Tower Bridge- a swing suspension bridge over the Thames in central London. Tower Bridge is perhaps the main attraction of the British capital. The name of this symbol of the city comes from the nearby Tower of London. Tower Bridge is one of several London bridges owned by the City Bridge Trust, a maintenance charity run by the City of London Corporation.
The bridge consists of two towers connected at the upper level by two horizontal passages that counteract the horizontal forces directed from the sections of the bridge suspended on the left and right. The vertical component of the forces in the suspended sections and the vertical reaction from the two transitions are compensated by two stable towers. The centers of the bridge's movable trusses and control mechanisms are located at the base of the towers. The bridge acquired its current color in 1977, when it was painted white, red and blue for the Queen's Silver Jubilee celebrations. Before this it was chocolate brown.
Tower Bridge is sometimes mistakenly confused with London Bridge, located further up the Thames. According to a famous urban legend, in 1968 Robert McCulloch purchased the old London Bridge and later shipped it to Lake Havasu City, Arizona, mistaking it for the Tower Bridge. This version was refuted by both McCulloch himself and Ivan Luckin, the seller of the bridge.
UFO video over Thayer Bridge
Tower Bridge today
Tower Bridge - still busy and vital important move across the Thames: more than 40,000 people (motorists and pedestrians) cross it every day. The bridge is located on the London Inner Ring Road, on the eastern border of the London area with paid entry. (Drivers do not pay to cross the bridge).
To preserve the integrity of the historic structure, the City of London Corporation has imposed the following restrictions on traffic crossing the bridge: speed limit to 20 mph (32 km/h) and weight less than 18 tons. Speed of people crossing the bridge vehicles measured using a sophisticated system of security cameras, which uses license plate recognition to allow speeding drivers to be fined accordingly.
Using another system (inductive loop detector and piezoelectric sensors), parameters such as weight, chassis height above ground level and the number of vehicle axles are monitored.
River navigation
Mobile trusses are lifted approximately 1,000 times a year. Although the intensity of river navigation has now greatly decreased, it still dominates traffic. Currently, 24 hours' notice must be given when a bridge needs to be lifted. In 2008, bridge managers began using Twitter to help communicate the bridge's opening and closing schedule.
In 2000, a computer system was installed for remote control spreading and bringing together the movable trusses of the bridge. Unfortunately, it turned out to be less reliable than expected. During 2005 alone, several times the bridge got stuck in the extended or closed position until its sensors were replaced.
Tower Bridge Exhibit
The high-rise passages between the towers, notorious as a haven for prostitutes and pickpockets, were closed in 1910. In 1982 they were reopened as part of the Tower Bridge Exhibition, now housed in its twin towers, skywalks and engine rooms Victorian era. The crossings provide stunning views of the Thames and many of London's famous landmarks and serve as a viewing point for over 380,000 tourists annually. The exhibition also features films, photographs and interactive materials that explain why and how Tower Bridge was built. In a building at the south end of the bridge, visitors can view the steam engines that once powered the bridge's trusses.
During a pre-booked tour of the interior, visitors can descend into the sections of the bridge's movable trusses, as well as view the control center for the bridge's deployment for the passage of ships.
Renovation 2008-2012
In April 2008, it was announced that a £4 million "light refurbishment" of the bridge would be carried out over 4 years, clearing the bridge of old paint and repainting it blue and white. Each section will be sealed to prevent old paint from getting into the Thames. Since mid-2008, work has been carried out at a time only within a quarter of the bridge, which has minimized disruption to traffic, although even in this case, road closures are inevitable. The bridge will be open until the end of 2010, then it will be closed for several months. It is planned that the result of these repair work will last for 25 years.
December 10th, 2013
Even those who have never been to England will recognize it immediately. Thousands of tourists visit it every year. Londoners drive through it every day, most likely without even thinking about its history at that moment. This Tower Bridge- one of the symbols of London.
The history of Tower Bridge, which should not be confused with the neighboring London Bridge, is linked to the nearby Tower of London. In 1872, the English Parliament considered a bill to build a bridge across the Thames. Although the Commandant of the Tower was against this idea, Parliament decided that the city needed another bridge that would harmonize effectively with the architecture of the Tower of London. Tower Bridge, as it is today, owes its appearance to a decision of Parliament.
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In the XVIII and 19th centuries The Thames was crossed by many bridges. The most famous of them is London Bridge. By 1750, it had become very shaky, and traffic jams were constantly forming on the bridge. Ships from all over the world gathered near the bridge, waiting for space to become available in the crowded harbor.
At that time, the Thames was literally filled with various ships, so one could walk several kilometers along the decks of ships moored at their berths.
In February 1876, London authorities announced an open competition for the design of a new bridge. According to the requirements, the bridge must be high enough to allow massive merchant ships to pass under it, as well as ensure continuous movement of people and carts. About 50 interesting projects were submitted to the competition!
Most of the competitors proposed options for high bridges with stationary spans. But they had two common disadvantages: the distance above the surface of the water at high tide was insufficient for the passage of ships with high masts, and the climb to the bridge was too steep for horses pulling carts. One of the architects proposed a bridge design in which people and carts were lifted onto a high bridge using hydraulic elevators, another - a bridge with ring parts and sliding decks.
However, the most realistic project was recognized as the lift-and-drop bridge of Sir Horace Jones, the city's chief architect. Despite all the advantages of the project, the decision on its choice was delayed, and then Jones, in collaboration with the famous engineer John Wolfe Barry, developed another innovative bridge, eliminating all the shortcomings of the first in the new project. Barry, in particular, suggested that Jones create overhead walkways, which were not included in the original design.
At the request of the municipality, city architect Horace Jones developed a design for a drawbridge in the Gothic style, which was to be built downstream from the London Bridge. Ships heading to the docks up the Thames could easily pass under such a bridge. The bridge project had one feature that many considered an original solution.
Horace Jones traveled a lot. While he was in the Netherlands, small drawbridges spanning canals inspired him to create a counterweight drawbridge. Jones and his assistants developed a project for such a bridge and decided to use unusual methods construction, combining steel structures with masonry. This is how the world-famous appearance of Tower Bridge came about.
After three weeks of heated discussion, the Jones-Barry project was approved. A huge sum of £585,000 was allocated for the creation of the grandiose structure. The developers of the bridge overnight became very rich people - their fee amounted to £30,000. Construction began in 1886, but in May 1887, even before the foundation was laid, Jones suddenly died, and all responsibility fell on engineer Barry. The latter invited the talented architect George Stevenson as his assistant, thanks to whom the bridge underwent a number of stylistic changes.
Stevenson was a fan of Victorian Gothic architecture and expressed his passions in the design of the bridge. He decided to put the steel trusses of the bridge on display: the new construction material– steel – was in fashion at that time, and it was in the spirit of the times.
Tower Bridge decorated with two towers, which are connected by two pedestrian crossings, raised to a height of 34 meters above the roadway and 42 meters above the water. Roads on both banks of the Thames lead to the lifting wings of the bridge. These huge canvases weigh approximately 1,200 tons each and open up to form an angle of 86 degrees. Thanks to this, ships with a carrying capacity of up to 10,000 tons can freely pass under the bridge.
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The design of the bridge provided for pedestrians the opportunity to cross the bridge even during the opening of the span. For this purpose, in addition to the usual sidewalks located along the edge of the roadway, pedestrian galleries were constructed in the middle part, connecting the towers at a height of 44 meters. You could get to the gallery via stairs located inside the towers. Since 1982, the gallery has been used as a museum and observation deck.
More than 11 thousand tons of steel were needed for the construction of towers and pedestrian galleries alone. To better protect the metal structure from corrosion, the towers were lined with stone, architectural style The building is defined as Gothic.
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By the way, these sepia photographs, dating back to 1892, captured the construction of Tower Bridge, one of the main attractions of Great Britain.
For the past five years, the photographs have lain in a suitcase under the bed of a Westminster resident who wishes to remain anonymous, who found them in a dumpster during the demolition of one of the buildings. In addition to the photos, he found several ledgers. The man says that he took the books to the Tower Bridge Museum and tried to tell the employees that he also had photographs, but they didn’t even want to listen to him, saying that they already had more than enough photographs. The man admits that he simply didn’t know what to do with the photographs, so he put them in a suitcase and put it under the bed.
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They would have remained there if one day the owner of the unusual find had not decided to tell his neighbor Peter Berthoud, who works as a tour guide in Westminster, about the photographs. Peter recalls that he couldn’t believe his own eyes when he saw the unique photographs. He spent several days studying albums and documents, trying to find out whether these photographs were known to specialists - and discovered that no one even suspected their existence!
Tower Bridge is the lowest bridge along the Thames (it is the first one you encounter if you ascend it from the North Sea) and the only one of all the bridges that is a drawbridge.
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The photographs show the steel foundation of the bridge, the existence of which many are not even aware of - after all, the outer part of the bridge is lined with stone. The architect of the bridge was Horace Jones, who was succeeded after his death by John Wolfe-Barry. It was he who insisted that the bridge be lined with stone.
Peter Berthoud calls this photo his favorite. “These people didn’t even realize that they were building an architectural monument,” he says.
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The bridge got its name due to its proximity to the Tower: the northern end of the bridge is located near the southeastern corner of the Tower, and parallel to the eastern wall of the Tower there is a road that is a continuation of the Tower Bridge.
By the time the Tower Bridge was built, movable structures were no longer something surprising. But the remarkable thing about Tower Bridge was that its raising and lowering was entrusted to complex machinery. Moreover, hydraulics have never been used on such a large scale in bridges before. In St. Petersburg, for example, at that time the labor of workers was usually used to build bridges, which was eventually replaced by the work of water turbines powered by the city water supply.
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Tower Bridge was powered by steam engines, which rotated pumps that created high blood pressure water in hydraulic accumulators. They “powered” hydraulic motors, which, when the valves were opened, began to rotate the crankshafts. The latter transmitted torque to gears, which in turn rotated gear sectors that ensured the raising and lowering of the bridge wings. Looking at how massive the lifting wings were, you would think that the gears had to bear monstrous loads. But this is not so: the wings were equipped with heavy counterweights that assisted the hydraulic motors.
There were four steam boilers under the southern end of the bridge. They were fired by coal and produced steam with a pressure of 5-6 kg/cm2, generating the necessary energy to operate huge pumps. When turned on, these pumps supplied water under a pressure of 60 kg/cm2.
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Since energy was always needed to raise the bridge, there was a supply of water in six large accumulators under enormous pressure. Water from the accumulators flowed to eight motors, which raised and lowered the drawable parts of the bridge. Various mechanisms began to move, an axis with a diameter of 50 centimeters began to rotate, and the bridge decks rose. The bridge opened in just one minute!
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Construction of Tower Bridge began in 1886 and was completed 8 years later. The grand opening of the new bridge took place on June 30, 1894, by Prince Edward of Wales and his wife Princess Alexandra.
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Peter Berthoud with photographs of Tower Bridge at his home in London.
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Today, engines run on electricity. But, as before, when the Tower Bridge is raised, the flow of traffic stops, and pedestrians and tourists watch in fascination as the huge wings of the bridge rise.
A warning signal sounds, the barriers close, the last car leaves the bridge, and the inspectors report that the bridge is clear. The four connecting bolts silently move out, and the wings of the bridge soar upward. Now all attention is turned to the river. Whether it's a tugboat, a pleasure boat or a sailboat, everyone watches with interest as the vessel passes under the bridge.
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A few minutes later another signal sounds. The bridge closes and the barriers rise. Cyclists quickly position themselves in front of the line of waiting cars to be the first to race across the bridge. A few more seconds, and Tower Bridge is again waiting for a signal to let the next ship through.
The most curious are not content with simply observing the work of the bridge. They take the elevator to the north tower, where the Tower Bridge Museum is located, to learn more about the history of its creation and visit an exhibition in which an electronic doll introduces visitors to interesting details.
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In the exhibited paintings you can see how talented engineers worked on the creation of the bridge, and how the opening ceremony took place. And on stands and ancient photographs in brownish tones the majestic building of the Tower Bridge is depicted.
From the height of the pedestrian crossing, visitors have stunning views of London. Looking west, you can see St Paul's Cathedral and the City of London bank buildings, with the Telecom Tower towering in the distance.
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Those on the east side expecting to see docks will be disappointed: they have been moved downstream, away from the modern metropolis. Instead, the redeveloped Docklands area appears, striking with its buildings and structures made in the Art Nouveau style.
Unusual, breathtaking, stunning - this is exactly the view that opens from this famous bridge, the calling card of London. If you find yourself in London, why not take a closer look at Tower Bridge? This masterpiece of architecture will forever leave an indelible impression in your memory.
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Interesting facts
In 1968, Robert McCulloch, a businessman from Missouri (USA), purchased the old London Bridge, which was destined for demolition. The bridge was dismantled and transported to America.
The stone blocks, which were embedded as cladding into the reinforced concrete supporting structure of the bridge, were installed along a canal near Lake Havasu City, Arizona (USA).
Legend has it that McCulloch acquired the “London Bridge” mistaking it for the “Tower Bridge”, one of the main symbols of Foggy Albion. McCulloch and one of the members of the capital's city council, Ivan Lakin, who oversaw the deal, deny this interpretation of events.
Tower Bridge in London is a real work of art of architects, as well as the greatest landmark of London and the UK as a whole, which is definitely worth seeing in person at least once.
Official name: Tower Bridge;
Construction type: Suspension Bridge, Swing Bridge;
Main span: 61 m;
Overall Length: 244 m;
Scope of application: pedestrian, automobile;
Crosses: Thames;
Opening: 1894;
Location: Tower Bridge road, London;
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Each of the wings weighs about two thousand tons and is equipped with a counterweight that minimizes the necessary effort required to raise the bridge in a minute.
Initially, the span was driven by a water hydraulic system with a working pressure of 50 bar. The water was accumulated by two steam plants with a total capacity of 360 hp. The system was created by W. G. Armstrong Mitchell."
In 1974, the water hydraulic system was replaced with an oil hydraulic system. electric drive. For the convenience of pedestrians, the designed bridge design provided the ability to cross it even during the process of opening the span.
For this purpose, in addition to standard sidewalks located along the edges of the roadway, pedestrian galleries were designed and installed in the middle part, which connect the towers at a height of 44 meters. The galleries could be reached using stairs located inside the towers themselves.
Since 1982, the galleries have been used exclusively as an observation deck and museum. It should be noted that the construction of pedestrian galleries and towers required more than 11 thousand tons of steel.
For better protection metal structures to prevent corrosion, the towers of Tower Bridge in London were lined with stone. The architectural style of the buildings constructed is defined as Gothic.
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The total cost of the structure built is £1,184,000.
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The famous building is of course also used as a backdrop for epic scenes.
Well, if we move away from the topic of bridges, then take a look The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy was made -
One of the symbols of Great Britain. It holds a special place in the history of the English nation and is one of the most visited places in the world. Over the course of its nine-hundred-year history, this formidable fortress was the residence of kings, an armory and treasury, as well as a prison and a place of execution.
The well-known ravens of the Tower, yeoman guards, royal jewels and stories about a gloomy fortress-prison - these are just the very first associations that arise with the name Tower of London. However, this is only a very small part of the history of this famous building.
Tower of London, symbol of Britain
In 1066, at the Battle of Hastings, Duke William of Normandy broke the resistance of the Anglo-Saxons and achieved the conquest of England. With the accession of the Norman dynasty, London became the leading city in England, having a rich port, a nearby royal palace and the main cathedral.
Ensuring the safety of the city became the main goal of William the Conqueror, who sought to strengthen his power on the English throne. He gives the order to begin construction of a fortress around the city. Thus, in 1100, the construction of the White Tower was completed.
The first prisoner was imprisoned in the Tower in 1100. At that time, Tower Prison was intended for people of noble birth and high rank. Among the most honorable and high-ranking prisoners of the Tower were the kings of Scotland and France and members of their families.
Also imprisoned were representatives of the aristocracy and priests who fell into disgrace on charges of treason. The walls of the Tower also remember many executions and murders: Henry VI, as well as 12-year-old Edward V and his younger brother, were killed in the Tower.
The prisoners were kept in those premises that were not occupied at that time. The terms of imprisonment varied widely. Thus, William Penn, founder of the English colony in North America, called Pennsylvania, was imprisoned in the Tower for religious beliefs and spent eight months in the Tower. Charles, Duke of Orléans, nephew French king and an outstanding poet, after defeat in battle, spent a total of 25 years within the walls of the castle until an incredible ransom was paid for him.
Courtier Walter Raleigh, navigator, poet and playwright, tried to brighten up 13 dreary years of imprisonment by working on the multi-volume work “History of the World.” After his temporary release, he was again imprisoned in the Tower and then executed.
The Tower gained its reputation as a sinister place of torture during the Reformation. Henry VIII, obsessed with the desire to have a son-heir, broke off all relations with the Roman Catholic Church and began to persecute all who refused to recognize him as the head of the Church of England.
After Henry's second wife, Anne Boleyn, failed to bear him a son, the king accused her of treason and adultery. As a result, Anna, her brother and four other persons were beheaded in the Tower. The same fate befell Catherine Howard, Henry's fifth wife. Many royals who posed a threat to the English throne were taken to the Tower and then executed.
Henry's young son, the Protestant Edward VI, who ascended the throne, continued the series brutal executions, started by his father. When Edward died six years later, the English crown went to Henry's daughter Mary, a devout Catholic. Wasting no time, the new queen ordered the beheading of 16-year-old Lady Jane Gray and her young husband, who found themselves pawns in a bitter power struggle.
Now is the time for the Protestants to lay down their heads. Elizabeth, Mary's half-sister, spent several anxious weeks within the walls of the Tower. However, having become queen, she dealt with those who refused to betray the Catholic faith and dared to oppose her rule.
Although thousands of prisoners were thrown into the Tower, only five women and two men were beheaded within the fortress, which saved them from the shame of public execution. Three of these women were queens - Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard and Jane Grey, who lasted only nine days on the throne. Most of the other executions - mainly beheadings - took place on nearby Tower Hill, where huge crowds of fans of such spectacles flocked.
The severed head was placed on a stake and displayed on London Bridge as a warning to others. The headless body was taken to the Tower and buried in the cellars of the chapel. A total of more than 1,500 bodies were buried in these cellars.
In some cases, usually only with official permission, prisoners were tortured into admitting their guilt. In 1605, Guy Fawkes, who attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament and the King during the Gunpowder Plot, was strung up on the Tower rack before being executed, forcing him to reveal the names of his accomplices.
In the 17th century, England and the Tower were for some time in the hands of Oliver Cromwell and the parliamentarians, but after Charles II was re-enthroned, the Tower prison was not particularly replenished. The last beheading took place on Tower Hill in 1747. However, this was not the end of the Tower's history as a state prison. During the First World War, 11 German spies were imprisoned and executed in the Tower.
During World War II, prisoners of war were temporarily held there, among whom Rudolf Hess spent several days. The last victim executed within the walls of the fortress was Josef Jacobs, accused of espionage and executed in August 1941.
At the beginning of the 13th century, John the Landless kept lions in the Tower. However, the royal menagerie arose when John's successor, Henry III, received three leopards, a polar bear and an elephant as a gift from European monarchs. Although the animals were kept for the amusement of the king and his retinue, one day all of London witnessed a unique spectacle when a tethered bear rushed into the Thames to catch a fish.
Over time, the menagerie was replenished with an even larger number of exotic animals and during the time of Elizabeth I it was open to visitors. In the 1830s, the Tower Zoo was abolished and the animals were moved to a new zoo that opened in London's Regent's Park.
For more than 500 years, the main department of the royal mint was located in the Tower. One of its most turbulent periods came during the reign of Henry VIII, when coins were minted from silver requisitioned from ruined monasteries.
In addition, important state and legal records were kept in the Tower, and weapons and military equipment of the king and the royal army were also manufactured and stored.
From the very foundation of the Tower, its prisoners and buildings were carefully guarded. But specially selected palace guards appeared in 1485. In those days, prisoners were often brought down the river and brought into the Tower through the “Traitor's Gate.”
As the accused was led away from the trial, observers watched to see where the prison guard's ax was pointed. The blade pointed at the prisoner foreshadowed another execution.
Palace guards guard the Tower to this day. Today, their responsibilities also include conducting excursions for numerous visitors. On especially special occasions, they dress in luxurious costumes from the Tudor dynasty: scarlet camisoles trimmed with gold and topped with snow-white padded collars.
On ordinary days, they wear dark blue and red Victorian uniforms. English guards are often called beefeaters, or meat-eaters. This nickname most likely arose during times of famine, when Londoners were malnourished and the palace guards received regular rations of beef. In this way, the English crown provided itself with reliable protection.
Keepers of the Royal Treasury guard the famous jewels of the British Empire. The treasury has been open to visitors since the 17th century. Among precious stones, decorating the crowns, orbs and scepters, which are still used by members of the royal family during ceremonies, you can see the world's largest cut diamond high quality, Cullinan I.
The current Tower no longer bears much resemblance to the formidable fortress it entered into history. Back in 1843, the ditch was filled in, and instead of water, a bright green lawn appeared here, setting off the gray stone of the walls. During numerous restorations, the windows were enlarged, including in the White Tower.
Planted large number trees. In the past, such a harsh and literally blood-stained courtyard was largely seeded with grass, and black tower crows walked importantly along it. When the menagerie was moved to Regent's Park in 1831, the ravens were left in the fort. They are surrounded by special care - the state pays the Tower garrison two shillings and four pence a week to feed the birds. The palace "Ravenmaster", or Raven Keeper, cares for a flock of black ravens. The fact is that, according to legend, the foundations of Britain are unshakable until the ravens leave the Tower. For greater security, however, the birds' wings are clipped.
Today the Tower of London is one of the main UK attractions, listed in . A symbol of the Tower's sinister past is the site where the Tower Hill scaffold formerly stood. Now there is a small memorial plaque installed there in memory of “ tragic fate and sometimes the martyrdom of those who, in the name of faith, homeland and ideals, risked their lives and accepted death.”
Currently, the main buildings of the Tower are the museum and the armory, where the treasures of the British crown are kept; officially continues to be considered one of the royal residences. The Tower also has a number of private apartments, where mainly service personnel and distinguished guests live.
At the end of the 19th century. The panorama of London was enriched by a building that was destined to become one of the architectural symbols of the British capital - along with the ancient Tower Castle, and, and. This Tower Bridge (Tower Bridge) - one of the most famous and the most beautiful bridges in the world.
Built in the spirit of medieval buildings, with Gothic towers and heavy chains of bridge structures, it forms a single ensemble with the ancient Tower Castle.
Tower Bridge embodies all the features of the Victorian era. The need for its construction became acute in the middle of the 19th century, when the population of the east part of London, where the port and numerous warehouses were located, began to grow rapidly. Until 1750, the banks of the Thames were connected by only one London Bridge, founded in Roman times. As the British capital grew, new bridges were built, but they were all located in the western part of the city.
Due to increased traffic, residents of east London had to spend many hours trying to get to the opposite bank. Every year the problem became more acute, and finally in 1876 the city authorities decided to build a new bridge in east London.
However, it was necessary to build it in such a way that the bridge structures did not interfere with the movement of ships along the Thames. Many ideas were put forward on this matter, and a special committee was formed to consider them. In the end, the committee decided to announce an open competition for best project bridge.
More than 50 projects took part in the competition (some of them can be seen today in the Tower Bridge Museum). It took a lot of time to study them. Only in October 1884 did the committee decide on its choice: the winner was city architect Horace Jones, who developed his project in collaboration with engineer John Wolf Barry.
It took 8 years, £1,600,000 and the tireless work of 432 workers to bring this project to life.
Construction of Tower Bridge began in 1886. After Jones' death in 1887, J. Barry, having received greater artistic freedom, changed a number of details of the project, which, however, only benefited the bridge. Its construction was completed in 1894.
Tower Bridge was fully consistent with the technical level of that time. It became the largest and most complex drawbridge in the world. Its two massive supports go deep into the river bed; more than 11 thousand tons of steel were used to create the structures of the towers and spans. Externally the steelwork is clad in Cornwall with cue granite and Portland stone. Two imposing neo-Gothic towers on granite bases, decorated with decorative stonework, rise above the Thames to a height of 63 m each. It is believed that it was these towers that gave the name to the bridge (English, the Tower - tower, Towerbridge - Tower Bridge). According to another version, the name of the bridge comes from the nearby ancient London Tower Castle.
Each tower has two elevators - one for ascent, the other for descent, but in order to get to the top, you can also use the 300-step staircase located in each of the towers.
The length of the bridge is 850 m, height - 40, and width 60 m. The bridge parts adjacent to the banks are stationary. Their width at the confluence with the shore reaches 80 m. The central span, 65 m long, has two floors. The lower tier is located at a height of 9 m from the water, and during the passage of large ships it is raised. Previously, it was raised up to 50 times a day, but currently the bridge is raised only 4-5 times a week. The upper tier is located at a height of 35 m from the lower one, and pedestrians use it when traffic on the lower tier is interrupted.
Pedestrians go upstairs either along spiral staircases inside the towers (each staircase has 90 steps), or by elevator, which takes 30 people at a time. This method is associated with some inconveniences, so Londoners very quickly abandoned it. In 1910, the span of the upper tier even had to be closed: instead of using it during the passage of ships, the public preferred to wait for the ship to pass and the lower tier of the bridge to lower.
The bridge is controlled like a ship: it has its own captain and a team of sailors who sound the “bells” and stand watch, like on a warship. Initially, hydraulic lifts were powered by a steam engine. She controlled the huge pumping motors that raised and lowered the bridge's swing doors. Despite the complexity of the system, it took just over a minute for the bridge doors to reach their maximum elevation angle of 86 degrees.
The Victorian-era steam bridge-lifting mechanism served well until 1976. Currently, the bridge doors are raised and lowered using electricity, and the bridge itself has become a kind of working museum. Vintage pump motors, batteries and steam boilers became part of his exhibition. Museum visitors can also get acquainted with modern mechanisms, operating the bridge.
In the history of Tower Bridge, there are several tragicomic cases when people, in order to avoid an accident, had to resort to the most incredible stunts. In 1912, pilot Frank McClean, dodging a collision, was forced to fly his biplane between two tiers of bridge spans.
And in 1952, the driver of a bus that found itself on the bridge at the moment when the wings began to diverge, hit the gas to avoid falling into the river, and the bus with passengers made a dizzying jump from one diverging wing of the bridge to another...
The original metalwork of Tower Bridge was painted chocolate brown. But in 1977, when Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee was celebrated, the bridge was painted in the colors of the national flag - red, white and blue.
In 1982, the towers and the reconstructed upper tier of the bridge reopened to the public, this time as a museum. From here you can enjoy an impressive panorama of the British capital. To allow museum visitors to photograph views of London, special windows are installed in the glazing of the upper tier of the bridge. And the mechanisms located inside the towers represent a real exhibition of technology from the Victorian era.
Some people think that Tower Bridge is a bit overwhelming due to its massiveness. But it has already firmly blended into the London landscape and, together with the Tower, has become one of the city's most popular attractions.
Tower Bridge is the permanent symbol of London, which rises above the Thames and attracts tourists. Why it is confused with another bridge in the capital, why its towers were closed and how often the Tower Bridge is removed - we have collected for you ten facts about the iconic London landmark that you will be interested to know
Construction lasted 8 years - from 1886 to 1894. 432 builders worked on its construction. The bridge cost the state 1 million 184 thousand pounds.
The construction of the bridge's towers and pedestrian galleries required 11 thousand tons of steel.
Photo: shutterstock 3 Soon after the opening, the bridge's pedestrian galleries became notorious - pickpockets often gathered here. Due to this, in 1910 the galleries were closed to visitors. They were rediscovered only in 1982. Today they serve as an observation deck and a museum.
Because Tower Bridge is the symbol of the capital, it is often referred to simply as London Bridge. However, a bridge with the same name also exists and is located upstream of the Thames. In 1968, because of such confusion, one funny incident even occurred: American businessman Robert McCulloch bought the London Bridge, destined for demolition, mistaking it, according to rumors, for the Tower Bridge.
Photo: shutterstock 5 In 1977, Tower Bridge was painted red, white and blue to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.
In 1952, a London bus found itself on the bridge as it was being raised. The driver had to show courage and accelerate the vehicle so that it could jump from one edge of the bridge to the other.
Photo: shutterstock 7 Towers equipped spiral staircases with 300 steps and two elevators that can accommodate up to 30 passengers. One is designed for ascent, the other for descent. However, from the very beginning of the bridge's existence, people preferred to wait for its report, so in 1910 the span of the upper tier was closed.
About 21 thousand cars cross the bridge every day. Since overhaul Tower Bridge has not been seen for 35 years, in October of this year for transport.
Publication date:
2015-11-21
(English: Tower Bridge) is a combined (partly suspension, partly drawbridge) bridge across the Thames, built in the neo-Gothic style in 1886–1894. The bridge got its name due to its close proximity to the Tower and over time became one of the symbols of London.
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History of Tower Bridge
In the second half of the 19th century, the increased economic importance of the East End area and, as a consequence, the intensification of transport and pedestrian flows in it, raised the question of the city authorities of London about the construction of a new transport crossing below the London Bridge along the Thames. A traditional bridge was not suitable for such purposes, since it would make it impossible for ships with high masts to enter the port of London.
In 1877, a "Select Committee on Bridges and Underground Communications" was formed to solve this problem, headed by Sir Albert J. Altman. More than 50 projects were submitted to the committee for consideration. Their study lasted a very long time - only after 7 years, in 1884, the design proposed by the city architect, Sir Horatio Jones, was approved. To solve the problem of the passage of ships, engineer Sir John Wolfe-Barry proposed the idea of a combined bridge - the central section of the bridge between the two towers was supposed to be movable, and the sections from the towers to the banks were suspended.
After eight years of construction, the bridge was inaugurated June 30, 1894 Prince of Wales (future king Edward VII) and his wife Alexandra of Denmark.
Before the construction of the bridge, the shortest route of communication across the Thames was the Tower Underground Tunnel (located 400 meters west of the bridge). It was opened in 1870 and is one of the oldest metro lines in the world, but train service on it was stopped after only 3 months. After some time the crossing was opened to pedestrian traffic for a fee, but after the construction of Tower Bridge its income fell sharply (its use was free) and the tunnel was closed in 1898.
In 1977, the metal structures of the bridge were painted red, blue and white colors on the occasion of the celebration of the silver jubilee of Elizabeth II. The original color of metal structures is chocolate brown.
At the beginning of the 21st century, the reconstruction of Tower Bridge was carried out, including the removal of old paint, repainting and the installation of a new lighting system on the towers and pedestrian galleries.
In 2012, Tower Bridge became one of the sites on which Olympic symbols were placed in connection with the Olympic Games in London. During the opening ceremony of the games, famous football player David Beckham carried the Olympic flame on a sports boat under the bridge, after which a grandiose fireworks display was launched from the bridge.
Tower Bridge, like four other bridges across the Thames, is owned by the Bridge House Estates charity, which in turn is controlled by the City of London Corporation, the municipal administration of London's oldest borough.
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Construction of the bridge has begun in 1886 under the direction of Sir Horatio Jones. Famous engineers and architects, as well as 432 workers, were involved in the construction. First, massive concrete supports weighing more than 70 thousand tons were poured at the bottom of the Thames. More than 11 thousand tons of steel were used to create the towers and passages themselves. The towers and external galleries were then lined with Portland limestone and Cornish granite to protect the steelwork from corrosion and give the bridge a more aesthetically pleasing appearance.
Sir Jones died in 1887 and construction work headed by J. Stevenson. New leader made changes to the architectural style of the towers in order to make their appearance more “Gothic” and in harmony with the appearance of the nearby Tower. The total cost of construction of the bridge was 1.184 million pounds sterling (114 million at the 2014 exchange rate).
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Design Features
The length of the bridge is 244 meters, each of the two towers is 65 meters high. The central span between the towers is 61 meters long and consists of two adjustable wings, which, if necessary, rise up to 86 degrees to allow ships to pass along the Thames. The adjustable wings weigh 1,000 tons each; used to lift them special system counterweights in order to minimize the effort and time required to raise the bridge. Thanks to this, the full lift of the wings is achieved in just in 1 minute.
The adjustable wings are driven by a hydraulic system located in the towers. The system was originally based on hydraulic accumulators, which stored water under a pressure of 5.2 megapascals. Water was pumped into the batteries using two steam engines with a capacity of 270 kilowatts each. In 1974, this system was replaced by an electro-hydraulic one. It uses special oil instead of water, and the engines are replaced with electric ones. Selected elements of the bridge's original hydraulic system are today part of the Tower Bridge exhibition.
The sections of the bridge between the towers and the banks of the Thames are suspension bridges, each 82 meters long. The chains supporting the bridge are attached on one side to the towers, and on the other to the shore abutments of the bridge.
Transport value
Tower Bridge is the most important transport artery in London. More than 40 thousand motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians cross it every day. In order to protect the bridge, restrictions have been imposed on vehicle traffic: the maximum speed is limited to 32 km/h, and the maximum weight is limited to 18 tons. Compliance with these restrictions is monitored by a special system that includes laser sensors (to measure the height of cars and their speed), cameras (to detect violators) and piezoelectric sensors (to determine the weight of cars by the pressure on the road surface).
The bridge is raised approximately 1,000 times a year. Today, vessel traffic on the Thames is significantly less intensive than a hundred years ago, but, as before, it takes precedence over road traffic. Ships must notify the bridge administration no later than 24 hours before the expected time of passage. Ship passage is free.
Pedestrian galleries
The design of the Tower Bridge provided for the possibility of pedestrians crossing it even during the opening of the spans. For this purpose, in addition to the usual pedestrian sidewalks located on both sides of the roadway, two pedestrian galleries were built between the two towers at an altitude of 44 meters above river level. They could be reached via stairs located inside the towers.
Almost immediately after the opening of the bridge, the pedestrian galleries between the towers acquired an unsavory reputation. The fact is that since it was necessary to climb the galleries to a fairly decent height by stairs, ordinary citizens tried not to go there, and soon the galleries were chosen by pickpockets, prostitutes and other unreliable individuals for their meetings. For this reason, the galleries were closed in 1910. The re-opening took place only in 1982 as the Tower Bridge exhibition, which also included interior spaces towers and the Victorian engine room, where the power plants that raise the bridge are located. The galleries are also used as observation decks, which offer beautiful views of central London. Entrance to the galleries is paid.
- In May 1997, US President Bill Clinton's motorcade was cut in half while crossing the bridge as the bridge was opened to accommodate the barge Gladys. The motorcade was a little behind schedule, but the ship passed the bridge according to it, and since the rules give priority to river traffic, the bridge was raised. This incident caused outrage on the part of the US presidential security services, to which the spokesman for the Tower Bridge Authority said: “We tried to contact the American embassy about this by phone, but no one answered there.”
- Tower Bridge and another bridge over the Thames - London - are often confused. In 1968, London Bridge was sold and, according to a widespread legend, its buyer, American businessman Robert McCulloch, believed that he was actually buying Tower Bridge - one of the symbols of the capital of Foggy Albion. However, the entrepreneur himself denies this.
- The bridge, as one of the symbols of London, often appears in feature films about the life of the English capital. So, he can be seen in the films “Sherlock Holmes” (he is shown here still at the construction stage), “Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street”, “Black Butler”, “Street Dancing” and many others.
- In 1952, the bridge's opening mechanism erroneously operated when a city bus passed the drawbridge. Driver Albert Gunter succeeded by squeezing maximum speed to avoid the bus falling into the water and injuring passengers. For this, Gunther received a reward of 10 pounds from the City of London Corporation (in terms of 2014 prices - 263 pounds sterling).
- On April 5, 1968, RAF Lieutenant Alan Pollock flew his Hawker Hunter fighter aircraft under the bridge's walkways without permission. The reason for this action was the pilot’s disappointment in connection with the refusal of the leadership of the Royal Air Force to hold an air parade to commemorate the 50th anniversary of its creation. The pilot was arrested and fired from the Air Force.
- Some rooms in the bridge's towers and pedestrian galleries can be rented for weddings, private or corporate events.
- A copy of the bridge towers can be seen in the city of Suzhou in China.