Margaret Bridge
Encyclopedia
Margit híd or Margaret Bridge (sometimes Margit Bridge) is a bridge in Budapest
, Hungary
, connecting Buda
and Pest across the Danube
. It is the second northernmost and second oldest public bridge in Budapest.
It was designed by French engineer Ernest Goüin
and built by the construction company, Maison Ernest Goüin et Cie. between 1872–1876, the engineer in charge being Émile Nouguier
. Margaret Bridge is the second permanent bridge in Budapest after Széchenyi Chain Bridge
. This bridge leads up to Margaret Island
, its two parts enclosing 165 degrees
with each other at the embranchment towards the island. The reason for this unusual geometry is the fact the small extension to connect to Margaret Island
was hastily inserted into the original design but not built until two decades later due to lack of funds.
The bridge's two ends are
It is 637.5 m in length and 25 m in width.
Wehrmacht
sapper
troops in January 1945 during their retreat to the Buda side of the surrounded capital. However, Margaret Bridge had been damaged by this time, on 4 November 1944, when an accidental explosion destroyed the eastern span of the bridge. 600 civilians and 40 German soldiers died. During reconstruction, much of the original steel material was lifted from the river and incorporated into the rebuilt structure.
The works are finished now, pedestrians and traffic use the bridge again and the tram is running as well.
s inspired János Arany
, a renowned Hungarian poet to compose a ballad
about the jumpers. It was widely distributed in leaflet format, illustrated with Mihály Zichy
's romantic styled intricate pencil drawings.
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, connecting Buda
Buda
For detailed information see: History of Buda CastleBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian.Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's...
and Pest across the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
. It is the second northernmost and second oldest public bridge in Budapest.
It was designed by French engineer Ernest Goüin
Ernest Goüin
Ernest Goüin was a French civil engineer and industrialist.In 1846 he founded Ernest Goüin & Cie. ; the company initially built locomotives, and diversified into bridge building and railway construction projects.His name is one of the 72 names inscribed on the Eiffel Tower.-Biography:Born on 20...
and built by the construction company, Maison Ernest Goüin et Cie. between 1872–1876, the engineer in charge being Émile Nouguier
Émile Nouguier
Émile Nouguier was a French civil engineer and architect. He is famous for co-designing the Eiffel Tower, built 1887–1889 for the 1889 Universal Exposition in Paris, France, the Garabit viaduct, the highest in the world at that time, found near Ruynes-en-Margeride, Cantal, France, and the...
. Margaret Bridge is the second permanent bridge in Budapest after Széchenyi Chain Bridge
Széchenyi Chain Bridge
The 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...
. This bridge leads up to Margaret Island
Margaret Island
Margaret Island is a long island, 500 metres wide, in the middle of the Danube in central Budapest, Hungary. It belongs administratively to the 13th district. The island is mostly covered by landscape parks, and is a popular recreational area. Its medieval ruins are reminders of its importance...
, its two parts enclosing 165 degrees
Degree (angle)
A degree , usually denoted by ° , is a measurement of plane angle, representing 1⁄360 of a full rotation; one degree is equivalent to π/180 radians...
with each other at the embranchment towards the island. The reason for this unusual geometry is the fact the small extension to connect to Margaret Island
Margaret Island
Margaret Island is a long island, 500 metres wide, in the middle of the Danube in central Budapest, Hungary. It belongs administratively to the 13th district. The island is mostly covered by landscape parks, and is a popular recreational area. Its medieval ruins are reminders of its importance...
was hastily inserted into the original design but not built until two decades later due to lack of funds.
The bridge's two ends are
- Jászai Mari tér (northern end of Grand BoulevardGrand Boulevard (Budapest)Nagykörút or Grand Boulevard is one of the most central and busiest parts of Budapest, a major thoroughfare built by 1896, Hungary's Millennium. It forms a semicircle connecting two bridges of the Danube, Margaret Bridge on the north and Petőfi Bridge on the south...
) and - Germanus Gyula park (stop of SzentendreSzentendreSzentendre is a riverside town in Pest county, Hungary, near the capital city Budapest. It is known for its museums , galleries, and artists. Due to its picturesque appearance and easy rail and river access, it has become a popular destination for tourists staying in Budapest...
HÉVHÉVBudapest HÉV is a system of four commuter rail and rapid transit lines in and around Budapest, Hungary. The HÉV lines were constructed as branch lines of the Hungarian State Railways...
; Lukács Baths and Király BathsKirály BathsKirály Bath or Király fürdő is a thermal bath that was first built in Hungary in the second half of the sixteenth century, during the time of Ottoman rule....
are nearby).
It is 637.5 m in length and 25 m in width.
WWII
All the bridges of Budapest were blown up by World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
sapper
Sapper
A sapper, pioneer or combat engineer is a combatant soldier who performs a wide variety of combat engineering duties, typically including, but not limited to, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, demolitions, field defences, general construction and building, as well as road and airfield...
troops in January 1945 during their retreat to the Buda side of the surrounded capital. However, Margaret Bridge had been damaged by this time, on 4 November 1944, when an accidental explosion destroyed the eastern span of the bridge. 600 civilians and 40 German soldiers died. During reconstruction, much of the original steel material was lifted from the river and incorporated into the rebuilt structure.
2009–2010
Margaret Bridge is presently the most heavily worn bridge over the Danube in Budapest. It is currently in a total overhaul, which began on 21 August 2009, when it was closed to road traffic for at least a year. Trams are maintaining a partial service over the bridge using temporary track during the works.The works are finished now, pedestrians and traffic use the bridge again and the tram is running as well.
Cultural references
Soon after the bridge was inaugurated, it became a preferred spot for people seeking to take their own lives over personal or financial troubles. The wave of suicideSuicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
s inspired János Arany
János Arany
János Arany , was a Hungarian journalist, writer, poet, and translator. He is often said to be the "Shakespeare of ballads" – he wrote more than 40 ballads which have been translated into over 50 languages, as well as the Toldi trilogy, to mention his most famous works.-Biography:He was born in...
, a renowned Hungarian poet to compose a ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
about the jumpers. It was widely distributed in leaflet format, illustrated with Mihály Zichy
Mihály Zichy
Mihály Zichy |Zala]], HungaryFebruary 28, 1906, St. Petersburg, Russia) was a Hungarian painter and graphic artist.Mihály Zichy was a significant representative of Hungarian romantic painting. During his law studies in Pest from 1842, he attended Jakab Marastoni's school as well. In Vienna he was...
's romantic styled intricate pencil drawings.