Waterloo Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Waterloo Bridge |
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| Carries | Motor vehicles Pedestrians |
| Crosses | River Thames |
| Locale | London, England |
| Heritage status | Grade II* listed structure |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Arch Bridge |
| Longest span | 71 m |
| History | |
| Opened | 1945 |
Waterloo Bridge is a road and foot traffic bridge. It crosses the famous River Thames in London, England. You can find it between Blackfriars Bridge and Hungerford Bridge.
The Story of Waterloo Bridge
The first bridge on this spot was designed a long time ago, in 1809-1810. A man named John Rennie created the plans. It opened in 1817 and was first called 'Strand Bridge'.
This first bridge was a toll bridge. This means people had to pay money to cross it. It was made of granite stone and had nine arches. Each arch was about 36.5 meters (120 feet) wide. The whole bridge, including its ramps, was about 748 meters (2,456 feet) long.
Famous artists like Claude Monet and John Constable painted pictures of this old bridge. In 1878, the government took over the bridge. They removed the toll, so people could cross for free.
In June 2012, Waterloo Bridge was part of a special event. It was highlighted during Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Pageant on the Thames River.
Gallery
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Crowds attend the opening of Waterloo Bridge on 18 June 1817
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View of the old Waterloo Bridge from Whitehall stairs, by John Constable
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The design allowed for light under the bridge
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The center part of the bridge
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The completed bridge with the City of London behind
More to Explore
Images for kids
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Waterloo Bridge, around 1925
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Waterloo Bridge by Charles Deane, 1821
