Riveting Bridge

Liberty Bridge (below) was built for the Millenium World Exhibition in 1896. Damaged during the second world war it has since been repaired to its former glory. Construction was started in June 1894. It was inaugurated by Francis Joseph I, who hammered in the last silver rivet on the Pest side on 4 October 1896, at the festivities held for the thousand-year jubilee of Hungary.

I was unable to find the silver rivet (perhaps it was painted over during communist times). The mass of rivets holding the bridge together was a visual display of the strength of the structure. Rivets are everywhere on this bridge and thankfully there has been no attempt to disguise them.

I found it impossible not to touch and swirl my hands around the rivets. They are all the same size but each has its own identity owing to its proximity to other rivets and the coating of paint which has been spread lavishly over the years.

The side of the bridge acts as a graceful Art Nouveau window to the river Danube.

There are plenty of tags and graffiti but they will fade and disappear leaving the rivets amused but unmoved.