Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge
a bridge across the River Thames and one of the most famous structures in London. It was built between 1886 and 1894 and is close to London Bridge and the Tower of London. Its towers are in the Gothic style and the part of the bridge with the road on it can be raised to allow ships to pass through.

* * *

  movable bridge of the double-leaf bascule (drawbridge) type that spans the River Thames (Thames, River) between the Greater London boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Southwark. It is a distinct landmark that aesthetically complements the Tower of London (London, Tower of), which it adjoins.

 The bridge was completed in 1894 and provides an opening 250 feet (76 metres) wide. Its twin towers rise 200 feet (61 metres) above the Thames. Between the towers stretch a pair of glass-covered walkways that are popular among tourists. The walkways were originally designed to allow pedestrians to cross even while the bridge was raised, but they became hangouts for prostitutes and thieves and so were closed from 1909 to 1982. The Tower Bridge was operated by hydraulic pumps driven by steam until 1976, when electric motors were put into operation; the steam power system is still kept (in good repair) as a tourist display. Because of the reduction in shipping at the London Docklands, however, the leaves are now seldom raised.
 

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Tower Bridge — Pays   …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Tower Bridge — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Tower Bridge País Inglaterra Localidad Londres …   Wikipedia Español

  • Tower Bridge — [Tower Bridge] a bridge across the River ↑Thames and one of the most famous structures in London. It was built between 1886 and 1894 and is close to ↑London Bridge and the ↑Tower of London. Its towers are in the ↑Gothic style and the part of the… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Tower Bridge — a bridge which crosses the River Thames in London, just to the east of the Tower of London. The part of the bridge which carries the road divides in the middle into two separate parts, which can be pulled up so that tall ships can pass under it.… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Tower Bridge — Infobox Bridge bridge name= Tower Bridge caption= Tower Bridge from the North Bank at dusk official name= also known as= carries= A100 Tower Bridge Road motor vehicles, pedestrians crosses= Thames locale= London maint= Bridge House Estates id=… …   Wikipedia

  • Tower Bridge — 51.50551 0.075445000000002 Koordinaten: 51° 30′ 19,8″ N, 0° 4′ 31,6″ W f1 …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Tower bridge — Die Tower Bridge in der Abenddämmerung vom Südufer aus gesehen Die Tower Bridge ist eine Straßenbrücke über den Fluss Themse in London. Sie wurde 1894 eröffnet und verbindet die City of London auf der Nordseite mit dem Stadtteil Southwark im… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Tower-Bridge — Координаты: 51°30′20″ с. ш. 0°04′30″ з. д. / 51.505556° с. ш. 0.075° з. д.  …   Википедия

  • Tower Bridge — Координаты: 51°30′20″ с. ш. 0°04′30″ з. д. / 51.505556° с. ш. 0.075° з. д.  …   Википедия

  • Tower Bridge (California) — Infobox Bridge bridge name = Tower Bridge caption = The Tower Bridge just after sunset carries = Cars, pedestrians, and previously railroad crosses = Sacramento River maint = Caltrans [National Bridge Inventory database, 2006] locale = West… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”