Mária Valéria Bridge, Steel bridge between Esztergom, Hungary and Štúrovo, Slovakia
Mária Valéria Bridge is a 500-metre steel road bridge across the Danube at river kilometre 1718.8, linking Esztergom's Prímás Island with Štúrovo. Its two surviving arched truss spans rest on massive pale stone piers, while the three central spans were rebuilt in 2001; the difference between old and new members is visible at the main girders and their fixing points. The deck is flat, with overhead lamps on the right-hand structure and a small blue sign on the left arch.
The bridge was opened in 1895 according to designs by engineer János Feketeházy and initially connected the two riverbanks for the first time. It was destroyed in both world wars and remained inactive for decades until its reconstruction was completed in the early 2000s.
The bridge is named after Archduchess Marie Valerie of Austria and serves as a meeting point where Hungarian and Slovak residents cross paths daily. It symbolizes the link between two communities that were historically separated by the river.
Crossing requires no border checkpoints since both countries are part of the Schengen Area, allowing free movement between them. Pedestrians and cyclists can easily use the walkway to travel from one side to the other without delays.
The bridge's two surviving side spans date from the 1895 structure, while the three central spans were entirely remade in 2000–2001. The difference between old and new members is visible where the main girders meet their fixing points. The rebuilt deck was raised to a 9.5-metre clearance and given a more arched line, which ruled out any future rail use.
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