10 Facts about the Millennium Bridge

Developed with sculptor Anthony Caro and engineers Arup, the Millennium Bridge has created new routes into Southwark and encouraged new life on the embankment alongside St Paul's. The bridge opened in June 2000 – and an astonishing 100,000 people crossed it during the first weekend.

Learn more about this iconic infrastructure project, from the innovative 'blade of light' concept to the shallow suspension design, and the films it has appeared in.

1. The Millennium Bridge was the result of an architectural competition launched in 1996 by the Millennium Bridge Trust – set up to oversee the development of the new landmark – and promoted by the Financial Times, Royal Institute of British Architects and Southwark Council.

2. The bridge’s innovative ‘blade of light’ concept was designed by Lord Foster, and early sketches were drawn on the back of a napkin in a central London wine bar by engineers Chris Wise and Roger Ridsdill Smith.

Norman Foster’s conceptual sketch for the new bridge, in which he describes the structure as ‘a minimal intervention – an elegant blade’. © Norman Foster

Norman Foster concept sketch. The axial relationship with St Paul's is emphasised © Norman Foster

3. Construction began in late 1998 with the main works starting in April 1999, marked by a ceremony attended by deputy prime minister John Prescott, who said the structure would be ‘a beautiful bridge that will unite north and south London.

Placing of the prefabricated Y-shaped armatures that support eight cables, crane, construction stage. © Nigel Young / Foster + Partners

4. Millennium Bridge was the first new bridge over the Thames since Tower Bridge was built in 1894.

5. The bridge is 325m long – roughly the length of three football pitches – 4m wide and sits 10.8m above the Thames at high tide.

View of the bridge from Tate Modern on the south side, looking over to St Paul's Cathedral. A key element in London’s pedestrian infrastructure, it has created new routes into Southwark and encouraged new life on the embankment alongside St Paul’s. © Nigel Young / Foster + Partners

6. Unlike traditional suspension bridges, Millennium Bridge has no tall supporting towers, which would have blocked the iconic view of St Paul’s. Instead, it uses a shallow suspension design, with cables position on either side of the deck supported by piers in the river.

7. An opening ceremony took place on Tuesday, May 9, 2000, where the bridge was officially opened by Her Majesty The Queen.

Firework display to celebrate the lighting of the Bridge, 8 June 2000, by Christophe Bertonneau who also designed the Millennium Eve display at the Eiffel Tower, Paris. © Nigel Young / Foster + Partners

8. Over 150,000 people crossed the bridge in its opening weekend.

9. The bridge has appeared in films including Guardians of the Galaxy, Run Fatboy Run and, most famously, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, when it was destroyed by Death Eaters.

10. Under the heavy traffic during the opening, the bridge exhibited greater than expected lateral movement, and as a result it was temporarily closed. The solution was to fit dampers discreetly beneath the deck to mitigate movement. This proved highly successful, and the research undertaken by the engineers has resulted in changes to the codes for bridge building worldwide.