Following tradition, the Mária Valéria Bridge Run and Walk was organized for the twentieth time on Saturday at noon as part of the Párkány Bridge Festival. The Bridge Festival was organized for the first time in 2002 with the intention of creating a tradition. The purpose of the event is to commemorate the 2001 handover of the renovated Mária Valéria Bridge spanning the Danube, connecting two cities and two countries at the same time. The completed bridge was handed over on October 11, 2001 by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Slovak Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda, as well as Günter Verheugen, then EU Enlargement Commissioner.
The mass sports event on September 24 had thousands of participants. For the first time, it was possible to enter the slightly revised sports event in the walking category.
The applicants had to complete a distance of four kilometers, starting from the base of the Esztergom basilica, passing through the cobbled, zigzag streets of the historic downtown of Esztergom, crossing the Mária Valéria bridge, touching the downtown of Párkány, and the final stop was in the Vadas bath.
Source: velvidek.ma/Péter Pásztor
In the walking category, in addition to families with small children, young people and older people, lovers of Scandinavian walking also competed.
Many people made the journey with strollers, toy vehicles that children can drive with their feet, or with their pets.
Families, grandparents with grandchildren, groups of friends, work colleagues, schoolmates all celebrated the bridge connecting the two cities together.
The runners also followed the route of the pedestrians with a difference of half an hour. Thousands of people applied for both categories. In addition to the two cities and the surrounding area, runners also came to Esztergom from more distant settlements.
The ceremonial announcement of the results took place in the Vadas spa in Párány. Prizes were awarded to the first three competitors with the best results in age categories. The main organizer of the Mária Valéria Bridge Running and Walking was the Esztergom Futóművek Amateur Sports Association.
In Párkány, in addition to the mass sports event, the Bridge Festival awaited those interested with various colorful programs on the pedestrian street. In addition to the craft fair, a folklore festival and concerts took place during the day.
The Mária Valéria bridge was handed over to its purpose on September 28, 1895. The river crossing with five openings successfully survived the First World War. Towards the end of the Second World War, on Christmas 1944, the retreating German army destroyed the middle three bridge elements.
The rebuilt bridge was handed over on October 11, 2001.
Source: Felvidek.ma
Featured image: MTI
