Tower Bridge and London's East End

Standing beside the Tower of London, built by William the Conqueror in 1078 on the north bank of the River Thames, the famous Tower Bridge has guarded the upper reaches of the Pool of London since 1894. Between its Gothic towers the roadway is carried on two bascules, which can be raised to allow tall ships to pass through.

Below the bridge the river meanders eastward, enclosing the vast area of London's docks before finally reaching the open sea. On both sides there are numerous sites of historical, cultural and commercial interest, many of which have been restored or converted in recent years.

Within a mile of Tower Bridge are St. Katherine's Dock (Maritime Museum), St. Paul's Cathedral, Tate Modern (Art Museum), Sam Wannamaker's reproduction of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, Southwark Cathedral and the Borough Ecological Market, to mention but the most well-known.

The New Concordia Wharf and its immediate surroundings are steeped in history and are featured in Dickens' "Oliver Twist" and the film "A fish named Wanda". The entire Shad Thames area with its many converted warehouses, such as the enormous Butler's Wharf complex, is internationally renowned for its exclusive restaurants, studios and galleries, and Terence Conran's Design Museum.