The Bridge that United Two Cities
By Henry Petroski
A historic span across the Danube River has become an emblem of Hungary’s modern political evolution, and of the international nature of engineering.
This Article From Issue
January-February 2016
Volume 104, Number 1
Page 20
DOI: 10.1511/2016.118.20
Among the remarkable structures in Budapest, a city divided into two distinct parts by the Danube River, is a stately suspension bridge that has linked these halves since the middle of the 19th century. Then it was the only fixed crossing of the river at that location. Today it is but one among seven bridges in the Hungarian capital that carry pedestrians, automobiles, buses, trucks, and trams across the legendary waterway; nevertheless, the chain bridge remains central to the culture and architecture of the city. The story of this signature bridge, like the story of virtually every bridge, is both typical of bridges everywhere and unique to its location. It is a story of people and dreams, of engineers and reality.
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