The golden gate bridge san francisco tourist information. The Golden Gate Bridge is California's most famous bridge .
This steel monster located in San Francisco Bay was built between 1933 and
1937. It crosses the bay of San Francisco, connecting the northern tip of the
city to Sausalito. It was, until 1964, the longest suspension bridge in the
world. It is almost two kilometers long by twenty-five meters wide and rises to
a height of 230 meters.
Its orange color, recognizable by hundreds of meters,
has been expressly chosen to withstand any weather condition and be visible
even in thick fog. It was built following a program initiated by President
Franklin D. Roosevelt to create jobs through public works financed by federal
funds. The chief engineer during construction is Joseph Strauss. After four
years of work, the bridge is open to pedestrians May 27, 1937, before being
open to vehicles the next day. It can indeed cross it on foot, which allows to
fully enjoy the view. Every week, 25 painters and 2 tons of paint are needed
for the uninterrupted maintenance of the gigantic metal structure.
The building
is supported by pylons high 227 m. The cables, 92 cm thick, are made of braided
steel wire. Put together, these threads could go around the planet 3 times! In
case of strong winds, the bridge can oscillate of 7 meters on each side, from
where the importance that it is well supported. The best way to discover the
bridge is of course to cross it on foot. It takes only half an hour and on the
other side of the bridge we come to Sausalito, a pretty little picturesque
village with narrow streets connected by wooden stairs, lined with houses on
stilts.
The car is also a possibility but there is the risk of getting into
traffic jams. To complete the visit, you can take a shuttle. This allows to see
the bridge from another angle and to miss the famous Alcatraz prison. To bring
back some memories of your visit to the Golden Gate Bridge, there is a shop
where you can buy, pictures, posters, books and other items, it is located in
the historic building on the southeast side of the bridge. You will also find
the Roundhouse, a restaurant that unfortunately only opens in summer.