The highlight of San Francisco is the Golden Gate Bridge

The second most recognizable architectural structure of the United States after the legendary Statue of Liberty is the Golden Gate Bridge. It serves as a junction of the city of San Francisco and the Marin peninsula over the Golden Gate strait of the same name. You can safely call it the gates of the city.

The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is considered the main symbol and business card. From the city itself, the bridge is almost invisible. And to enjoy a stunningly beautiful picture, one must go to him early in the morning.

The idea of building a suspension bridge was proposed by engineer Joseph Strauss. His project became interested, although few believed that it was possible to build such a bridge at all. Joseph, along with his companion Irving Morrow, with drawings and mathematical calculations in hand, turned to various organizations, trying to prove the possibility of building such a structure. Only in 1933 the new president of America F. Roosevelt showed interest in the project, and the construction of the bridge across the wide strait began.

The construction was very difficult. Winds, waves, frequent fogs prevented the erection of supports, pulling wire ropes, installing bridge spans. It did not do without accidents.

For 4 years the construction was completely finished, and the bridge was ready for use. All of its metal structures are covered with a special orange-red paint with anti-corrosion effect, which makes it really looks like gold. Until now, the bridge has been monitored relentlessly, its parts damaged by corrosion have been repaired, the supports and other parts exposed to moist sea air are constantly tinted.

In 1937 on May 27, the Golden Gate Bridge became available for movement. On the day of the grand opening of the first on it in the limousine drove E. Roosevelt, as well as passed more than 200 thousand pedestrians. Only the next day there was a traffic for cars.

The Golden Gate is a bridge, the length of which is 1970 m, the width is 1280 m. The height of its metal supports is 230 m, which creates an unobstructed passage for ships constantly coming to the city of fogs. It has 6 lanes for traffic, there are bicycle paths and walkways for pedestrians. Amazing views of the city and the bay open from observation platforms, and if you look down from the thick of fog and clouds, then there is an extraordinary feeling of flying or hovering.

The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most important transport routes of San Francisco. For today it is capable to pass more than 100 thousand cars daily, but their speed should not exceed 72 km / h. Emergency ambulances and pedestrians can cross the bridge for free, but motorists will have to pay for the fare.

Interesting is the sad fact that a little time after the completion of the bridge, the first attempt at suicide took place on it. Since that moment, the number of people trying to end their lives with the help of this grandiose and world-famous building is rapidly increasing.

The Golden Gate Bridge in the city of San Francisco is a recognized engineering genius, it is not by chance that it is considered a miracle of light created by human hands.