Winged Female - Margaret Bridge - Budapest, Hungary
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member Iris & Harry
N 47° 30.883 E 019° 02.488
34T E 352540 N 5264223
Figureheads in the form of winged female figures at the Margaret Bridge
Waymark Code: WM114VJ
Location: Budapest, Hungary
Date Posted: 08/16/2019
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member blackjack65
Views: 3

Relief or Sculpture ? We think, if it's not possible to walk around it's a Relief,...

Source: (visit link) :

"Die Brückenpfeiler sind mit wuchtigen Überhängen verziert, erstellt durch den französischen Bildhauer Adolphe Martial Thabard, einen Schüler von Francisque Duret. Große Galionsfiguren in Form geflügelter Frauengestalten schmücken die Überhänge. Der mittlere Pfeiler trägt eine Gedenktafel. Über der Tafel findet sich ein Relief der ungarischen Krone, flankiert von zwei Obelisken."

EN (Translation):
"The bridge piers are decorated with massive overhangs created by the French sculptor Adolphe Martial Thabard, a student of Francisque Duret. Large figureheads in the form of winged female figures adorn the overhangs. The central pillar bears a commemorative plaque. Above the table is a relief of the Hungarian crown flanked by two obelisks".

Source: (visit link) :

"The most well-known bridge to hikers and cyclist would have to be Margit Bridge, which connects both Buda and Pest to Budapest’s most beautiful island, Margit Island. Biking and running lanes can be followed along Margit bridge all the way down to the island in both directions. The bridge which was originally inaugurated in 1876, only received its extended bridges to the island in 1900, was completely renovated in 2011. Margaret Island is the spot for a bit of recreation for anyone who would like to get away from the hustle and bustle of a big city. It is an outstanding place to have picnics, work out, have a nice walk or try the island’s own bike rentals."


Wikipedia contributors. (2019, June 21). Margaret Bridge. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 11:34, August 16, 2019, from (visit link)

Margaret Bridge or Margit híd (sometimes Margit Bridge) is a three-way bridge in Budapest, Hungary, connecting Buda and Pest across the Danube and linking Margaret Island to the banks. It is the second-northernmost and second-oldest public bridge in Budapest.

It was designed by French engineer Ernest Goüin and built by the construction company Maison Ernest Goüin et Cie. between 1872 and 1876, the engineer in charge being Émile Nouguier. Margaret Bridge was the second permanent bridge in Budapest after Széchenyi Chain Bridge. This bridge leads up to Margaret Island, its two parts enclosing 165 degrees with each other at the embranchment towards the island. The reason for this unusual geometry is that the small extension to connect to Margaret Island was hastily inserted into the original design but not built until two decades later due to lack of funds.

The bridge's two ends are :

Jászai Mari tér (northern end of Grand Boulevard) and
Germanus Gyula park (stop of Szentendre HÉV; the Lukács and Király Baths are nearby).

It is 637.5 metres (2,092 ft) in length and 25 metres (82 ft) in width.

Reconstruction
WWII

All the bridges of Budapest were blown up by World War II Wehrmacht sapper troops in January 1945 during their retreat to the Buda side of the surrounded capital. However, Margaret Bridge had been damaged earlier, on 4 November 1944, when an accidental explosion destroyed the eastern span of the bridge. 600 civilians (including Jewish Olympic champion fencer Endre Kabos, who was a forced labourer at the time) and 40 German soldiers died. During reconstruction, much of the original steel material was lifted from the river and incorporated into the rebuilt structure.

2009–2011
By the beginning of the 2000s, the bridge was in very bad shape. It became life-threatening therefore, its reconstruction became very important. The recondition (after the Megyeri Bridge and Szabadság Bridge completion) began 21 August 2009. It was closed to road traffic for at least a year, but trams maintained a partial service over the bridge using temporary track. The whole project took more than 20 billion forints and half of the costs were financed from EU funds. The restoration was completed in 2011. They tried to restore the original appearance of the bridge. Instead of reinforced concrete, durable steel was used and new barriers and floodlights were installed. The middle lanes were widened, the sidewalk expanded by approx. 2 meters and the bike path completed.

Cultural references
Soon after the bridge was inaugurated, it became a preferred spot for people seeking to take their own lives over personal or financial troubles. The wave of suicides inspired János Arany, a renowned Hungarian poet to compose a ballad, "Híd-avatás" ("Bridge Inauguration"), about the jumpers. It was widely distributed in leaflet format, illustrated with Mihály Zichy's romantic styled intricate pencil drawings.
Your impression of the sculpture?:

Website for sculpture?: [Web Link]

Where is this sculpture?:
Margaret Bridge
Budapest, Hungary
1051


Sculptors Name: Adolphe Martial

Date Sculpture was opened for vewing?: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
1. Provide a tasteful picture of the sculpture, with another point of view from the original(no pictures of GPSr or yourself).

2. Provide your thoughts on the sculpture and your impression of it.

Search for...
Geocaching.com Google Map
Google Maps
MapQuest
Bing Maps
Nearest Waymarks
Nearest Relief Art Sculptures
Nearest Geocaches
Create a scavenger hunt using this waymark as the center point
Recent Visits/Logs:
There are no logs for this waymark yet.