this post was submitted on 22 Nov 2025
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Today I Learned

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TIL In 1968 a man in Arizona bought the London Bridge and had it shipped to the US (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted 2 days ago by Nvermind@sh.itjust.works to c/til@lemmy.world
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[–] twinnie@feddit.uk 25 points 2 days ago (3 children)

It’s crazy how famous London Bridge is, it’s literally the most boring bridge in London. It’s so boring that people think the bridge next to it is London Bridge.

[–] Devial@discuss.online 13 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

I mean it was the first ever permanent bridge crossing the Thames in London, and for a long time it was the only bridge in the entirety of east London (despite barely being east of the east-west midpoint of London). London bridge has a lot of interesting history, even if the current one is visually boring.

Jay Foreman has a fun video on the history of London Bridge (https://youtu.be/u5CguqywlBk)

[–] tal@lemmy.today 6 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

It’s crazy how famous London Bridge is

I grew up hearing "London Bridge Is Falling Down" in the US. My guess is that there isn't an analogous nursery rhyme of comparable fame for London's other bridges.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Bridge_Is_Falling_Down

"London Bridge Is Falling Down" (also known as "My Fair Lady" or "London Bridge") is a traditional English nursery rhyme and singing game, which is found in different versions all over the world. It deals with the dilapidation of London Bridge and attempts, realistic or fanciful, to repair it. It may date back to bridge-related rhymes and games of the Late Middle Ages, but the earliest records of the rhyme in English are from the 17th century. The lyrics were first printed in close to their modern form in the mid-18th century and became popular, particularly in Britain and the United States, during the 19th century.

The rhyme is often used in a children's singing game, which exists in a wide variety of forms, with additional verses. Most versions are similar to the actions used in the rhyme "Oranges and Lemons". The most common is that two players hold hands and make an arch with their arms while the others pass through in single file. The "arch" is then lowered at the song's end to "catch" a player. In the United States, it is common for two teams of those that have been caught to engage in a tug of war.[2]

I remember doing the arch thing.