London's Tower Bridge is one of the most recognizable bridges in the
world.
Bridge History
Plans for the Tower Bridge were devised around 1876
when the east of London became extremely crowded and a bridge across
the Thames in that area of the city seemed a necessity. It would take
another eight years - and lots of discussions about the design - before
construction of the bridge started.
The bridge, designed by city architect Horace Jones in collaboration
with John Wolfe Barry, would eventually be completed in 1894. Five
contractors and nearly 450 workers were involved in the construction of
the 265 meter long bridge. It took 11,000 tons of steel to build the
framework. At the time many people disliked its Victorian Gothic design,
but over time the bridge became one of London's most famous symbols.
