Tickets
  1. Home
  2. Stories

Stories

Discover Tower Bridge's extraordinary history, and its operational secrets, and get familiar with the people who designed and built the landmark. 

There's something for everyone, from listicles to in-depth articles and podcasts.

Historic photo of crowd of men and boys on Tower Bridge

Why does Tower Bridge open?

Few sights are as magical as Tower Bridge lifting over River Thames. Discover why Tower Bridge opens for passing ships, and how often does this happen.

Why does Tower Bridge open?
Bridge Lift for the Gotheborg of Sweden at Tower Bridge

The history of Tower Bridge

Discover Tower Bridge's fascinating history, from how it was constructed to its key commemorative dates.

Browse all History stories
A sephia photo of Tower Bridge being built with it's steel, grid-like structure exposed.

Timeline: The construction of Tower Bridge

Discover the key dates surrounding the construction and opening of Tower Bridge

How was Tower Bridge built?

How was Tower Bridge built over River Thames, one of the busiest stretches of water in the world?
Old black and white photo of a yacht sailing through Tower Bridge

Royal connections to Tower Bridge

Explore Tower Bridge's historical connection with the crown and royalty.
Tower Bridge from above, reaching across the River Thames

What is the Pool of London?

Discover the history and significance of Tower Bridge's position on the River Thames in the Pool of London.
City Bridge Foundation flag flying

The history of City Bridge Foundation

Tower Bridge is part of City Bridge Foundation, but where did the 900 year old charity come from?
Two men in victorian dress in a historic photograph

Victorian Fashion

Fashion expert and historian Dr. Serena Dyer discusses what fashion can tell us about Victorian society
Historic photo of crowd of men and boys on Tower Bridge

Victorian London

What can early photos of Tower Bridge reveal about Victorian Londoners? What questions do they raise?

The people of Tower Bridge

It's the people that make a place. Get to know the historic figures who built Tower Bridge and have maintained it since 1894.

Browse all People stories
Painting of a man, holding a pencil and book, wearing a black suit

Sir Horace Jones

Sir Horace Jones was an English architect surveyor to the City of London, most famous for designing Tower Bridge. 
A portrait of a man in a black suit, with white hair and moustache

Sir John Wolfe Barry

Sir John Wolfe Barry was tasked with completing Tower Bridge after Sir Horace Jones died. Who is he and what else did he build?
A black and white photo of man at the top of Tower Bridge looking out at the view of London

Edward 'Ted' Forrest

The fascinating story of Edward 'Ted' Forrest who worked at Tower Bridge for 40 years, and how an email in 2015 led us to new information about him.
Vintage portrait of Engineer George Edward Wilson Cruttwell wearing a dark suit jacket, white collared shirt, and a dark tie, set against a plain dark background. The image has a classic, formal style typical of early 20th-century Victorian photography.

Edward Cruttwell

The life and times of Edward Cruttwell, the first Superintending Engineer of Tower Bridge.
A portrait of an elderly man wearing a Victorian suit and waistcoat. He has sideburns and a bald head.

Sir William Armstrong

Known as 'The Magician of the North', William Armstrong's invention powered Tower Bridge for over 80 years.
A painting of an elderly man with grey hair wearing a black suit and tie.

Sir William Arrol

Learn about Sir William Arrol, the mastermind behind the 8km (5 miles) of iron and steel that form the Bridge's immense skeleton.
A sephia photo showing a rowing boat in the foreground on the river Thames

The Divers

Divers were tasked with an arduous job during the construction of Tower Bridge, what is it and who are they?
A Victorian black and white portrait of a woman wearing a lacey top and curled hair.

The women of Tower Bridge

Discover the stories of two of the first known female employees of Tower Bridge and the trailblazers for these women today.
A studio portrait of an Indian man, smartly dressed

Keshavji Shamji Budhbhatti

Keshavji Shamji Budhbhatti, an Indian engineer who worked on Tower Bridge - but what happened after he left England?
A black and white photo of a man at Tower Bridge

Who runs Tower Bridge?

When Tower Bridge was completed in 1894, the people directly responsible were the Superintending Engineer and the Bridge Master. Find out more about these historic Tower Bridge jobs.
A Bridge Driver standing in the old control room over several large levers in front of dials in the background. The photo is black and white.

What does a Bridge Driver do?

Behind every Bridge Lift, there is a highly skilled Bridge Driver. Take a deep dive into the role and find out what it takes to train for a truly unique job.

Engineering highlights

Explore how Tower Bridge works and marvel at fascinating Victorian engineering.

Browse all Engineering stories
An old postcard of Tower Bridge lifting for a large ship

How does Tower Bridge work?

Tower Bridge opens up to let boats through, but have you ever wondered how that works?
A close up of the machinery engine at the Engine Rooms.

How did the Engine Rooms work?

The Tower Bridge bascules raise and lower via electricity. Before 1976, the process was powered by water and steam.
Bridge Lift for the Gotheborg of Sweden at Tower Bridge

Why does Tower Bridge open?

Tower Bridge opens to let tall boats pass through. Learn more about why Tower Bridge lifts.
A dark large cavernous space with curved brick stairs.

The Bascule Chambers

One of London’s greatest hidden spaces, the Bascule Chambers were built as an operational area to allow for the movement of the Bridge's huge counterweights used during Bridge Lifts. 

What type of bridge is Tower Bridge?

Is Tower Bridge just a bascule bridge? Look a little closer and you will see there is a lot more to Tower Bridge than meets the eye.
A sephia photo of Tower Bridge being built with it's steel, grid-like structure exposed.

Timeline: The construction of Tower Bridge

Discover the key dates surrounding the construction and opening of Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge vs London Bridge

The image of Tower Bridge’s grand castle-like Towers and raising bascules make it the most recognised bridge in the UK, possibly even in the world. However, many confuse it with London Bridge. 

This is an easy mistake to make and we’re here to clear up the confusion!

Tower Bridge vs London Bridge

Facts of Tower Bridge

How old is the Bridge? What colour was it first painted? Why is it so famous? Read some top facts and interesting things to know about London's defining landmark. 

Facts of Tower Bridge

Top facts of Tower Bridge

Here are your top facts and interesting things to know about London's defining landmark. 

The day a bus jumped over Tower Bridge

Read the true story of the day a bus with 20 passengers jumped over an opening Tower Bridge.
A view over the River Thames at night

Tower Bridge vs London Bridge

Tower Bridge’s iconic towers and rising bascules make it one of the world’s most recognisable bridges — yet it’s often mistaken for London Bridge. We’re here to clear up the confusion!
A historical painting of Tower Bridge with ships sailing through.

10 interesting vessels to sail through Tower Bridge

10 interesting and iconic vessels that have passed through Tower Bridge since the opening at 1894.
Two men in wingsuit flying through Tower Bridge

Daring feats at Tower Bridge

Discover the daring feats that happened at Tower Bridge over the decades.
Spiderman dressed in his suit is hanging from Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge on screen

From Hollywood blockbusters, to TV, music videos, computer games and in books, explore some of Tower Bridge's appearances in popular culture.

Reveal Tower Bridge's hidden stories

There is so much more to explore inside Tower Bridge, from the unique views of the city to the history of London's defining landmark. 

Arts and Architecture highlights

Explore how Tower Bridge has been depicted in art through the decades, and the architecture details behind its intricate design.

Browse all Art and Architecture stories

Tower Bridge in art

An iconic landmark. An engineering marvel. A symbol of London. Tower Bridge is indeed all of that, but also a muse, a source of inspiration to many artists.

The architectural style of Tower Bridge

Have you ever wondered about the architectural movement that inspired the now iconic design? Learn about the Neo-Gothic style and hidden details around Tower Bridge.

Nature and Sustainability

Tower Bridge is a part of a thriving urban ecosystem. From wildlife along the River Thames to the surprising animal antics at Tower Bridge, nature and sustainability shape life around London's Defining Landmark.

Nature and Sustainability
A fluffy grey and white schnauzer dog sits on the Glass Floor.

Tails of Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge's history is linked with many stories of animals and wildlife in London. Find out more.
An Egyptian goose strolling along River Thames

The Wildlife of the River Thames

Which animals call the River Thames home?

The Tower Bridge Cat

Meet Bella, Tower Bridge’s fictional cat who goes on adventures inside the Bridge.

Past projects stories

From exhibitions, creative collaborations to the artists in residence programme, our past projects celebrated Tower Bridge’s history and people through the years.

Past projects

Artists in residence

Tower Bridge's Artist in Residence programme has been running since 2017. Find more about our previous artists in residence and check out their work.
A man in Victorian attire giving a speech to visitors at Tower Bridge

Celebrating 125th anniversary

Tower Bridge celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2019. Explore some highlights from the year of celebration that marks 125 years at the heart of London. 
Oil painting view from Tower Bridge showing The Shard, other landmark buildings and boats on the river thames

A Bridge with a View

English artist Melissa Scott-Miller was commissioned to paint the views from the West Walkway in 2022. 'A Bridge with a View' was a celebration of London and an ode to this vibrant city.
A collage of photos of Tower Bridge staff working and interacting with visitors.

Lives of a Landmark

To mark the 125-year anniversary of the Bridge at 2019, Lives of a Landmark exhibition was held to celebrate the people that connect London's defining landmark.
Sepia toned Victorian photos of Tower Bridge on the table

Launching a landmark - 130th anniversary

Explore Photographs unseen for over a century in Launching a landmark, an exhibition in 2024 to celebrate Tower Bridge's 130th anniversary.

Information about our use of cookies

Our website uses cookies to distinguish you from other users of our website. This helps us to provide you with a good experience when you browse our website and also allows us to improve our site.

A cookie is a small file of letters and numbers that we store on your browser or the hard drive of your computer if you agree. Cookies contain information that is transferred to your computer's hard drive.

  • Strictly necessary cookies

    These are cookies that are required for the operation of our website. They include, for example, cookies that enable you to log into secure areas of our website, use a shopping cart or make use of e-billing services.

    See strictly necessary cookies

  • Analytical or performance cookies

    These allow us to recognise and count the number of visitors and to see how visitors move around our website when they are using it. This helps us to improve the way our website works, for example, by ensuring that users are finding what they are looking for easily.

    See analytical or performance cookies

  • Targeting cookies

    These cookies record your visit to our website, the pages you have visited and the links you have followed. We will use this information to make our website and the advertising displayed on it more relevant to your interests. [We may also share this information with third parties for this purpose.]

    See targeting cookies

See cookie policy