Buza Péter: Bridges of the Danube - Our Budapest (Budapest, 1999)

The chain holding the carriageway is robust when viewed FROM THE BRIDGE BUT ELEGANT FROM A DISTANCE

“commander-in-chief” of a humiliated Hungary and Geringer, the Imperial Commissioner also walked over the bridge. The two Austrian warlords were followed by everyone present-the general populace as well as the municipal and national notabilities loyal to the court-with all and sundry allowed to cross the bridge free of charge until midnight.

The one person who did the most for the bridge never had a chance to cross it. Count István Széchenyi, having lost his mental balance, was under house arrest. Episodes like this may explain to luckier nations what it means for the Hungarians to cope with their thousand-year history in Europe.

The bridge was beautiful! It was one of the most modern and famous of its time. Construction costs had run into 6,220,000 gold pieces. The bulk of the iron used was smelt in England. The Hungarian Demo foundry, where some of the crossbeams were made, was also among the suppliers. According to a table of tariffs conceived on the principle of civil equity, everybody was required to pay a toll for crossing. Only military men were exempt. One restriction applied to them, too, however: a maximum of 10 soldiers were permitted to march over

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