Elisabeth Bridge

Elisabeth Bridge is the third newest bridge of Budapest, Hungary, connecting Buda and Pestacross the River Danube. The bridge is situated at the narrowest part of the Danube in the Budapest area, its length is only 290 meters. It is named after Queen Elisabeth, a popular queen and empress of Austria-Hungary. Today, her large bronze statue sits by the bridge's Buda side connection in the middle of a small garden.

Elizabeth Bridge was named after Queen Elizabeth, the spouse of Francis Joseph I assassinated in Geneva in 1898.

The international design competition for its construction was launched 1894 together with that of the present Liberty Bridge (originally called the Franz Joseph Bridge).

In total, there were 74 design concepts coming in for the two bridges, 53 of which concerned the Elizabeth Bridge.

Curiosity:

-The construction of the bridge was started in 1897 to the plans of Aurél Czekelius and Antal Kherndl. At that time, it was considered a most up-to-date solution to place the pillars supporting the portal of the bridge onto the river bank instead of the river bed. Thus the middle span of the bridge amounted to 290 meters, making the old Elizabeth Bridge the public bridge with the largest span in the world for 23 years.