See inside Tower Bridge for some of the most iconic views in London.
The lattice high-level Walkways of Tower Bridge offer a unique perspective of the River Thames and surrounding areas. This view has marked the entrance to the city for more than 128 years.
Top tip: The Walkways have small camera windows to help you to capture the perfect shot.
Tower of London's White Tower was completed in 1077, and major additions were built in the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries.
An interesting fact is that Tower Bridge looks the way it does in order to blend with the Tower of London, a request from Queen Victoria before signing the Corporation of London (Tower Bridge) Act on 14 August 1885.
©Otto Berkeley
St Paul's Cathedral was consecrated in 1697 and completed in 1710, while The Monument to the Great Fire of London was built between 1671-76.
Both St Paul's Cathedral and The Monument are Grade I listed buildings that were designed by English architect Sir Christopher Wren (the latter in partnership with Dr Robert Hooke).
©Otto Berkeley
Light cruiser HMS Belfast was towed to its resting place near Tower Bridge, and attached to two dolphins, which guide the ship during the rise and fall of the tide, on 14 October 1971.
Built by Messrs Harland & Wolff in 1936 and launched on 17 March 1938 by Anne Chamberlain, the wife of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, HMS Belfast was opened to the public on Trafalgar Day, 21 October 1971. It became part of the Imperial War Museums in 1978.
The Old City Hall served as the headquarters of the Greater London Authority (GLA) between July 2002 and December 2021. The Neo-futurist building was designed by English architect Norman Foster.
The Shard, a 72-storey skyscraper, was topped out in March 2012 and designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano. Standing 309.6 metres high, it is the tallest building in the United Kingdom.
20 Fenchurch Street, which has been nicknamed as 'The Walkie Talkie', was designed by Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly.
The construction of the building was completed in the spring of 2014, and the three-floor ‘sky garden’ was opened in January 2015. The 38-storey building is 160 metres tall.
Tate Modern is housed in the former Bankside Power Station, which was originally designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, and built in two stages between 1947 and 1963.
The gallery, established in 2000, is directly across the river from St Paul's Cathedral, and holds a collection of works of international modern and contemporary art dating from 1900 until today.
The BT Tower, in Fitzrovia, was built in 1964. By the time of its completion, it became tallest structure in London until 1980, when it was overtaken by Tower 42 (commonly known as NatWest Tower).
177 metres high, with a further section of aerial rigging bringing the total height to 189 metres, the BT Tower is a grade II listed building since 2003.
You can spot London Bridge, Southwark Bridge and the Cannon Street Railway Bridge from our West Walkway.
The current London Bridge, designed by architect Lord Holford and engineers Mott, Hay and Anderson, was built between 1967 to 1972 to replace a much earlier bridge that was collapsing. Southwark Bridge was completed in 1921 and Grade II listed since 1995, while Cannon Street Railway Bridge was conceived by Sir John Hawkshaw opened in 1866.
Canary Wharf's high-rise buildings, located on the Isle of Dogs in Tower Hamlets, can be seen from our East Walkway.
Alongside the City of London, Canary Wharf constitutes one of the main financial centres in the United Kingdom. The area was developed on the site of the former West India Docks, and contains around 1,500,000 m² of office and retail space.
©Otto Berkeley
Butler's Wharf is a Grade II listed building at Shad Thames, east of Tower Bridge. It was designed by James Tolley and Daniel Dale and completed in 1873.
Built as a shipping wharf and warehouse complex to accommodate goods unloaded from ships using the Port of London, Butler's Wharf was converted in 1989 and now houses flats, restaurants and shops.
©Otto Berkeley
Besides the landmarks listed above, you can see so much more from our Walkways, including the London Eye, Hays Galleria, 30 St Mary Axe (known as 'The Gherkin'), the Millenium Bridge, Wembley and Shooter's Hill.
Ask our staff to help you identify these monuments.
A winter sunset photographed from the West Walkway ©Edward Hasler
The views you see from Tower Bridge make you appreciate London even more. I took advantage of countless photo ops here, both on the Bridge and at a distance. It’s a must-see.
A great experience to see the view from this iconic bridge. Interesting and informative displays. Well worth a visit.
Loved the views and the atmosphere. Great place to visit if you in London for a trip with family or friends. Very friendly staff, will be visiting again soon.
