Tower Bridge is one of London's most famous landmarks and has become a symbol of the city.  The bridge is located close to the Tower of London from which it got its name.  It's a combination bascule (drawbridge) and Suspension Bridge over the River Thames.  The design consists of two twin towers in Victorian Gothic style, which are connected with two aerial walkways.  The base of each tower holds machinery that lifts the two parts of the bridge to allow the passing of river traffic below it

In the late 19th century, the East End of London had developed so rapidly that another river crossing was needed.  In 1876 a design competition was begun and 50 designs were submitted.  But due to controversy it took 8 years for one design to be approved.  That design was by Sir Horace Jones in collaboration with John Wolfe Barry.  Construction on the bridge began in 1886 and lasted until 1894.  Victorian Gothic style was used to integrate Tower Bridge with the nearby Tower of London.  The Prince and Princess of Wales officially opened the bridge in 1894. 

Tower Bridge is still a major crossing of the Thames.  Some 40,000 people cross it daily, in both directions.  It originally was controlled manually, but in 2000 a computer system was installed so the bascules could be raised and lowered remotely.  They are raised about 3 times a day.  The bridge deck is accessible to both vehicles and pedestrians.