<p>120 years ago, Tower Bridge was officially opened in London</p>

London/Prague - The lifting bridge over the River Thames, ceremoniously opened on June 30, 1894, initially did not excite Londoners much. The contemporary press even called Tower Bridge "the most monstrous architectural fraud we have ever seen". Similarly to other remarkable structures around the world, however, time dulled the edges of the dispute, and the bridge with its neo-Gothic towers is now one of the most beloved symbols of London. Only the lifting has decreased significantly due to reduced shipping traffic.
    At the time Tower Bridge was being built, raising the roadway was the only way to reconcile two somewhat contradictory demands: London urgently needed a new connection between the banks of the Thames, which could not hinder traffic in the busy port. A tunnel was also considered, but in the end, the bridge project won, with its central section lifting when necessary to allow ships to pass through. Construction took eight years and the bridge cost a million pounds (which is about a hundred times more at today’s prices).