Tower Bridge is a bascule bridge built at the end of the 19th century in Central London. It connects the Tower of London, on the northern bank, with the southern bank of the River Thames. Tower Bridge is 240 metres (800 feet) long and 76 metres (250 feet) wide. It is made up of two 61-metre-tall towers (200 feet) connected by horizontal walkways. Under the walkways, the road that connects the two ends of the bridge at street level can open to allow ships to pass.

Although this system was initially powered through a hydraulic steam mechanism, it is today electro-hydraulic. Nonetheless, the old steam engines still exist today and visitors are welcome to see them inside Tower Bridge.

It took eight years (from 1886 to 1894), the labour of almost 450 construction workers - 10 of whom died - and around £1,184,000 to build Tower Bridge. Visiting it gives you a chance to learn about the city’s history while getting stunning panoramic views over it, so we would say it is definitely worth it.

You should allow at least one hour to visit London’s Tower Bridge. However, if you want to take your time or have a guided tour, your visit will take around 90 minutes.

Interesting facts about Tower Bridge

• It’s a giant see-saw. Although people think of Tower Bridge as a drawbridge, the road that crosses it cannot actually be pulled up like it would in a drawbridge. Instead, to open the bridge, the two halves of the road pivot, moving like two see-saws. This system is called a bascule bridge.
• You can walk on glass 40 metres above the river. Visiting Tower Bridge, you’ll find there are two walkways that connect the two towers, and they have glass floors, allowing visitors to look down on traffic and the river beneath from a height of 42 metres.
• It’s just a little over 100 years old. Although its Neo-Gothic style makes it look much older, Tower Bridge was inaugurated in 1894. The design is in fact a very intentional choice meant to complement the style of the nearby Tower of London, which was built between the 11th and 14th centuries. The underlying structure of the bridge is actually solid steel.
• It’s in two places at the same time. The bridge’s towers are registered in a different borough each - the southern tower belongs to Southwark and the northern tower belongs to Tower Hamlets.
• Tower Bridge is not London Bridge. These are two separate - albeit nearby - bridges, with a couple of millennia of history separating them. Even though a bridge has existed in the place where London Bridge is since Roman times, Tower Bridge, with under 150 years of history, is a much more recognisable landmark of the city.

Location

Tower Bridge Road, London SE1 2UP

Tower Bridge is located in Central London, not far from many well-known sights and attractions in the city. First among them is the Tower of London, whose style the Bridge is meant to imitate. Not far from Tower Bridge are also London Bridge (the two often get mixed up), The Monument, and The Shard. On its northern side, the bridge is quite close to the City of London and the Whitechapel districts.

Visiting Tower Bridge - entries and price

You can obviously cross Tower Bridge without restrictions, but if you want to visit the inside, you are required to get an entry ticket. The full-price adult ticket costs £11.40, however, there are several reduced-price tickets available. Seniors, students, and visitors with disabilities can have reduced tickets (£8.60) and children under 5 years of age enter for free. Additionally, there also are discounts for young visitors (5-15 years of age). You can find a summary of the prices in the table below and you can get your tickets on the Tower Bridge website .

Tower Bridge is free to visit if you have a London Pass. In this case, you can just show up at Tower Bridge without booking your ticket. It is also included in the 2FOR1 offers, which make you eligible to buy two tickets for the price of one. If you want to use this discount, you should book your entries in advance. You can check the instructions to use the National Rail Days Out 2FOR1 offer at Tower Bridge on their website .

Schedule

Tower Bridge is open every day from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm. Visitors are allowed to enter until one hour before closing time. Tower Bridge is only closed between the 24th and the 26th of December.

Additionally, every 3rd Saturday of the month, Tower Bridge hosts Relaxed Openings. These special times are meant to accommodate the needs of the neurodiverse, with measures put in place to make sure that Tower Bridge is as tranquil and calm as possible. You can book your Relax Opening visit on the Tower Bridge website .

On the 3rd Saturday of every month, between 9:30 am and 11:30, Tower Bridge is reserved for Relaxed Opening bookings.

Transport

Thanks to its central position, Tower Bridge is very easy to reach. If you’re taking the Underground, Tube lines Circle or District both stop at Tower Hill. You can also take the DLR and get off at Tower Hill.

If you prefer buses, lines 42, 47, 343, and 381 all stop on the southern bank, practically in front of the bridge. Alternatively, you can also take lines 15, 78, 100, and 734, which will drop you off on the northern side of the bridge.

You can find a summary of the public transport options in the table below.

If you want, you can reach Tower Bridge by taxi, but we don’t recommend it, considering the traffic conditions in central London.

Nearby sights

London City Hall - 190 m (0.1 miles) west of the bridge on the southern bank, 2-minute walk.

Tower of London - 300 m (0.2 miles) just in front of the bridge and slightly to the west on the northern bank, 4-minute walk.

HMS Belfast - 500 m (0.3 miles) in front of the bridge and slightly to the west on the southern bank, 6-minute walk.

The Shard - 1.1 km (0.7 miles) west of the bridge on the southern bank, 14-minute walk.

The Monument - 1.1 km (0.7 miles) west of the bridge on the northern bank, 14-minute walk.

The Old Operating Theatre - 1.2 km (0.7 miles) west of the bridge on the southern bank, 14-minute walk.

Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre - 1.7 km (1 mile) west of the bridge on the southern bank, 20-minute walk.