Árpád Bridge
Encyclopedia
Árpád Bridge or Árpád híd is a bridge in Budapest
, Hungary
, connecting northern Buda
(Óbuda
) and Pest across the Danube
.
It is the longest bridge in Hungary, spanning about 2 km (1.24 mi) with the sections leading up to the bridge, and 928 m (0.58 mi) without them. It is 35.3 m (116 ft) wide with pedestrian and bicycle paths.
At its Óbuda end is Flórián tér, Szentlélek tér (near the Main Square of Óbuda
, the Vasarely
and Kassák
Museums).
Margaret Island
is connected to Árpád
Bridge through an embranchment approximately in the middle of the bridge, and crosses the Southern tip of Óbuda Island
as well, although there is no road, pedestrian or any other connection whatsoever between the two. (See Sziget Festival
)
At the Pest end, the adjoining Line 3 (North-South)
metro station
is also called "Árpád híd
".
, the second Grand Prince of the Magyars
.
Due to World War II
, the bridge was finished only after the war in 1950. Because of the communist regime then ruling Hungary, the bridge was opened as Stalin
Bridge (Hungarian: Sztálin híd). The final construction works were directed by Károly Széchy and Pál Sávoly.
Although the pillars were built in their current dimensions, the original bridge contained only a 2x1 lane road, railroad tracks (for trams, but until the reconstruction of the Northern Rail Bridge the tracks were also used by cargo trains as well) with pedestrian paths. This bridge was 13 m (42.65 ft) wide, 11 meters (36 ft) of this was the road and the tracks, and an additional 1 m (3.28 ft) wide pedestrian path were on each sides. Today the tram tracks are where the original bridge was situated.
The name was changed back to Árpád Bridge in 1958.
This was planned and executed in connection with the expansion of the adjacent Róbert Károly körút (further sections also called Hungária körút and Könyves Kálmán körút as well) to 2x3 lanes and double tramway tracks . The project was called Hungária körgyűrű (English: Hungária Beltway), although the last third of the belt (Könyves Kálmán körút) was finished only around the millennium, years after the completion of Lágymányosi Bridge
at the other end of the planned beltway.
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 northern 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...
(Óbuda
Óbuda
Óbuda was a historical city in Hungary. United with Buda and Pest in 1873 it now forms part of District III-Óbuda-Békásmegyer of Budapest. The name means Old Buda in Hungarian...
) 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 longest bridge in Hungary, spanning about 2 km (1.24 mi) with the sections leading up to the bridge, and 928 m (0.58 mi) without them. It is 35.3 m (116 ft) wide with pedestrian and bicycle paths.
At its Óbuda end is Flórián tér, Szentlélek tér (near the Main Square of Óbuda
Óbuda
Óbuda was a historical city in Hungary. United with Buda and Pest in 1873 it now forms part of District III-Óbuda-Békásmegyer of Budapest. The name means Old Buda in Hungarian...
, the Vasarely
Victor Vasarely
Victor Vasarely was a Hungarian French artist whose work is generally seen aligned with Op-art.His work entitled Zebra, created by Vasarely in the 1930s, is considered by some to be one of the earliest examples of Op-art...
and Kassák
Lajos Kassák
Lajos Kassák was a Hungarian poet, novelist, painter, essayist, editor, theoretician of the avant-garde and occasional translator, was the father of many modernisms....
Museums).
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...
is connected to Árpád
Árpád
Árpád was the second Grand Prince of the Hungarians . Under his rule the Hungarian people settled in the Carpathian basin. The dynasty descending from him ruled the Hungarian tribes and later the Kingdom of Hungary until 1301...
Bridge through an embranchment approximately in the middle of the bridge, and crosses the Southern tip of Óbuda Island
Óbuda Island
Obuda Island is one of the Danube's islands in Budapest III. district in the administrative area. The Sziget Festival is held here every year.- Name:...
as well, although there is no road, pedestrian or any other connection whatsoever between the two. (See Sziget Festival
Sziget
The Sziget Festival in Budapest, Hungary is one of the largest music and cultural festivals in Europe. It is held every August on the Northern Budapest Óbudai-sziget , a leafy island of 108 hectares on the Danube. Sziget stands for Island...
)
At the Pest end, the adjoining Line 3 (North-South)
Budapest Metro
The Budapest Metro is the rapid transit system in the Hungarian capital Budapest. It is the second-oldest underground metro system in the world after the London Underground. Its iconic Line 1, dating from 1896, was declared a World Heritage Site in 2002.-Lines:The Metro consists of three lines,...
metro station
Metro station
A metro station or subway station is a railway station for a rapid transit system, often known by names such as "metro", "underground" and "subway". It is often underground or elevated. At crossings of metro lines, they are multi-level....
is also called "Árpád híd
Árpád híd (Budapest Metro)
Árpád híd is a station on the M3 line of the Budapest Metro. It is located in District XIII under Váci út at its intersection with Róbert Károly körút .The station is a busy transportation hub...
".
The original bridge
Construction began in 1939 by the plans of János Kossalka. It was planned to be named "Árpád Bridge" after Grand Prince ÁrpádÁrpád
Árpád was the second Grand Prince of the Hungarians . Under his rule the Hungarian people settled in the Carpathian basin. The dynasty descending from him ruled the Hungarian tribes and later the Kingdom of Hungary until 1301...
, the second Grand Prince of the Magyars
Grand Prince of the Magyars
Grand Prince was the title used by contemporary sources to name the leader of the federation of the Hungarian tribes in the tenth century.-The title:...
.
Due to World War II
World 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...
, the bridge was finished only after the war in 1950. Because of the communist regime then ruling Hungary, the bridge was opened as Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
Bridge (Hungarian: Sztálin híd). The final construction works were directed by Károly Széchy and Pál Sávoly.
Although the pillars were built in their current dimensions, the original bridge contained only a 2x1 lane road, railroad tracks (for trams, but until the reconstruction of the Northern Rail Bridge the tracks were also used by cargo trains as well) with pedestrian paths. This bridge was 13 m (42.65 ft) wide, 11 meters (36 ft) of this was the road and the tracks, and an additional 1 m (3.28 ft) wide pedestrian path were on each sides. Today the tram tracks are where the original bridge was situated.
The name was changed back to Árpád Bridge in 1958.
Expansion
Between 1980 and 1984, by extensive reconstruction and expansion works, two more lanes were added for cars, the pedestrian pathways were widened, the tram track was modernized and overpasses were built for the intersections at both Eastern (Pest) and Western (Buda/Óbuda) ends of Árpád Bridge.This was planned and executed in connection with the expansion of the adjacent Róbert Károly körút (further sections also called Hungária körút and Könyves Kálmán körút as well) to 2x3 lanes and double tramway tracks . The project was called Hungária körgyűrű (English: Hungária Beltway), although the last third of the belt (Könyves Kálmán körút) was finished only around the millennium, years after the completion of Lágymányosi Bridge
Lágymányosi Bridge
Rákóczi Bridge is a bridge in Budapest, Hungary, connecting the settlements of Buda and Pest across the Danube. The construction of the steel girder bridge was started in 1992 to the plans of Tibor Sigrai.It is named after the south Buda district of Lágymányos...
at the other end of the planned beltway.