Chain Bridge (Budapest)

Chain Bridge
Coordinates	47°29′56″N 19°02′37″E / 47.49889°N 19.04361°E / 47.49889; 19.04361Coordinates: 47°29′56″N 19°02′37″E / 47.49889°N 19.04361°E / 47.49889; 19.04361
Carries	two road lanes
Crosses	Danube River
Locale	Budapest
Official name	Széchenyi Lánchíd
Other name(s)	Lánchíd
Characteristics
Design	chain Suspension bridge
Material	wrought iron and stone
Total length	375 metres (1,230 ft)
Width	14.8 metres (49 ft)
Longest span	202 metres (663 ft)
History
Designer	William Tierney Clark
Construction begin	1840
Construction end	1849
Opened	November 20, 1849 (1849-11-20)
Chain Bridge Location in Budapest

The Széchenyi Chain Bridge (Hungarian: Széchenyi lánchíd, Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈseːt͡ʃeːɲi ˈlaːnt͡shiːd]) is a suspension bridge that spans the River Danube between Buda and Pest, the western and eastern sides of Budapest, the capital of Hungary. Designed by the English Engineer William Tierney Clark, it was the first permanent bridge across the Danube in Hungary, and was opened in 1849.

It is anchored on the Pest side of the river to Széchenyi (formerly Roosevelt) Square, adjacent to the Gresham Palace and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and on the Buda side to Adam Clark Square, near the Zero Kilometre Stone and the lower end of the Castle Hill Funicular, leading to Buda Castle.

The bridge has the name of István Széchenyi, a major supporter of its construction, attached to it, but is most commonly known as the Chain Bridge. At the time of its construction, it was regarded as one of the modern world's engineering wonders. It has asserted an enormous significance in the country's economic, social and cultural life, much as the Brooklyn Bridge has in New York and United States of America. Its decorations made of cast iron, and its construction, radiating calm dignity and balance, have elevated the Chain Bridge to a high stature in Europe. It became a symbol of advancement, national awakening, and the linkage between East and West.