The Real Story Of Chain Bridge

Before we get into it, let's take a look at some information on the Chain Bridge itself. István Széchenyi was the one who came up with the concept of the Chain Bridge, and it was also because of him that the bridge was ultimately built. In addition to being the one who sponsored the building of the bridge and persuaded the general public that such a bridge was necessary, he was also the one who was responsible for collecting the architects for the project. 1839 marked the beginning of construction, and November 1849 marked the completion of the bridge. This was only a few months after the execution of the thirteen victims of Arad. Due to the fact that Haynau was the one who initiated it, the mood during the ceremony was not very pleasant. The only people that showed up were the troops, and a few people who were walking by took part in it.

Almost immediately, the story spread across the city, and after some time had passed, the whole city began to talk about the fact that the sculptor had neglected to carve the mouths for the lions. The answer of the sculptor was that, in fact, he was the one who produced the tongues; however, they were purposefully made invisible, and as a result, if a person walking by takes a look at the lions, she will not be able to see the tongues that are in their mouths. To demonstrate that he was telling the truth, Marschalkó and his companions went to see a genuine lion. At that time, the only people who could provide the chance to be amazed by these creatures were the "traveling zoos" that made their way to other places. These zoos were the forerunners of the kind of zoos that exist today; yet, they also included limited shows. After the sculptor and his pals seen a genuine lion, the tale goes on that they felt sure that the sculpting master was correct in his assessment of the situation.

In spite of this, the rumor continued to circulate. Marschalkó, who had also worked on the Cathedral of Kassa, the church of Fót, and the sculptures of the MTA, the Vigadó, and the Rudas Thermal Bath, was very irritated by this news and by the fact that his name was only recognized for this mythology, despite the fact that he had created a great deal of work. In his response, he offered a humorous response by stating, "Would that your wife had such a tongue as my lions!" So, what exactly took place with Marschalkó? Contrary to popular belief, he did not take his own life but rather passed away when he was 59 years old.

References

https://dailynewshungary.com/the-top-10-scariest-hungarian-urban-legends-video/

https://dailynewshungary.com/what-is-the-legend-about-the-stone-lions-of-the-szechenyi-chain-bridge/