For more than 145 years it has spanned the Thames River in London's downtown.
But now for the first time since 1875 Blackfriars Bridge is gone.
The work was meticulous, as workers attaching 28 chains to vertical supports along the length of the bridge bridge with two of the largest cranes London has ever seen sit ready for the lift.
"So we know they're locations of strength and using 28 different locations, it provides a gentle uniform support so it lifts it as gently as possible," Doug MacCrae, manager of transportation planning.
Curious onlookers would come and go uncertain when the big lift would happen. But the man with the best view, Robert Burleigh who is a member of the London Camera Club and wanted to get some good pictures.
"Grand-kids, great grand-kids, we can tell them we were here when it come down," says Burleigh.
Just after 1 p.m., came the signal the bridge was ready to be go. But the lift was almost imperceptible, the bridge raised just a few inches and swayed just slightly and for the first time in almost a century and half, the Blackfriars Bridge was disconnected from the banks of the Thames.
"This is the Eiffel Tower of London. This is one of the defining structures of London. So to see them take this amount of care is really reassuring," says Kevin Byce, Blackfriars community activist.
The bridge was pivoted slightly and lowered to just a couple of feet above the river, then two crews used welding torches to cut it in two.
The sections were moved to each side of the river where the next phase of the project takes place, which includes shipping it away in pieces.
"We can dismantle it. Rehabilitate each individual piece separately get it into a state where it's much stronger,: says MacCrae.
The plan is to have the bridge back in place by late next year.
