Westminster Bridge, London

Westminster Bridge is the bridge that nobody initially wanted. Back in the day, the Church, the City, and especially the watermen (who were not too keen on losing their river taxi business) all threw shade at the idea. But once it was finally built-with 15 graceful semi-circular arches-it was hailed as the first proper stone bridge across the Thames in over 500 years. Suddenly, everybody loved it-especially artists like Samuel Scott, Canaletto, and Claude Monet, who all went watercolor-wild, capturing its curves.

But then came the drama. In 1831, the old, crumbling London Bridge was torn down, which-surprise!-changed the river鈥檚 flow and started eroding Westminster Bridge鈥檚 foundations like a soggy biscuit. Something had to be done, so Parliament passed an Act in 1853, handing over the bridge to the Commissioners of Public Works. It was at that point that Thomas Page, the engineer, came along with Sir Charles Barry, fresh off designing the new Houses of Parliament (after the great fire of 1834), who was brought in to make sure that the new bridge would match Parliament鈥檚 fancy new Gothic threads.

The result was a beauty unveiled on Queen Victoria鈥檚 43rd birthday, May 24, 1862-complete with a 25-gun salute for her 25 years of ruling the realm. The bridge stretches 827 feet across the Thames and flaunts seven elliptical cast-iron arches, gray granite abutments, and more neo-Gothic flair than a Victorian novel. As for the green paint, that鈥檚 a cheeky nod to the House of Commons (which, conveniently, is the closest part of Parliament to the bridge). And if you look closely, the ornate ironwork is dripping with UK symbolism: portcullises, roses, thistles, shields, and St. George鈥檚 cross.

The view from the middle of the bridge is a postcard waiting to happen. You鈥檝e got the Palace of Westminster on the one side, the London Eye on the other, and the Thames doing its timeless shimmer underneath. North, south, east-there鈥檚 not a bad angle in sight. So go on-strike a pose, soak in the skyline, and cross like a monarch.

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

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