walk/tour
South Bank Lion on the south side of Westminster Bridge
Join award-winning guide Katie Wignall on a riverside walk along the route of Illuminated River, the world's longest public art commission illuminating 9 bridges of the Thames. Journey rom Westminster to Bankside in search of the hidden details and surprising stories along the Thames, and learn about how the bridges shaped this area through time and how they continue to influence London today.
Westminster
12, 24, 100, 15, 42, 78
Meeting point: South Bank Lion on the south side of Westminster Bridge. Ends Tate Modern
Illuminated River began with a bold idea: to create a unified light artwork across London’s central bridges, one that respected each bridge’s identity, history and heritage, while connecting them into a coherent experience after dark. At 3.2 miles in length, Illuminated River spans from London to Lambeth bridges, making it the longest public art commission in the world. The project was conceived as a gift to London and was largely funded by private philanthropy, realised by a small team at the Illuminated River Foundation, with the backing of the Mayor of London. The subtly moving sequences of LED light reveal the beauty of the existing architecture of London’s bridges and their relationship to the river that flows beneath them. It is designed and programmed by New York-based artist Leo Villareal, working with British architecture practice Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands and 18 specialist teams, including lighting designers Atelier Ten.
