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

1852” carved in fine letters until high-pressure water abraded it in the most recent renovation of 1973. The shoemaker’s apprentice also existed; his name is said to have been Jakab Frick. He may have uttered the legendary exclamation during the ceremony but the consequences were certainly not as fatal as the story has it. For one thing, the lions in fact do have tongues. This can actually be checked if one climbs up high enough to see the contours of the tongue deeply withdrawn into the mouth behind the teeth. Nevertheless, Marschalkó was obliged to offer an explanation. He devoted several articles to the nature of the lions’ tongue, pointing out that lions differ from dogs in not hanging out their tongue. A contemporary chronicler recorded that once he bet 500 forints on the issue and won. Another story has it that once he replied to the usual condemnation that “may your wife have such a tongue as my lions!”

The Chain Bridge was already 50 years old when the issue of a major overhaul and the replacement of some of its parts was raised. At a meeting of the Hungarian Association of Engineers and Architects a proposal was made to rename the bridge Széchenyi Chain Bridge, to pay homage to the memory of the man who initiated the idea and worked tirelessThe illuminated Széchenyi Chain Bridge

23