Blackfriars Bridge is located between the Waterloo Bridge and the Blackfriars Railway Bridge. The bridge is named after the Dominican monastery that used to be here. (Dominicans are called black brothers in England because of their black robes) and now runs from the Inns of Court to Tate Modern.
The first connection at Blackfriars was a stone toll bridge, designed by Robert Mylne and opened in 1769. The bridge was then called William Pittt Bridge (after the English Prime Minister William Pitt), but soon afterwards the bridge was named after the aforementioned monastery. The current bridge, a structure of steel arches, was put into use in 1869.
The bridge became internationally known when in 1982 the dead body of the Italian banker, Roberto Calvi, was found. At first people thought of suicide, later it was established that Calvi was murdered.
The construction of the bridge is depicted in murals in a gallery under the bridge. You can reach the gallery from the Dogget’s Pub side.
The Blackfriars Bridge has been in existence for 150 years this year and Londonist has made a video about it.
