Tower Bridge in London is one of the most recognizable in the world. The roots of his Victorian Gothic style lie in the law, which forced developers to create a structure in harmony with the nearby Tower.
Description
Tower Bridge in London is both movable and suspended. It crosses the River Thames, located near the Tower of London, in whose honor it is named, and has become a symbol of the city.
The bridge consists of two towers connected by two horizontal passages designed to balance the horizontal forces acting from the suspension parts from the ground sides. The vertical part of the forces in the suspended sections and the vertical reactions of the two transitions lie on two massive towers. Lifting axles and work equipment are located at the base of the towers. The current color scheme of the bridge dates back to 1977, when it was painted red, white and blue to celebrate the silver anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Initially, it was green-blue.
The closest London Underground station is Tower Hill on the Circle and District lines, and the light subway is Tower Gateway.
Contrary to popular belief, the song “London Bridge Is Falling Down” has nothing to do with Tower Bridge in London.
Construction History
Plans were developed around 1876, when eastern London became densely populated. The bridge across the Thames in this area seemed very important. The main problem was that it was necessary to pass vessels with high masts to the port facilities between the bridge and the Tower. It took another eight years and a lot of discussion about the design before construction began.
So, to solve the problem of crossing the river in 1877, a Special Committee of Bridges and Tunnels was formed under the leadership of Sir Albert Joseph Altman, a public competition for projects was announced. More than 50 applications were submitted, including by civil engineer Sir Joseph Bazalgette. The appraisal of the projects was surrounded by controversy, and only in 1884 did they approve the project presented by the city architect Horace Jones in collaboration with John Wolf Barry.
The bridge was completed in 1894. Five contractors - Sir John Jackson (foundation), Baron Armstrong (hydraulics), William Webster, Sir H.H. Barlet and Sir William Eroll, as well as nearly 450 workers, were involved in the construction of the bridge. It took 11,000 tons of steel to build arches. At that time, many people did not like its Victorian Gothic design, but over time the bridge became one of the most famous symbols of London. It was officially opened on June 30, 1894 by the Prince of Wales (future King Edward VIII) and his wife, Princess of Wales (Alexandra of Denmark).
The bridge connected the Iron Gate on the north bank of the river with the Horsidown Lane on the south, now known as the Tower Bridge and Tower Bridge respectively. Before the Tower Bridge opened, 400 meters to the west, it was the shortest way to cross the river from Tower Hill to Tuli Street in Southpark. Opened in 1870, the Tower Subway was one of the very first underground lines in the world.
When the Tower Bridge in London opened, most of the pedestrian traffic passed onto it due to the lack of usage fees. The tunnel was closed in 1898 due to low profitability.
The Tower Bridge in London is one of the five metropolitan bridges currently owned and operated by the Bridge House Estates, a nonprofit partnership overseen by the City of London Corporation. It is the only partnership bridge that does not connect the City of London with the shore of Southpark; its northern congress leads to Tower Hamlets.
Mechanics
The proximity of the bay and the location in the direction of the sea required the ability to pass large vessels from the bridge. Hence the decision to create an adjustable construction that can open to permit boat movement. The mechanism is hidden in two towers. Until 1976, when it was electrified, steam energy was used to pump water into the hydraulic accumulators that powered the engines.
The entire bridge is 800 feet (244 m) long and the towers built on stilts are 213 feet (65 m) high. A central span of 200 feet (61 m) is divided into two equal slabs. Each of them with a width of more than 30 m and a weight of 1000 tons can open at an angle of 83 degrees. In the open position, the bridge has a lift of almost 45 m. Today it rises to the height necessary for the passage of a particular vessel; the exception is the passage of the ship on board which is the monarch. In this case, the parts of the structure rise completely. Previously, the bridge opened almost fifty times a day, but today it’s only 1000 times a year. Breeding is planned in advance (for cruise ships, etc.), so guests can go to the bridge's website and see when it will be raised and lowered. No lift fee is charged.
Reaction
Although the bridge is undoubtedly a landmark, professional critics at the beginning of the 20th century were skeptical about its appearance. “He represents a vice of bad taste and pretentiousness, falsification of real facts of the structure,” wrote H.Kh. Statam, and Frank Branghwyn argued that "a more absurd structure than the Tower Bridge was never thrown across a strategic river."
Visit to the bridge
Numerous tourists are constantly photographed against the backdrop of this grandiose structure. You can also go inside the bridge, from where you will have a magnificent view of London from the transition between the two towers. At one time they earned an unpleasant reputation as a shelter for prostitutes and pickpockets. Being accessible only from the stairs, they were rarely used by ordinary pedestrians and were closed in 1910. The reopening took place in 1982 during the exhibition of the Tower Bridge - an exposition located in the bridge towers, passages and Victorian engine rooms. Here you can also see the Tower Bridge, photos, films telling about the history of this amazing building from the inside. Of particular interest are real steam engines. Entrance to the exhibition is charged.
Cosmetic repairs 2008-2012.
In April 2008, it was announced that the Tower Bridge would undergo a “facelift” worth £ 4 million. The work consisted of stripping from old paint to bare metal and repainting in blue and white. Each section was surrounded by woods and protective plastic to prevent old paint from falling into the Thames and river pollution. Starting in mid-2008, contractors worked at most on a quarter of the bridge at the same time to avoid problems, but sometimes a road closure was inevitable.
The painting process was completed in 2009. Also, work was done to replace the bridge lighting system. A multi-purpose lighting system developed by Eleni Shiarlis is installed inside the crossings, as they are used for exhibitions and other purposes. All elements are installed in a modern way without the aid of drilling. With the help of illumination, the bridge acquired a stunning view at night.
The upgrade of the four suspension chains was completed in March 2010 using the latest paint system, requiring up to six different layers.
In the article you can see the modified Tower Bridge, whose photos show the building in all its splendor.
Interesting fact
There is a legend that the bridge was almost bought in 1968 by an American businessman Robert McCulloch for transfer to Missouri. This fact, however, is denied.
In May 1997, President Bill Clinton's motorcade was split as a result of the opening of the bridge.