The Stone Lions of the Chain Bridge are Back – PHOTOS!

The statues of the lions that adorn the Buda side of the Chain Bridge have been put back in place on Tuesday. The bridge is expected to be open to motorists again in mid-December.

The first phase of the work, which lasted several hours, was attended by Mayor Gergely Karácsony, Deputy Mayor Kata Tüttő and Katalin Walter, CEO of the Budapest Transport Centre.

Anett Puskár, communications manager of A-Híd Zrt., the company that is responsible for the bridge’s renovation, said that by mid-summer – less than a year after construction work began – the bridge’s entire track structure had been renewed, and the sealing and the asphalt layer protecting it were in place.
She added that the fact that the stone columns are in place shows that there will no longer be any major works that could endanger the restored sculptures.

The Communications Director said that they would be able to allow vehicular traffic back onto the bridge by the agreed deadline of mid-December. The renovation will not be finished in December, but will be completed by the end of next summer or autumn, he said, referring to Budapest’s birthday, 17 November, as the target date.

Anett Puskár explained that the lions were carved out of three limestone blocks, which were first sawed apart for the renovation and lifted off the bridgehead, and now they are back in place in the same way, in three pieces.
On the restoration of the stone statues, which took a year, she said they had undergone “a complete cosmetic treatment”, with restorers removing dirt, rebuilding missing parts, “dental hygiene treatment” to show they had tongues and rebuilding worn teeth.

The communications director said that the restorers are continuing to work on the stone lions on site, gluing the three parts back together, then “building up” the lions’ skin, and finally patinating them, which means deepening their colour until they cover the traces of the fresh fitting, and finally giving them a protective coating.

The renovation of the Chain Bridge started in spring 2021. The gross cost of the renovation is HUF 26.75 billion (EUR 65 million). The project will be subsidized by the government to the tune of HUF 6 billion if it is completed on time.

In response to a question, Mayor Gergely Karácsony said that the capital will meet all the conditions required for government support.
Asked whether the contractor had indicated that there would be additional costs due to increased energy and raw material prices, the mayor said he was not aware of any such increase.

The press was present at the re-installation of the north lion on the bridgehead, with the south statue to be put in place later in the day.

Featured Photo: Facebook BKK