Location of the Golden Gate Bridge

The Golden Gate has long been considered a symbol of the United States. They are depicted on postcards, tourist brochures and brochures, as well as on the emblems of Cisco Systems and the Golden State Warriors basketball team.

The bridge serves as a convenient transport crossing over the strait of the same name and connects Martin County with the San Francisco Peninsula. You can find it on the west side of the city, on the Pacific coast, between Presidio Park and Golden Gate National Wildlife Refuge.

Who built the Golden Gate?

Before the advent of the bridge, a ferry was used to cross the strait. For the first time it began to function in the first half of the XVIII century. It took about 20 minutes to get from one shore to the other.

The idea of building a bridge appeared in the XIX century. But for a long time it was thought that it was practically impossible, because there were many obstacles for the erection of a bridge structure - strong winds, swirling tides and a large width of the strait of 6,700 meters.

But in 1933 the authorities of San Francisco gave the go-ahead to erect the Golden Gate. They were built for 4 years under the direction of engineer Joseph Strauss.

In fact, the designers of the bridge were designers Charles Ellis and Lev Moiseyev. But their names were never written in the history of this construction.

The bridge was opened in 1937. Before the inhabitants of San Francisco appeared a truly impressive suspension structure with a length of 2737 meters and a weight of over 894 thousand tones. At high tide, the height to the bridge from the water's edge is 67 meters.

How to get to the Golden Gate?

To admire the Golden Gate, the easiest way is to take a bus to the bridge from the main city square, Union Square. This is also where the overhead tram route begins, which takes passengers every 10 minutes to Fisherman's Wharf pier on the strait.

Another option for travelling is to take the metro from Metro Powel Station, where trains run directly to the foot of the bridge every 15 minutes. It's worth noting that there is a fee to visit the Golden Gate by private car. To drive around the structure, you will need to pay $6. For pedestrians, however, access is completely free.

What to see at the Golden Gate?

Many tourists specifically come to the Golden Gate to admire its majestic beauty. The visual appearance of the structure is really noteworthy. Up until 1964, it held the title of the largest suspension bridge in the world.

The structure, built in an interesting Art Deco style, makes a lasting impression with its monumental steel cables. They are about 2 kilometers long and the giant supports reach a height of 227 meters.

The bridge offers superb views of San Francisco and the nearby beaches.