Tower Bridge, London

Tower Bridge, London (must see)

Tower Bridge-yes, that famous one with the twin towers and rising roadways-surprisingly didn鈥檛 swing into action until 1894. That鈥檚 right: it鈥檚 younger than your great-great-grandma鈥檚 fruitcake recipe, though you'd never guess it based on the number of fridge magnets it鈥檚 starred on. Indeed, in just over a century, it鈥檚 managed to become one of London鈥檚 most iconic symbols-practically the Victorian era in bridge form.

Now here鈥檚 a royal twist: Queen Victoria wasn鈥檛 exactly thrilled about it at first. She worried the bridge might compromise the security of the nearby Tower of London, which at that time doubled as an armory. Still, they painted it her favorite color-chocolate brown-and forged ahead, perhaps hoping that a well-dressed bridge would soothe Her Majesty鈥檚 nerves.

Under the hood (well, under the road), it was all quite steamy-literally. Sophisticated steam-powered engines lifted the bridge鈥檚 bascules to allow tall ships to pass through. In its very first year, the bridge went up over 6,000 times-talk about an overachiever! These days, it opens around 1,000 times a year, and somehow, they鈥檝e managed to avoid any major mishaps. If you鈥檙e lucky, you might even catch one of those dramatic lifts in real time-free theater, London-style...

For an unforgettable experience, take in the sweeping views of the Thames, the sci-fi egg that is City Hall, the gleaming glass Shard, and the chaos of central London from the top of the bridge. Better yet, grab a ticket and ride the elevator to the elevated walkways. Up there, you鈥檒l find a glass floor for peeking at the world below (great for photos, or mild panic), plus a museum showcasing the original steam engines-because nothing says Victorian romance like big brass machinery. Bonus points: Yes, there are restrooms at the top, so no need to 鈥渉old it鈥� at altitude.

And in case you wonder, why you should go?-This masterpiece of Victorian engineering also sparkles at night, and-let鈥檚 face it-your trip to London wouldn't be complete without seeing it.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in London. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Tower Bridge
Sight Location: London, England (See walking tours in London)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in London, England

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