Petőfi Bridge facts for kids
The Petőfi Bridge (pronounced PET-uh-fee Heed) is a famous bridge in Budapest, the capital city of Hungary. It connects the two main parts of the city, Pest and Buda, across the wide Danube River.
This bridge is the second one furthest south in Budapest that people can use. It was named after a famous Hungarian poet, Sándor Petőfi. Before that, its old name was Horthy Miklós Bridge, named after a former Hungarian leader, Miklós Horthy.
Where is the Petőfi Bridge?
The Petőfi Bridge connects two important areas in Budapest:
- On the Pest side, it reaches Boráros tér. This is the southern end of a big road called the Grand Boulevard. It's also where the Csepel HÉV (a local train line) starts or ends.
- On the Buda side, it connects to Goldmann György tér. This area is right next to the buildings of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics.
Building the Bridge
People in Budapest first thought about building this bridge a long time ago, in the early 1900s. But at that time, the government decided another bridge was more important.
The idea was put on hold when World War I started. However, the people of Budapest still really wanted this bridge.
Construction finally began in 1933 and finished in 1937. It was designed by an engineer named Hubert Pál Álgyay. The bridge is about 514 meters (1,686 feet) long, including the parts leading up to it. It is also 25.6 meters (84 feet) wide.
A New Name
Sadly, the Petőfi Bridge was badly damaged during World War II. It was destroyed by German soldiers as they left the city.
After the war, the bridge was rebuilt. It opened again in November 1952. That's when it also received its new name, the Petőfi Bridge, which it still has today.
See also
- Bridges of Budapest
- List of crossings of the Danube River
