Tower Bridge , London , England

Tower Bridge, is a Grade 1 listed combined bascule, and suspension bridge in London. Built between 1886 and 1894, designed by Horace Jones, and engineered by John Wolfe Barry, with the help of Henry Marc Brunel. It crosses the River Thames, close to the Tower of London, and is one of five London bridges, owned and maintained, by the Bridge House Estates, a charitable trust, founded in 1282. The bridge was constructed, to give better access, to the East End of London, which had expanded its commercial potential, in the 19th century. The bridge was opened by Edward, Prince of Wales, and Alexandra, Princess of Wales in 1894.

The bridge is 800 feet in length, and consists of two 213-foot bridge towers, connected at the upper level by two horizontal walkways, and a central pair of bascules, that can open to allow shipping. Originally hydraulically powered, the operating mechanism, was converted to an electro-hydraulic system, in 1972. The bridge is part of the A100, London Inner Ring Road, and thus the boundary of, the London congestion charge zone, and remains an important traffic route, with 40,000 crossings every day. The bridge deck, is freely accessible, to both vehicles and pedestrians, whereas the bridge's twin towers, high-level walkways, and Victorian engine rooms, form part of the Tower Bridge Exhibition.

The Tower Bridge Exhibition, is a display housed in the bridge's twin towers, the high-level walkways and the Victorian engine rooms. It uses films, photos and interactive displays, to explain why and how, Tower Bridge was built. Visitors can access the original steam engines, that once powered the bridge bascules, housed in a building, close to the south-end of the bridge.

The exhibition, charges an admission fee. Entrance is from the west side of the bridge deck, to the northern tower, from where, visitors ascend to level 4 by lift, before crossing the high-level walkways, to the southern tower. In the towers and walkways, is an exhibition on the history of the bridge. The walkways, also provide views over the city, the Tower of London, and the Pool of London, and include a glass-floored section.

Tower Bridge has become, a recognizable London landmark. It is sometimes confused with London Bridge, about a half mile upstream, which has led to a persistent urban legend, about an American purchasing the wrong bridge.