London Bridge

London Bridge is located over the River Thames connecting the cities of London and Southwark. This bridge was the only bridge over the Thames till the construction of the Westminster Bridge. It lies in between the Canon Street Railway Bridge and the Tower Bridge.

London Bridge stands on A3 Road, the trunk road in Southern England. This 262-meters-long bridge has 5 lanes within it and each of them is earmarked for different types of carriers. An area has been especially reserved for the pedestrians. It is a delight to watch the sunset from the side of the London Bridge.

The London Bridge has been in its present site for nearly 2,000 years. It was built by the Romans in around AD 60. The original bridge was made of wood. After the Romans left, the bridge was not properly maintained. The Norwegian King Olaf destroyed the bridge: an act that inspired the famous nursery rhyme 'London Bridge is falling down'.

The construction of the bridge started again during the reign of Henry II. It was during his reign that it was proposed to replace the timber bridge with a stone bridge. It took 33 years to complete this massive construction. Finally, the bridge was completed in 1209 during the reign of King John.

This medieval London Bridge had 20 small arches and a drawbridge with a defensive gatehouse at the southern end. The narrow arches of the bridge acted as partial barrage over the Thames, restricting the water flow.

During the late 18th century, it was felt that the 600 years Old London Bridge needed to be replaced. It could not sustain the increase in the flow of traffic. Eventually, the bridge was replaced by a new one having 5 stone arches. This new structure was designed by the famous designer John Rennie. The old bridge was demolished after the new bridge was built in 1831.

The New London Bridge, as it is seen today, was designed by Mott, Hay and Anderson and contractors John Mowlem and Co. It was built in 1967 after the previous bridge was brought down. This bridge was inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth II on March 17, 1973. The bridge though less decorated than the other bridges over the Thames, was built to be functional and sturdy to withstand the vagaries of nature.

The London Bridge carries the legacy as one of the oldest bridges over the river Thames, which stood as a testimony to all the trials and turbulence of time. The New London Bridge looks spectacular by night when it is brightly illuminated.