There may be a song (or three) about London Bridge, but the Tower Bridge has got LB beat in terms of beauty a thousand times over.  Take that, Fergie.

London has an extensive network of bridges, most of which span the River Thames.  The aforementioned London Bridge is the oldest (its first incarnation was wood and sprung up around 50AD!) and the Millennium Bridge takes the title of the newest (and perhaps most wobbly) bridge in London after first opening to the public in 2000.

But the Tower Bridge is by far the most visually appealing.

Aesthetically, the Tower Bridge is super memorable, so iconic, that people mistakenly assume it is the London Bridge, that popular bridge that has been commemorated so often in song and folkfore.

Located in London’s east end, near the Tower of London, the Tower Bridge was conceived as a response to rapid population growth which put a strain on London’s existing bridges (high demand meant increased journey times and hours-long delays for pedestrian and vehicular traffic).  The need, then, for another bridge east of the London Bridge became apparent.  Enter the Tower Bridge, which opened in 1894, after 8 years of tireless labour from over 400 construction workers.

Liebling and I live  a 15-minute walk from the bridge, so on a bright, sunny Sunday we ventured down to the riverfront and took a stroll along London’s delicious south bank.

Lauren Pope