Chain Bridge

In front of you is Budapest's best-loved bridge. Before it, Buda and Pest were linked only by a pontoon bridge that was taken down in winter; when the river froze or carried ice, the two towns were cut off from each other.

1Széchenyi's stubbornness

The story goes that in December 1820 Count István Széchenyi had to wait several days on the riverbank, unable to cross to attend his father's funeral. What is certain is that he spent years campaigning for a permanent bridge. It was designed by the English engineer William Tierney Clark, and the work was directed by the Scotsman Adam Clark, who gave his name to this square. The bridge opened on 20 November 1849, after a war that almost destroyed it before it was finished: that May, an attempt to blow it up failed.

It was Budapest's first permanent bridge, and for decades everyone had to pay a toll to cross it, nobles included. On 18 January 1945 retreating German troops blew it up. It was rebuilt and reopened on 20 November 1949, exactly a century after its inauguration.

2The lions without tongues

The four stone lions were carved by János Marschalkó and put in place in 1852. Legend says they have no tongues and that the sculptor, stung by the mockery, threw himself into the Danube. In fact they do have tongues, just not visible from below, and Marschalkó lived until 1877.

The legend is false, but try peering into their mouths: almost everyone does.

3What to look for

• Kilometre Zero, the 0-shaped sculpture on the roundabout: Hungary's road distances are measured from here.
• The lions, on either side of the entrance.
• The tunnel under the hill, also Adam Clark's work.