Golden Gate Bridge

The structure that millions of people around the world associate with the city of San Francisco is the Golden Gate Bridge. A groundbreaking span of simple elegance, it was once the longest suspension bridge in the world and - when finished - perfectly captured the Californian spirit of pioneering know-how.

The Golden Gate Bridge spans the mouth of San Francisco Bay, which was called The Golden Gate –hence the name of the bridge - where it meets the Pacific Ocean, connecting the city to Marin County.

It was built between 1933 and 1937, after years of discussion during which many engineers and architects argued that it would be impossible to bridge the strait. Indeed, the project presented many difficulties. The strait plunges to a depth of 152 meters (500 ft) in the middle of the channel, and also has strong tides. Strong winds are not uncommon and the area is often swathed in fog for which the city is famous for. It was also thought that the cost of building a bridge to span the 6700 feet would be ruinously expensive.

Nevertheless, in 1916, an article was published in the San Francisco Bulletin asking engineers to solve the problem. Joseph Strauss presented a design that could be completed for 17 million dollars, 83 million cheaper than earlier estimates. Strauss collaborated with other engineers for more than ten years before they were ready to finalize the plans and begin construction in 1933.

Strauss was named head of the project, the he had no experience of working with suspension bridges and consulted other well-respected engineers and architects like Charles Alton Ellis and Irving Marrow. In fact, though Strauss tried to secure his place in historical posterity by downplaying the input of others (even sacking Ellis in 1931, though he continued to work unpaid), Ellis was recognized as the bridge's main designer in 2007. However, Strauss worked hard on the project and contributed many useful ideas. He was responsible for implementing moveable safety netting as a safety feature, which saved the lives of 11 people during construction.

The finished bridge cost just over $35 million and was painted with a vibrant red-orange. It was officially opened on May 27, 1937, with celebrations lasting a week and some 200,000 people crossing it by foot and roller skate before it was opened to traffic. Although it is no longer the world's longest bridge, it is still the second longest suspension main span in the United States (after the Varrazano-Narrows Bridge in New York City) and is a popular tourist attraction.