© Copyright 2005 Andrew Trask - The first connection between Pest and Buda was made by the Chain Bridge or Szechenyi Lanchid, named after count Szechenyi, who took the initiative to build the bridge. In 1836 he gave the project to the builders of the Thames Bridge in London, William Clark and Adam Clark. The 375 meters long and 16 meters wide bridge, a superb engineering feat, was opened on November 20, 1849. In 1857 Adam Clark dug a 350 meter long tunnel through the Castle Hill to connect the bridge with the Buda hinterland. The bridge ignited the economic revival that would lead to the golden century and it was one of the factors that made the provincial towns of Pest and Buda into a fast-growing metropolitan. In 1989 people demonstrated on the chain bridge for freedom and independence. Since then, the bridge has become a symbol of Hungarian liberty.