London: The Millennium Bridge suspension bridge

Last updated: 01/10/2019

One of London's most iconic bridges is actually a pedestrian-only bridge. And that's great because the Millennium Bridge suspension bridge is strategically located providing beautiful views of St. Paul's Cathedral and the Tate Modern, the city's famous museum of modern art. This bridge needs to be on your London itinerary and we'll explain why!

THE MILLENNIUM BRIDGE SUSPENDED BRIDGE

The Millennium Bridge is a suspension bridge that crosses the River Thames in London, it was made for use pedestrian only. Construction began in 1998 and it was inaugurated in 2000, the eve of the new millennium. The Millennium Bridge is located between two other London bridges, the Southwark Bridge and Blackfriars Railway Bridge. Those who crossed the bridge at the beginning say that they felt a certain “movement” when walking across it! For this reason, she received the unaffectionate nickname of “Trembling Bridge”! Have you ever thought that fear? It ended up being closed just two days after opening for a period of almost two years so that modifications could be made to end the “movement”, reopening in 2002.

One of the most interesting things about this bridge is that it was built in a way that it was aligned with the St. Paul's Cathedral (St Paul's Cathedral), the oldest church in London.

On the opposite side of the bridge is the incredible museum of modern and contemporary art, the Tate Modern it's the Shakespeare Globe Theater. From the Millennium Bridge it is possible to see another famous bridge, the Tower Bridge, which is located close to the London Tower, one of the most incredible attractions in the city; it's the The Shard, the tallest skyscraper in Europe, in the shape of a pyramid, with its 310 meters high.

The bridge's design was defined through a competition organized in 1996. With a futuristic design, it combines a steel frame, stainless steel side edges and the deck is all made of aluminum. The eight suspension cables are tensioned to pull with a force of 2,000 tons against the pillars, enough to support a load of 5,000 people on the bridge at the same time. Arriving at the end of the bridge, near the Tate Modern, the view is even more beautiful, as it is possible to see a structure of greenish glass that houses a ramp that leads to the ground, in front of the museum.

Millennium Bridge numbers:

• Extension: 325 meters
• Width: 4 meters
• Cost: £18.2 million

BOOK NOW your hotel and save up to 50%. Travelers readers are with a SUPER DISCOUNT! And the best, with FREE CANCELLATION*!

Booking.com


*check the hotels with free cancellation on the website

PHOTO TIP

The entrance to the museum Tate Modern is completely free and you can take amazing photos of two places in the museum, in the 6th floor of the Boiler House tower there is a restaurant called Kitchen and Bar, where you will see the bridge through a glass wall or, even better, the newly opened (June 2016) switch house tower, in which there is a open terrace on the 10th floor that provides 360 degree panoramic views of London.

To take a picture of the bridge on the other side is also possible. A tip is to climb the dome of St. Paul. The church is beautiful, admission is paid, and it takes breath to climb the 528 steps to the dome. But the view makes up for it!

ECONOMY IN LONDON: ACTIVITY CARDS

For those who want to do many things and visit many paid places in London, the suggestion is to purchase one of the cards that give you direct access to attractions and ride the tourist bus, saving a lot! O THE LONDON PASS is the most famous of them. The card can be purchased in versions of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 10 days. It entitles you to admission to over 60 of London's top attractions and 1 day tour on the hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus. In addition, the card offers more than 20 exclusive special offers at some of the city's shops and restaurants. See the full list of included attractions in this link. Price: from £69.

Read more: What to do in London – Complete itinerary of 5 days or more

 

HOW TO GET

The closest subway stations to Millennium Bridge are:

On the side of St. Paul's Cathedral

• Central Line (red line): St. Paul's
• Circle Line (yellow line): Mansion House, Blackfriars stations
• District Line (green line): Mansion House, Blackfriars stations

Next to the Tate Modern

• Jubilee Line (gray line): Southwark station
• Northern Line (black line): Borough station

Save these tips to Pinterest!

Read more about the UK:

• Differences between England, Great Britain, United Kingdom
• England: Tower of London and British Crown Jewels
• England: London Eye, London's Ferris wheel