River Thames Tour

The River Thames
From Source to Sea

London - Tower Bridge

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Tower Bridge has stood over the River Thames in London since 1894 and is one of the most recognised bridges in the world. Before it was built the only bridge in London was London Bridge.

Photograph of the bridge raised

Two large towers rise 200 feet above the Thames

A pair of glass-covered walkways stretch between the two towers for pedestrians. There is a charge to use the walkways today.

Tower Bridge is sometimes mistakenly called London Bridge, which is the next bridge upstream.

When the bridge opened to river traffic in 1894, it was raised and lowered 1,000 times per year. Today, few ships actually travel on the Thames, so the bridge opens less than 100 times per year.

Tower Bridge is close to the Tower of London, which gives it its name.
Click here to find out more about the Tower of London

Tower of London (north bank)

HMS Belfast
The ship is permanently moored as floating museum on the South side of
the River Thames opposite the Tower of London.


View upstream from Tower Bridge St Mary Axe glass tower can be seen on the right.	City Hall (South bank)

Old photograph of Tower Bridge

The history of Tower Bridge

Click here to visit our many pages on London

	Westminster Bridge	David Beckham
	London Eye	Thames Barrier
	Waterloo Bridge	Woolwich
	Blackfriars Bridge	Darford Crossing
	Southwark Bridge	Tilbury
	London Bridge	Tilbury Fort
X	Tower Bridge	Gravesend
	Towards Greenwich	Southend-on-Sea
	Canary Wharf	Isle of Grain
	Greenwich	Sheerness
	Millennium Dome
		Summary - from source to sea

Start of Voyage down the Thames	Contents Page	Introduction
Facts about the Thames	Flooding	Thames Basin
Pollution	Erosion	Tributaries
Industries	Rivers Homework Help pages