Raquel Rey
Landmarks in their own right
A total of 9 bridges link Buda and Pest, many dating back to before the two cities officially merged in 1873. While many of the bridges are actually railway bridges, there are four main bridges which are landmarks in their own right. The first is the Liberty Bridge, built for the Millennium Exhibition in 1896 and also the shortest bridge in the city. The original was named after Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria but it was destroyed in WWII. The current bridge is an elegant replica of the first bridge.
The Elisabeth Bridge is a suspension bridge with great historical importance as it was the first bridge opened after WWII. It’s actually my favorite bridge in the city and offers by far the best views of Castle Hill and Gellert Hill.
The Széchenyi Chain Bridge is the oldest and probably the prettiest bridge in Budapest. It was opened in 1849 and was unique for a couple reasons. First, it was the first bridge to link Buda and Pest and second, even the aristocracy had to pay a toll to cross the bridge (the aristocracy at the time were exempt from most taxes). Although the bridge’s benefactor was István Széchenyi, it was actually built by the Scotsman Adam Clark.
The final bridge is Margaret Bridge in the north of the city. It links the two sides of the city with Margaret Island in the Danube. It was designed by a French architect and built between 1872 and 1876.
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