Walking on Elizabeth Bridge

While in Budapest one of best places for walk is Erzsébet híd. Also know as Elizabeth Bridge or Erzsébet Bridge is the second newest bridge and one of the most elegant ones of Budapest, connecting Buda and Pest across the River Danube. Located at the narrowest part of the Danube, the bridge spans only 290 m. It is named after Queen Elisabeth, a popular queen and empress of Austria-Hungary, who was assassinated in 1898. Her bronze statue sits by the bridge’s Buda side connection in the middle of a small garden.

The original construction of the bridge between 1897 and 1903 was carried out according to the plans by Aurél Czekelius. Many houses and squares had to be destroyed at the Pest end of the bridge, today’s Kossuth Lajos Street was straightened, and the bridge-gate and the two Eclectic “Klotild-Palaces”, were also built.

The bridge was designed in such a way because a wealthy nobleman, a member of the City Council owned the particular area of the riverbank. He wanted to make a fortune by selling the piece of land for bridge construction purposes, bribing the other councilmen and engineers on purpose.

The beautiful bridge, the world’s longest chain-bridge until 1926, was blown up in 1945 by the retreating German troops.

The novel design, planned by Pál Sávoly, was rebuilt as a cable-bridge in 1963 and first in Central Europe and not without weaknesses. Tram traffic and its heavy tracks had to be removed from the bridge in 1973 after signs of cracks appeared in the structure. The 2×3 lane Erzsébet bridge is relatively well maintained because it is part of the route where foreign dignitaries are being taken from Ferihegy Airport to the government quarter.

At one end of the bridge you can find the March 15 Square, with the oldest church in Pest, Inner City Parish Church, built in the 13th century, and the famous Mátyás Pince restaurant, while at the other end is Döbrentei Square in Buda with the monument of Saint Gellért on the Gellért Hill, a sculpture of Queen Elisabeth and the Rác Baths and Rudas Baths nearby. A luxury spa hotel is currently being built in the area.

Is one of the greatest places for a walk across Danube. Comming from March 15th Square you have easy access to the bridge and from it you have one of best views of surroundings. On the right side you have a good view on the Széchenyi Chain Bridge and Parliament. While passing on the left side of the bridge you have a good view on Rudas Bath or Rudas fürdő which  is a thermal and medicinal bath that was first built in 1550, during the time of the Turkish occupation of Hungary. To date, it retains many of the key elements of a Turkish bath, exemplified by its Turkish dome and octagonal pool.

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