History of Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge

Some information about London Bridge: Originally it was painted a chocolate brown colour. Tower Bridge is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, England, over the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London, which gives it its name. Name[›] It has become an iconic symbol of London.bascule suspension bridgeLondonRiver ThamesTower of London Name[›]iconic symbol The bridge consists of two towers which are tied together at the upper level by means of two horizontal walkways which are designed to withstand the horizontal forces exerted by the suspended sections of the bridge on the landward sides of the towers. 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) between the towers is split into two equal bascules or leaves, which can be raised to an angle of 83 degrees to allow river traffic to pass. The bascules, weighing over 1,000 tons each, are counterbalanced to minimize the force required and allow raising in five minutes.feetm Although the bridge is an undoubted landmark, professional commentators in the early 20th century were critical of its aesthetics. "It represents the vice of tawdriness and pretentiousness, and of falsification of the actual facts of the structure", wrote H. H. Statham, [12] while Frank Brangwyn stated that "A more absurd structure than the Tower Bridge was never thrown across a strategic river". [13] [12] [13]