Széchenyi Chain Bridge

One of Budapest's most famous landmarks is the Széchenyi Chain Bridge. It was the city's first permenant Danube crossing and remains its most stunning. At the time of its inauguration in 1849 its 202 metre span made it the world's second longest supsension bridge. On Thursday evening I took time out from a company offsite to wander along the Danube river bank, soaking up the dramatic backdrop of Buda Castle and the Chain Bridge illuminated at night.

The bridge has endured much over the last 160 years, including its total distruction during World War II. The first threat to its survival took place during construction when when it was struck by a cannonball in 1848. Austrian troops attacked retreating soliders of Hungarian Army of Independence during the 1848-49 Revolution and War of Independence. The Austrians even attempted to blow up the bridge, but the explosives failed to ignite.


Almost a century later, the German Army succeeded where the Austrian Army had failed. As German troops withdrew from Budapest they successfully destroyed all of Budapest's bridges including the Chain Bridge on 18 January 1945. The bridge's stone pillars were the only structure left intact. A fully restored bridge was finally reopened on November 20, 1949, exactly one hundred years after its first innauguration.

The first festive illumination of the bridge was installed in 1937, for a visit of Italian king Victor Emmanuel III and Austrian chancellor Schuschnigg. The present illumination is composed by two parts: the top and the bottom parts of the pillars are illuminated by reflectors, and a beading of light bulbs runs along the top chains and the edges of the pavements to emphasize the shape of the ironwork. The effect is breath-taking, helping to make Budapest one of Europe's most beautiful cities.