Tower Bridge is one of the most recognised structures in the world. It spans the River Thames between the London Borough of Tower Hamlets on the north bank and Southwark on the south. Every year, millions of visitors stop to photograph it, walk across it, and look out from its high-level walkways. But most people know surprisingly little about how it was built, how it works, or what there is to do there beyond taking a photo from the riverbank.
This guide covers the facts, the history, the visitor experience, and the best ways to make the most of a trip to Tower Bridge — whether you are visiting London for the first time or have lived here for years.
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Tower Bridge is often mistaken for London Bridge. The two are entirely different structures. London Bridge is the plain concrete crossing upstream — the one that was famously sold to an American businessman in 1968 and rebuilt in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Tower Bridge is the Gothic Victorian one with the towers.
The bridge’s blue and white colour scheme is relatively recent. When it was built in 1894 it was painted chocolate brown. It was repainted red, white, and blue for the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 1977, and has remained in that scheme since.
In 1952, a double-decker bus had to jump the gap when the bridge began to open while it was still crossing. The bus driver, Albert Gunter, managed to accelerate across the widening gap and land safely on the far bascule. He was awarded £10 by London Transport for his actions.
Tower Bridge was also the scene of a memorable RAF stunt in 1968, when a Hawker Hunter jet flown by Squadron Leader John de Salis flew through the arches of the bridge at low level. It was officially unauthorised and earned the pilot a severe reprimand — but has since become a well-documented piece of London aviation history.
Whether you are visiting for the first time or returning after years away, Tower Bridge repays attention. It is not just a backdrop for photographs — it is a fully functional Victorian engineering structure that has been in continuous use for over 130 years. That is worth knowing a little more about.
