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Tower Bridge w Londynie
Temat: Historia i kultura
Do some Exercises: Słuchaj i zapisuj Tworzenie zdań Ukryte słowa
Tower Bridge is a bridge in London. It crosses the River Thames near the Tower of London. The north side of the bridge is Tower Hill, and the south side of the bridge comes down into Bermondsey, SE1, an area in Southwark. It is far more visible than London Bridge, which people often mistake it for. If large boats need to sail under Tower Bridge, the two halves of the bridge lift up to let it under. Many tourists go to London see the Tower Bridge.
Workers began to build the Tower Bridge in April 1886 and the bridge was opened in 30 June 1894. When they finished building the bridge, Tower Bridge was the largest bascule bridge yet built. Bascule is the French word for a see-saw.The bascules are the surfaces raised to allow tall ships to pass through: this happens about 900 times per year. The bridge's deck can be raised to 83o from the horizontal. Tower Bridge is the world's most famous and recognisable bascule bridge, so the bridge is one of London's most famous sights.
Design
The City of London Corporation held a competition for the design in 1876. Over 50 designs were entered, and in 1884 Horace Jones and John Wolfe Barry's design was chosen. The bridge is 800 feet (244 m) in length with two towers each 213 feet (65 m) high, built on piers. The central span of 200 feet (61 m) between the towers is split into two equal bascules or leaves, which can be raised to an angle of 83o to allow river traffic to pass. The bascules, weighing over 1100 tons each, are counterbalanced to minimize the force required and allow raising in five minutes. The bascules are raised by huge hydraulic pumps which were first powered by steam engines. In 1976 these were replaced by oil and electricity. The bridge is made from more than 11,000 tons of steel, and covered with Cornish granite and Portland stone.
The two side-spans are suspension bridges, each 270 feet (82 m) long, with the suspension rods anchored both at the abutments and through rods contained within the bridge's upper walkways. The pedestrian walkways are 143 feet (44 m) above the river at high tide. These walkways allow people to still cross the river, even when the bridge is raised. They were closed in 1910 because not enough people used them, but were reopened in 1982.
Source: simple.wikipedia.org
