Széchenyi Chain Bridge – Budapest, Hungary

Széchenyi Chain Bridge – Budapest, Hungary
(Image copyrighted to Chris Brown. All rights reserved.)

About the location (from Wiki):
Széchenyi lánchíd or Széchenyi Chain Bridge is a suspension bridge that spans the River Danube between Buda and Pest, the western and eastern sides of Budapest, the capital of Hungary. It was the first permanent bridge across the Danube in Budapest, and was opened in 1849. It is anchored on the Pest side of the river to Roosevelt Square, adjacent to the Gresham Palace and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and on the Buda side to Adam Clark Square, near the Zero Kilometer Stone and the lower end of the Castle Hill Funicular, leading to Buda Castle.

The bridge is named after István Széchenyi, a major supporter of its construction. At the time of its construction, it was counted as a wonder of the world. It had an enormous significance in the country’s economy and life. Its decorations made of cast iron, and its construction, radiating calm dignity and balance, raised it among the most beautiful industrial monuments in Europe. It became a symbol of advancement, national awakening, and the linkage between East and West.

The bridge was designed by the English engineer William Tierney Clark in 1839, after Count István Széchenyi’s initiative in the same year, with construction supervised locally by Scottish engineer Adam Clark (no relation). It is a larger scale version of William Tierney Clark’s earlier Marlow Bridge, across the River Thames in Marlow, England. The bridge was opened in 1849, and thus became the first permanent bridge in the Hungarian capital. At the time, its center span of 202 m was one of the largest in the world. The pairs of lions at each of the abutments were smaller reproductions of the famous Trafalgar Square lions added in 1852. The bridge was given its current name in 1898. The bridge’s cast iron structure was updated and strengthened in 1914. In World War II, the bridge was severely damaged during Siege of Budapest, and was rebuilt and reopened 1949.

Movies shot at this location:
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam

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