Which is the only London Bridge that can be raised?

The Tower Bridge is the only movable bridge of the 29 bridges on the Thames River. When the bridge opened to river traffic in 1894, it was raised and lowered 1,000 times per year.



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The Bridge is bound by an Act of Parliament to give river traffic priority over road traffic, which can sometimes be frustrating to car drivers stuck in rush hour traffic! The Tower Bridge Act of 1885 also states that the Bridge is to be opened free of charge for river traffic.

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Once the key crossing point of the Thames River, the bridge was built in 1209 to replace the original Roman crossing built in 50. It remained in use for over 600 years, before being demolished in the 19th century to provide access for river traffic.

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East Londoners have to commute longer compared to West Londoners just to get above the bridge. However, East London has always been more sparsely populated compared to West London. Therefore, it has never been necessary or a top priority to construct another bridge in the east.

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Fun Facts About The London Bridge
  • Kaboom! The vintage lamps on the bridge are made from the melted-down cannons of Napoleon Bonaparte's army.
  • The London Bridge is rumored to be haunted. ...
  • The inside of the bridge is hollow because it was rebuilt in order to accommodate auto traffic. ...
  • The London Bridge is a movie star!


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London Bridge was actually the sole crossing of the Thames until the construction of Putney Bridge in 1729. By 1870s, around a million people were living east of London Bridge, so getting across it could take hours. Tower Bridge came out of this need for a new river crossing, and was completed in 1894.

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Second, it is a bridge and you can use it to get across the Thames. It is totally free to walk across the bridge.

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The current colour scheme dates back to 1977. 'The bridge was painted blue, white and red in preparation for the Queen's Silver Jubilee' explains Baty. When it had a £4m overhaul 11 years ago the team decided to stick with the longest-standing hue.

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Before stone was used to build bridges, most bridges across the River Thames were made out of wood. The first 'London Bridge' was built by the Romans in 43 AD and was built as a pontoon bridge using planks that were laid across anchored boats.

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The River Thames, known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At 215 miles, it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the River Severn.



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