how long did london bridge take to build

London Bridge has been rebuilt several times, and the construction time depends on which version is meant, but the famous medieval stone London Bridge took about 30–33 years to build.

Which London Bridge?

There have been several major “London Bridges” on roughly the same site:

• The medieval stone bridge begun under Peter of Colechurch in the 12th century.

• Sir John Rennie’s 19th‑century stone bridge (parts later moved to Lake Havasu City, Arizona).

• The current concrete and steel bridge completed in the 1970s.

When people ask “how long did London Bridge take to build” , they usually mean the medieval stone bridge.

Medieval stone London Bridge

• Construction began in 1176 under the priest‑engineer Peter of Colechurch.

• It was completed and opened in 1209, so it took around 30–33 years to build.

• This bridge then stood for more than 600 years, making the long build time highly significant for medieval London.

Later London Bridges

If you were curious about other versions:

• Rennie’s 19th‑century London Bridge was built between 1824 and 1831, so about 7 years.

• The present London Bridge, a concrete and steel structure, was built between 1967 and 1972, about 5 years.

So in casual history discussions, the answer most people quote is that London Bridge took roughly three decades to build in the Middle Ages, with later replacements taking under a decade each.