*Includes pictures *Includes contemporary accounts of its design, construction, and history
*Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading
"London Bridge is falling down, Falling down, falling down London Bridge is falling down, My fair lady."
For most people, this playful child's rhyme conjures up visions of the tall, majestic, two-towered bridge spanning the River Thames near the Tower of London, with its high footpath providing one of the best views available of the city. The only problem is, this vision is wrong, for the London Bridge of modern times is neither tall nor majestic. Indeed, it is not at all memorable for any reason except for its ability to get the city's commuters back and forth to work each day.
In fact, the tall bridge that symbolizes not just the city but the nation is Tower Bridge, and while it is among the oldest major bridges in London, it is hardly the first to have been built on the Thames, or even on that spot. In actuality, the first men to build a bridge on that spot probably spoke Latin as their first language.
As time passed, technology changed, and with it, the nature of bridge building. Wood gave way to stone, which in turn gave way to iron and steel. At the same, London grew on both land and water, with more people living in and near the city, and more people plying the river in bigger and bigger ships. The people on land needed to get across the river, and the people on the river needed to be able to move along without too much interference. It was obvious that the city needed a new bridge, but years passed before the right design for one came along.
When it finally did, there were still other, non-practical concerns, specifically that the bridge fit in with its surrounding historical environment. In particular, this meant that Londoners wanted to ensure that the bridge's look fit in with the nearby Tower of London. Thus was born a bridge conceived within the marriage of need and desire, strength and beauty. Tower Bridge is unlikely to fall down, or even be torn down, anytime soon, but it is still worthy of singing about.
Tower Bridge: The History and Legacy of London's Most Iconic Bridge examines the long and storied history of one of England's most famous landmarks. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Tower Bridge like never before.
