London Bridge, Road bridge in Southwark and the City of London, United Kingdom
London Bridge is a box girder road bridge of concrete and steel carrying the A3 across the Thames between the City of London and Southwark. It opened to traffic in 1973, stands 30 metres upstream of the medieval alignment, and shows wide shallow arches on thick rectangular piers above the water.
The first timber crossing was built by the Romans around AD 50; it was destroyed with Londinium in Boudica's revolt of AD 60. After a storm in 1091 and fire in 1136, Peter de Colechurch began a stone bridge in 1176, completed in 1209 under King John, lined with shops and houses up to seven storeys. The present concrete and steel box girder bridge opened on 17 March 1973.
Thousands of Londoners cross this bridge daily on foot, often without stopping because it serves mainly as a commuter route. Office workers pass over it in the morning and evening rush, while visitors pause at the railings to photograph the river and nearby landmarks.
Approaching from the north, travelers reach the bridge via King William Street, while those coming from the south arrive through Borough High Street. During rush hours, the pavements become crowded, so visiting in the morning or early afternoon allows for a quieter walk across.
The current bridge stands about 30 metres upstream from the medieval alignment, and its approaches are marked by St Magnus-the-Martyr church on the north bank and Southwark Cathedral on the south. Until Putney Bridge opened in 1729, it was the only road crossing of the Thames downstream of Kingston upon Thames.
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