval fortress.
The bridge remains a working transport route, carrying road traffic, pedestrians and cyclists. Its walkways and former engine rooms are also part of a public exhibition, giving visitors views over central London and explanations of the bridge’s machinery.