One of the most iconic landmarks in London is Tower Bridge, a combined bascule and suspension bridge over the River Thames. The bridge is close to the Tower of London and has become an important symbol of London. This blog post will look at some interesting facts about this historic structure.
The History of Tower Bridge
The construction of the Tower Bridge began in 1886, and it took eight years to complete. The project was funded by a City corporation and cost £1,184,000 in total. When it was built, it was considered a marvel of engineering because it was the first bridge that combined bascule (or drawbridge) technology with suspension bridge technology. It also became a popular tourist attraction due to its design and location near other famous landmarks in London, such as Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, and St Paul’s Cathedral.
Design & Features of Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge stands 244 feet (74 m) high and spans 801 feet (244 m). It is composed of two towers connected by two walkways on top that are supported by suspenders from cables below. Each tower is 70 feet (21 m) wide at its base and 65 feet (20 m) wide at its tops. The towers are connected by two walkways on top that are 42 feet (13 m) wide each. There are four hydraulic lifts installed between them which can be used to lift part of the bridge so that boats can pass through underneath when needed. The suspender cables are made up of 3-inch diameter steel wires that support the weight of the road deck above them.
Maintenance & Operations
Tower Bridge is maintained by a team of engineers who check its structural integrity every five years or so as well as ensure that all mechanical parts are in good working order to prevent any safety risks or breakdowns during operations. The bridge opens approximately 1000 times per year for river traffic passing through underneath it; however, these openings can take place more frequently depending on demand from boat owners who need access to the river below for various reasons such as unloading cargo or refueling their vessels.
When open, both sides of the bridge remain to level with each other so pedestrians can cross without difficulty while traffic continues moving across on either side uninterruptedly until they reach their destination point where they need to stop for an opening/closing cycle before continuing onwards again once it has been completed safely with no further disruption caused to traffic flow or pedestrians crossing it from either side during this process.
Weather Conditions in London
London has a temperate maritime climate, which means it is generally mild with cool winters and warm summers. The city experiences a fair amount of rainfall throughout the year, with the wettest months being November, December, and January. Average high temperatures in the summer months of June, July, and August range from 22 to 25 degrees Celsius (72 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit), while average low temperatures in the winter months of December, January, and February range from 3 to 6 degrees Celsius (37 to 43 degrees Fahrenheit). Despite its reputation for being cloudy and rainy, London actually gets a decent amount of sunshine, with an average of about 1,500 hours of sunshine per year.
If you want to get information about weather conditions in Istanbul, you can check our Weather in London article.
Final Thoughts:
London’s Tower Bridge is an iconic landmark that has stood for many years as a symbol of progress and innovation due to its unique combination of features combining both bascule technology with suspension bridge technology during its construction over 130 years ago! Despite being maintained regularly since then, it remains one of London’s most beloved attractions thanks largely to its unique design elements such as hydraulic lifts and suspended steel cable suspenders which make sure that both sides remain level when opened up for river traffic passing underneath every day throughout various times during different seasons throughout each year!
Whether you’re visiting London yourself or just want to learn more about one of its most impressive structures, make sure you take some time out to appreciate this magnificent feat of engineering excellence!
External Links: https://www.towerbridge.org.uk/
