The images reveal the bridge is a sturdy steel frame beneath the instantly recognisable stone-cladding. "People are always surprised when I tell them Tower Bridge is a steel bridge, as the stone cladding is so recognisable," said Mr Berthoud. He said that the bridge's original architect, Horace Jones, wanted to clad the bridge in brick; however, following his death he was succeeded as architect by John Wolfe-Barry who decreed the bridge should be clad in stone.One of sixteen photos in a gallery at The Telegraph. "The discarded pictures were retrieved by a caretaker who was looking after a building being turned into flats in 2006."
Photos of how Tower Bridge looks now. Embedded photo: David Willoughby / Barcroft Media.
It's my understanding that at the time of its construction the bridge was criticized in some quarters for concealing the steel structure. Though history does seem to have come down in favour of the stonecladding they do seem to have a point that it is in some ways dishonest, if people who are very familiar with the bridge as a landmark are suprised to discover that it's not at all how they imagined it inside.
ReplyDeleteThe 2009 Sherlock Holmes movie (with Robert Downey jr as Holmes) has one fight scene that takes place on the bridge under construction. It's a pretty good movie as well. There's a still here:
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