London's iconic Tower Bridge celebrates 120th birthday

To mark its 120th birthday on Monday, London’s iconic Tower Bridge has been festooned with blue and white balloons and ticket prices have been dropped to £1.20.

To mark its 120th birthday on Monday, London’s iconic Tower Bridge has been festooned with blue and white balloons and ticket prices have been dropped to £1.20.

The special edition commemorative tickets are replicates of the original invite to the opening ceremony in 1894 -- and at £1.20 (about $2.05 or €1.50) cheaper than the normal rates at £9 (about $15.30 or €11.20) for adults.

For the occasion, the Guildhall Art Gallery in London will host a second run of the exhibit “Tower Bridge: A Celebration of 120 Years” in the fall after taking a hiatus in the summer.

The exhibit will feature etchings, paintings, and memorabilia of the tower’s evolution and run September 12 to January 5, 2015. For a preview, check out the gallery’s Pinterest page.

The year 2014 also marked the milestone of another famous European landmark: the Eiffel Tower feted its 125th birthday this spring.

5 interesting facts about the Tower Bridge

1952: In an action-movie type moment, a London bus had to leap from one bascule to the other when the bridge began to rise.

1977: The bridge underwent a temporary makeover and was painted red, white and blue to celebrate the Queen’s Silver Jubilee.

1982: The tower reopened to the public in 1982 after being shuttered for 72 years due to lack of use.

Silver-screen moments: The site has served as a dramatic backdrop to films such as Fast and Furious 6, Mission Impossible, Tomb Raider, The Mummy Returns and Thunderbirds. In Bridget Jones’s Diary, scenes were shot early in the morning and the people walking across the bridge were extras. For its star turn in The Mummy Returns, the bridge was also closed to traffic but caused traffic mayhem, forcing Scotland Yard to reduce incremental closing times from 20 to 10 minutes.

Busting a myth: Contrary to popular belief, the nursery rhyme "London Bridge is Falling Down," has nothing to do with the Tower Bridge.