Tower Bridge is basically the drama queen of the Thames. It’s got those two massive towers and a cool blue suspended walkway. But here’s the wild part: it’s a drawbridge.
Yes, the road splits in half and lifts up like a giant’s jaw. If you time it right, you can watch a tall ship glide right through the middle of a busy street. How cool is that?
It was finished in 1894, and they built it to look like a medieval castle. Why? Because Londoners wanted it to match the Tower of London next door. Practical? Not really. Charming? Absolutely.
The Boring Workhorse: London Bridge
Now, let’s talk about the actual London Bridge. It’s the humble, gray concrete slab a bit upstream. If Tower Bridge is the peacock, London Bridge is the reliable family sedan. Funny thing? Tourists almost always point at Tower Bridge and call it London Bridge.
But here’s a fun fact: the original London Bridge was a chaotic medieval marvel. It had houses, shops, and even a chapel built right on top of it. Imagine walking your groceries home while the river rushed beneath your feet. Crazy, right?
That old bridge was sold to an American in 1968. Yep, they shipped the stones to Arizona and rebuilt it in the middle of the desert. You can still visit it there. Talk about a commute.
Garden Bridge Across The Thames at Paul Maxwell blog
