Photos

This view is taken from Tower Bridge looking towards, The London Swiss Re Building. The Swiss Re Building, designed by Sir Norman Foster, stands on the site of the Baltic Exchange in the City of London. With its unusual gherkin-shaped form it has become a modern icon of Britain. It was officially opened on Wednesday 28 April 2004.
In 1992 the Baltic exchanges foundations were damaged by the IRA bomb that so badly damaged the City (although with miraculously small loss of life). The little St Ethelburga’s church next door has been exquisitely restored, and it was the intention to restore the Exchange, but commercial interests got in the way and in 1998 John Prescott gave permission for it to be taken down.
The Baltic Exchange now sits in pieces in a great many wooden crates in a barn near Canterbury. Dismantling, recording and moving it cost £4 million. It is for sale like a glorious Lego kit for £750,000, ready to make a fine country house, magnificent company headquarters, or just a rich man’s set of building blocks. It is of red granite, coloured marble, and Portland stone. The plaster interiors are intact, complete with sea monsters, and mermaids riding dolphins, among the classical mouldings.
Tower Bridge , named after its two impressive towers, is one of London's best known landmarks. This Victorian Bridge is now more than 100 years old. Designed by Wolfe Barry and Horace Jones, and completed in 1894, the middle of the bridge can be raised to permit large vessels to pass the Tower Bridge. It used to be raised about 50 times a day, but nowadays it is only raised 4 to 5 times a week.

The bridge is 60 meters long and its towers rise to a height of 43 meters. From the top of the towers, you have a great view on the center of London. You can also visit the inside of the tower, where you can observe the original mechanism used to raise the bridge.

I liked the old Victorian rivetted structure against the new vision of Londons future.