Enjoy magnificent views of London’s world-renowned cityscape when you visit the Golden Jubilee Bridges. These two pedestrian footbridges cross the River Thames in Central London and run either side of the Hungerford Bridge railway bridge. Admire the striking architectural design of the bridges, which feature a series of stylish steel pylons and cable stays. Spot some of the city’s most famous landmarks.
The two 15.4-feet (4.7-meter) wide footbridges are attached to the brick pile buttress of an Isambard Kingdom Brunel-built bridge, which preceded today’s railway bridge. During construction, great care was taken not to damage an underground train tunnel or touch any unexploded World War II bombs embedded in the River Thames. The bridges opened in 2002 and take their name from the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. In 2003 they won the Royal Fine Art Commission’s Building of the Year Award.
From the east bridge it’s possible to see Cleopatra’s Needle, a 3,500-year-old Egyptian obelisk made for the pharaoh Thotmes III. Gaze along the river and you’ll spot the enormous dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral and the tower of the Oxo Tower Wharf.
The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben are some of the emblematic sights visible from the west bridge. Snap souvenir photos of these, the arched Westminster Bridge and the 443-feet (135-meter) tall London Eye observation wheel.
Street performers often entertain passersby on the bridges with music and dance shows. Watch as pleasure boats and freight vessels cruise along the river. See London from a different perspective by crossing the bridges at night, when the lights of the South Bank and Westminster landmarks are switched on.
The Golden Jubilee Bridges are open all day, every day. Reach them by taking the underground to Embankment station or catch a ferry to Embankment Pier. Access to the bridges from the south is via staircases on The Queen’s Walk, which is a waterfront promenade in the South Bank neighborhood.
