The Bridge of National Unity ({{langx, hu, Nemzeti Összetartozás Hídja) is a pedestrian suspension bridge located in

Sátoraljaújhely Sátoraljaújhely (German language, German: ''Neustadt am Zeltberg''; Slovak language, Slovak: ''Nové Mesto pod Šiatrom;'' Yiddish: ''איהעל'') is a border town located in Borsod–Abaúj–Zemplén County, Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County, Hu ...

, in northeastern

Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...

, near the border with

Slovakia Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...

. Officially inaugurated on June 4, 2024, the bridge spans the Májuskút Valley and connects two hills in the

Zemplén Mountains Zemplén Mountains () or Tokaj Mountains (; or Tokaji-hegység) is a mountain range in Hungary. The Zemplén Mountains form part of the Tokaj-Eperjes mountain chain in Hungary, known for their ecological richness and historical significance. Ge ...

. It is noted for its record-breaking main span and symbolic national significance.

Design

The Bridge of National Unity is a

cable-stayed suspension bridge A cable-stayed suspension bridge or CSS bridge merges the designs of cable-stayed bridges and suspension bridges. The suspension bridge's architecture is better at handling the load in the middle of the bridge, while the cable stayed bridge is b ...

measuring 723 metres in length and suspended 84 metres above the valley floor. It is supported by six cable ropes and has a glass-floored section at its center, offering panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.Hungary Unveils 700-Metre Pedestrian Bridge of National Unity
''Balkan Insight'', 5 June 2024. It is shorter than the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

's Sky Bridge 721 (721 metres), Hungarian authorities emphasize that their bridge holds the world record for the longest span between two support pillars in a pedestrian suspension bridge.Longest span traditional pedestrian suspension bridge
''Guinness World Records''.

Recognition

In January 2025, the bridge received official recognition from

Guinness World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, list ...

as the world's longest span traditional pedestrian suspension bridge. The structure was recognized for its "important and special architectural solution." It surpassed the previous record by two meters.Hungary Wins New Guinness Record for World's Longest Span Pedestrian Suspension Bridge
''XpatLoop'', 30 January 2025.

Financing

The project was completed at a cost of approximately four billion Hungarian forints (around 10 million euros), financed by Hungary's national budget. The Hungarian government stated that no

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...

funds were used.

Access

The bridge is a key attraction in the Zemplén region and can accommodate up to 300 visitors at a time. By the end of 2024, it had attracted more than 300,000 visitors, according to Sátoraljaújhely mayor Péter Szamosvölgyi. Visitors are charged an entrance fee of 5,000 HUF (approximately 12 euros) per person.

Significance

The bridge was inaugurated on Hungary's June 4 Day of National Unity, to commemorate the anniversary of the

Treaty of Trianon The Treaty of Trianon (; ; ; ), often referred to in Hungary as the Peace Dictate of Trianon or Dictate of Trianon, was prepared at the Paris Peace Conference (1919–1920), Paris Peace Conference. It was signed on the one side by Hungary ...

. Signed in 1920 after

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, the treaty resulted in Hungary losing two-thirds of its territory and about half of its population to neighboring countries.

References

External links

Guinness World Records listing

Balkan Insight article
Bridges in Hungary Architecture in Hungary