BP_booklet_text_EN

ELIZABETH BRIDGE
The first steps on today’s Erzsébet híd (Elizabeth
Bridge) began echoing more than a
hundred years ago. At that time this crossing
point above the Danube was referred to as the
bridge of the Eskü tér (Promise Square) and its
pavement was fashioned from wooden cubes.
Building began in 1897 when there were only
two other bridges: the Lánchíd (Chain Bridge)
and the Margit híd (Margaret Bridge). Although
a price of two krajcár (the currency of
the time, the equivalent of a penny) had to be paid
in the little buildings at either end of the bridge, the
citizens were glad to use the new bridge. The original
bridge was bombed by the German troops in
1945. Then, only years later (November 21, 1964)
was the new construction handed over. Following
the death of Queen Elisabeth, a decision was made
to raise a worthy monument honouring the queen,
using monies raised in a voluntary nationwide collection,
in the city she loved so much: Budapest. The
statue portraying Queen Elisabeth located at the
Buda bridgehead of Elisabeth Bridge is to the praise
of the creativity of György Zala.
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