2. The Bridge of London was
originally the only place of
crossing of the river Thames. As
London was expanding, more
bridges were constructed, but all
of them were placed to the west
of the Bridge of London, since
the zone located to the east of
the same one had turned into a
port of a lot of traffic. In the 19th
century, the zone this one of
London reached such a density
of population that it became
necessary to construct a new
bridge, since the pedestrians'
traffic and vehicles it was
delayed for hours. Finally, in
1876, the City of London
Corporation, person in charge of
this part of the river
Thames, decided that the
3. The construction of the Tower
Bridge lasted 8 years and
possessed the collaboration of
5 important contractors and the
incessant labor of 432 workers
of the construction. To hold the
construction, two enormous
props knelt in the bed of the
river and more than 11.000 tons
of steel were in use for
constructing the framework of
the towers and the gangplanks.
This framework was covered
with granite of Cornwall and
Portland's stone in order to
protect the construction in
underlying steel and to provide
to the most beautiful bridge of
4. Tells the history that in
1910, the high gangplanks
were closed to the public due
to his lack of use. The
persons who were coming up
to the bridge preferred
hoping in the street that it
was closed instead of raising Though the Tower Bridge works at
the stairs carrying his heavy present with oil and electricity, the
loads. In 1982, as part of the original steam engines supported by a
new exhibition of the Tower special equipment of technical
Bridge, the visitors of the personnel remain in his original location
bridge they could return to in order that we all could admire them.
tread on the This zone is known as the Rooms of
gangplanks, totally covered Victorian Machines, the second part of
now, and to enjoy impressive the exhibition.
5. In the moment of his
construction, the Tower Bridge
was the longest and sophisticated
drawbridge of the world (the term
"tilts" it comes from the
Frenchman and means "balance
beam"). These that can be raised
arms were driven hydraulically by
enormous steam engines. The
energy was stored in six gigantic
accumulators and was in use in all
that it was necessary to weigh
anchor the bridge. The
accumulators were feeding the
machines, which were raising and
lowering the that can be raised
arms. In spite of the complexity of
the system, the that can be raised
arms only were late near a minute
in rising up to his maximum angle
of 86 degrees.
6.
7. Piccadilly Circus connects
to Piccadilly, a
thoroughfare whose name
first appeared in 1626 as
Pickadilly Hall, named after
a house belonging to one
Robert Baker, a tailor
famous for selling
piccadills, or piccadillies, a
term used for various kinds
of collars. The street was
known as Portugal Street
in 1692 in honour of
Catherine of Braganza, the
queen consort of King
Charles II of England but
