Philatelic Photograph: Tower Bridge - London, England

Interesting Places I've Photographed

Tower Bridge 

London, United Kingdom

Topic: Philatelic Photographs

GPS: N51° 30.436; W000° 04.628

Quick Description: 

London's iconic bridge over the Thames River.

Long Description:

The Tower Bridge gets its name from its proximity to the Tower of London. The embankment walkway below the Tower of London offers a fine view of the bridge and the Thames River.

Tower Bridge has an unusual design, its a combination of a central drawbridge (bascule) and two side suspension bridges. The two towers are connected by two horizontal walkways 143 feet above the river. Construction started in 1886. The bridge was opened on June 30, 1894. Five different contractors were required for various aspects of the bridge. The resident engineer was E. W. Crutwell. The Victorian Gothic style façade gives the bridge its unique appearance and places it in harmony with the architecture of the Tower of London.

The bridge is 800 feet (244 m) in long, the towers are 213 feet (65 m) high and 200 feet apart. Each of the counterbalanced bascules weighs over 1,000 tons. The two side-spans are suspension bridges, each 270 feet (82 m) long.

The stamp is part of a five stamp set issued by Great Britain (U.K.) in 2002 depicting bridges over the Thames River.