Cross and admire the Budapest Chain Bridge

Of all the bridges that cross the Danube, there is one that stands out above all others, it is the Chain Bridge, the oldest bridge in Budapest.
It is another of the symbols of Budapest and was one of the largest suspension bridges at the time it was built.
The best views of the Chain Bridge are from the Buda Castle. You do not have to miss It. Don’t miss seeing it lit up at night with the Castle in the background.
The Construction of the Chain Bridge
The Chain Bridge is officially called the Széchenyi Bridge in honor of its creator.
The Chain Bridge was built to overcome a serious problem that the inhabitants of Buda and Pest had before the 18th century.
The problem was being able to cross the river during the melting season, since in summer they crossed it by boat and in winter on foot on its frozen surface.
The idea of building a bridge to unite the two cities came from the Count of Széchenyi, who, angry because on one occasion he had to wait 1 week to cross the river, decided to finance the construction of the bridge with his 1-year income.
In this way and after more than 20 years of works directed by the engineer Adam Clark, it was inaugurated in 1849 and solved a problem that for centuries was a headache.
However, the original bridge had to be rebuilt after the bombings of World War II that destroyed it and the one that we can cross today dates from 1949, just 100 years after its first inauguration.
Crossing the Chain Bridge
The two squares at the ends of the Chain Bridge are that of Széchenyi István and that of Adam Clark, the two most important figures in its construction.
In lSzéchenyi István a we can find imposing buildings such as the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Four Seasons and Sofitel hotels.
In the center we find a statue of Széchenyi István himself. From there we can begin to cross the bridge on one of its pedestrian sides, admiring each pillar and the views of the Danube. On one side, to the north, we can see Margarita Island in the background and to the right the impressive Parliament.
Upon reaching the other side we will be in Adam Clark Square, from where you can take the funicular to Buda Castle. There we can also admire the entrance to the Danube tunnel that crosses below the Buda hill.
If you want to cross it again, we recommend doing it on the opposite side and being able to have other views from the Danube.
The Chain Bridge is not the only bridge over the Danube that we can highlight. Another very nice one is the Erzsébet Bridge, dedicated to Empress Sissi, and very close to it is the Liberty Bridge (Szabadság Hid), famous for its green railings.
Both bridges were also rebuilt after World War II.
How to get to the Chain Bridge
You can reach Budapest’s spectacular Chain Bridge on any tram line that takes you along the banks of the Danube. If you want to go by Metro, the nearest station is Vörösmarty tér (line M1)