Golden Gate Bridge, a painted span between bay and ocean

Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco stretches across the Golden Gate strait with its International Orange towers, linking city streets to the hills of Marin.

Golden Gate Bridge carries road traffic across the Golden Gate strait between San Francisco and Marin County, its International Orange steel span framing the entrance to San Francisco Bay. Completed in 1937 after more than four years of construction, the suspension bridge combines engineering scale with a carefully chosen colour that stands out against water, sky and fog.

A suspension bridge over the Golden Gate strait

Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge crossing the Golden Gate, the narrow strait that connects San Francisco Bay with the Pacific Ocean.suspension bridge crossing It links the northern tip of the San Francisco peninsula with Marin County on the opposite shore, carrying a multi-lane road deck between two steel towers.

The bridge’s total length including approaches is around 2,737 m (8,981 ft), with the main suspension span between the towers reaching 1,280 m (4,200 ft).total length including approaches The two towers rise about 227 m (746 ft) above the water, supporting cables that sweep in long curves from anchorages on both shores down towards the roadway.towers rise about 227 m

Building an International Orange landmark in the 1930s

Planning for Golden Gate Bridge moved ahead in the early twentieth century, when the growth of San Francisco increased interest in a fixed crossing over the strait. A special public entity, the Golden Gate Bridge and Highway District, was formed to finance, build and operate the bridge, issuing bonds that funded the construction programme in the 1930s.Golden Gate Bridge and Highway District

Construction began on 5 January 1933 and the bridge opened to traffic in late May 1937, with a total construction cost in the region of 35 million dollars at the time.construction began on 5 January 1933 The towers, roadway and cables were assembled from structural steel, and the completed bridge was painted in International Orange, a colour selected to work with the coastal landscape and provide visibility in fog.painted in International Orange

Scale, structure and vantage points

The suspended structure carries a road deck and flanking pedestrian walkways, with a width of about 27 m (90 ft) between the outer railings.width of about 27 m Clearances were set so that ships can pass beneath the main span, with the roadway standing roughly 67 m (220 ft) above typical high tide level.roadway standing roughly 67 m

On the San Francisco side, views towards the bridge take in the strait and the Marin Headlands beyond, while the Marin shore offers broader panoramas back towards the city skyline. The long curves of the main cables, the vertical suspender ropes and the latticework of the towers form a regular pattern against the bay and ocean, and in clear conditions the International Orange steel contrasts sharply with blue water and pale concrete approach structures.

Visiting Golden Gate Bridge: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Golden Gate Bridge crosses the Golden Gate strait between the northern tip of San Francisco and Marin County, reached by road from the city’s street grid or the highway network to the north.
• The approaches and sidewalks involve gradients and several flights of stairs in places, and the exposed position above the strait brings wind, sea air and changing visibility conditions.
• The strait lies between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, so views from the bridge and nearby vantage points take in open water, headlands and the urban landscape of San Francisco.
• The official language is English and the currency is the United States dollar.

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Frequently asked questions about Golden Gate Bridge

Where is Golden Gate Bridge?

Golden Gate Bridge spans the Golden Gate strait between San Francisco on the south side and Marin County on the north, in the state of California.

What can visitors expect on a visit?

Visitors encounter a long steel suspension bridge with International Orange towers, open views over bay and ocean, road traffic and pedestrian walkways above the water.

What makes Golden Gate Bridge distinctive?

The bridge combines a 1930s suspension structure of considerable length with a bold International Orange colour and a site at the narrow entrance to San Francisco Bay.