Bridges are iconic representations which in turn make available spectacular views and access to quite a few of the city’s most admired tours, highlights, and events. By their own right, they are also renowned landmarks. Here are a few fascinating certainties about the London Bridge that will intrigue you.
1. The London Bridge was first built from wood.
2. In the year 1209, the London Bridge was demolished and rebuilt by a stone bridge lined with houses and shops next to its side. In 1831, the stone bridge was in turn replaced by a granite bridge, and the granite replaced by the present solid bridge.
3. The present London Bridge was designed by Lord Holford. The construction began in 1967 and was done in 1972.
4. The London Bridge has been in existence for over 182 years.
5. The current London Bridge was designed and constructed under the management of a prominent architect, Michael Leeming. According to Michael Leeming, the enormous bridge project was one of his greatest projects of which he is tremendously proud to have designed.
6. The London Bridge possesses one of the most outstanding road types in London. It is an A3 road with 5 lanes and it is also one of the busiest bridges in London.
7. Being one of the most prominent bridges in the City of England, London Bridge is the main tourist attraction in London.
8. It is positioned between the Tower Bridge and the Cannon Street Railway Bridge and connects the City of London to Southwark; it is commonly used by the vehicles in addition to pedestrians who go through the bridge to arrive at the City of London.
9. The London Bridge is at present the most recognized world’s biggest antique.
10. The London Bridge is also known to be home to a huge number of bats, which reside in the nooks and crannies of its vacant interior.
11. The bridge’s reputation has an extensive effect as its name London Bridge is identical with a long-established nursery school rhyme titled London Bridge is Falling Down, which also makes reference to the fall of the historical bridge.
12. There were more than 50 designs for the bridge: When the resolution was taken to construct a bridge, a design contest was held to decide the best design. Above 50 designs were submitted – some close to what was built and some were absolutely different.
13. The bridge is 800 feet (244 m) in length with two towers each 213 feet (65 m) high, built on piers. The central span of 200 feet (61 m) amid the towers is divided into two equal bascules, which can be elevated to an angle of 86 degrees to permit river traffic to pass. The bascules weigh 1,000 tons each.
14. The bridge is crossed by over 40,000 people each day and it is still a busy and fundamental passage of the Thames. The bridge is on the London Inner Ring Road and is on the eastern border of the London congestion charge zone. (Drivers do not sustain a charge by crossing the bridge.)
15. To uphold the integrity of the bridge, the City of London Corporation has imposed 20 miles per hour (32 km/h) speed limit, and an 18-ton weight limit on vehicles passing the bridge.
16. A camera scheme measures the speed of traffic crossing the bridge, operating a number plate detection system to send set fine to offenders. So, if you ever get to cross, don’t speed across – enjoy it at a leisurely pace or else you’ll get a ticket (even in a hired car).
17. Above 400 workers helped to construct the bridge and more than 70000 tons of concrete were sunk to the bed of the River Thames to hold up the bridge. 11,000 tons of steel were used to build the framework for Towers and Walkways.
18. The bridge at first faced disapproval from architectural professionals. H.H. Statham wrote in 1916 that it symbolized “the vice of tawdriness and pretentiousness”. F Brangwyn and W.S. Sparrow’s Book of Bridges (1920) describes the bridge as “absurd”.
19. A carbon copy of Tower Bridge can be found in the Chinese city of Suzhou. It has a coffee shop inside offering “English-style coffee”
20. A popular legend states that Robert P. McCulloch, the US industrialist, purchased the old London Bridge (which was later reconstructed at the Lake Havasu City, Arizona) in the certainty that it was the most renowned Tower Bridge.
21. In 1952, the bridge began to open as a double-decker bus was still on it. The number 78, which was driven by Albert Gunton, had to speed up and jumped a small, three-foot gap. He was awarded £10 for his courage.
22. Prior to the opening of the bridge, those who wished to cross the bridge made use of the Tower Subway – a 410-metre tunnel.
