In connection with the renovation of Chain Bridge, divers are inspecting the riverbed of the Danube around the bridge for ammunition and wreckage. During the cleaning operation, the river will be surveyed with sonar and divers in the 50-meter vicinity of the crossing. Any ammunition found will be deactivated and pieces of metal removed.

According to the report of the archaeological portal regeszet.aquincum.hu on the website of the Budapest History Museum, the riverbed has already been explored with sonar in the vicinity of the bridge, which indicated several larger metal remains. These will also be examined, but the smaller finds that divers uncover while underwater may be much more interesting.

Finds from the Danube riverbed (Photo: regeszet.aquincum.hu/Kovács Olivér)

So far, two stone cannonballs have been found, one of which is so huge that they have not yet been able to bring it to the surface. The projectiles may be from the late Middle Ages, and since their condition is very good, they were probably never fired. They could have fallen into the water when being loaded on the Buda side.

Medieval cannonball (Photo: regeszet.aquincum.hu/Kovács Olivér)

According to the plans, after inspecting the Pest side, they work between the two pillars, then return to the Buda side.

Read the full article in Hungarian here.

Source: regeszet.aquincum.hu

Cover photo: In connection with the renovation of Chain Bridge, divers are examining the Danube riverbed (Photo: regeszet.aquincum.hu/Kovács Olivér)