Golden Gate Bridge: The Icon of San Francisco

Location: The Golden Gate Bridge spans the Golden Gate Strait, the narrow channel that connects San Francisco Bay with the Pacific Ocean. It links San Francisco with Marin County and is one of the most striking landmarks on the California coast. From the bridge and the surrounding viewpoints, visitors can enjoy sweeping views across the bay, the coastline, and the Pacific.

Significance: Few structures are as closely associated with San Francisco as this world-famous suspension bridge. When it opened in 1937, its 1,280-metre main span set a new world record that stood for more than 27 years. It was finally surpassed in 1964 by the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge in New York. Today, the Golden Gate Bridge remains one of the city’s most famous landmarks while also serving as a vital transport link to Marin County.

Previous Connection: Before the bridge was built, ferries provided the main direct connection between San Francisco and Marin County. Ships had been running between San Francisco and Sausalito since 1868, with car ferries introduced later. As the population grew and road traffic increased, demand for a permanent crossing of the strait became stronger and stronger.

Construction History: Construction began on January 5, 1933, in the middle of the Great Depression. The project was financed through bonds worth US$35 million, although sales were slow at first. The breakthrough came with the support of banker Amadeo Giannini, founder of Bank of America. After just over four years of construction, the bridge opened in May 1937, ahead of schedule and below its original budget. A toll has been charged since the bridge first opened. Since 1968, it has only been collected from traffic heading towards San Francisco. Today, the toll is fully electronic and helps fund the bridge’s operation and maintenance.

Foundation Work: Building the foundation for the southern tower was one of the most demanding parts of the project. The tower stands around 335 metres offshore, where divers worked at depths of up to 33 metres in cold water, strong currents, and extremely poor visibility. Underwater, they blasted away and removed rock and debris until they reached stable ground. Only then could the massive foundation be safely constructed.

Innovative Safety Measures: Safety standards during construction were unusually advanced for the time. Workers used hard hats and other protective equipment, while a large safety net was installed beneath the roadway. The net saved the lives of 19 workers who fell during construction, and they later became known as the “Halfway-to-Hell Club”. Even so, 11 people lost their lives during the project. Ten of them died on February 17, 1937, when a scaffold collapsed and the safety net gave way under the weight.

Earthquake During Construction: In June 1935, an earthquake struck the region while the southern bridge tower was still under construction. One worker later recalled that the top of the tower swayed back and forth by around five metres. Despite the dramatic movement, the structure remained stable, and the workers on the tower came through the event unharmed.

Protection Against Natural Disasters: The bridge is designed to move in a controlled way during strong winds. Its roadway can sway several metres from side to side without putting the structure at risk. Since the 1990s, the bridge has also been strengthened in stages to improve its resistance to major earthquakes. During extreme wind conditions, it can be closed to traffic as a precaution.

Architecture: The Golden Gate Bridge is a classic suspension bridge with a total length of 2,737 metres and a width of 27 metres. The suspension section itself is 1,966 metres long. Its 1,280-metre main span stretches between two steel towers, each 227 metres high. At the centre of the bridge, the roadway sits around 67 metres above the water and is supported by two massive main cables. Each cable contains 27,572 individual steel wires. Laid end to end, the wires from both cables would stretch for around 129,000 kilometres, enough to circle the Earth more than three times. Around 75,300 tonnes of steel were used in the original structure. Clean lines, geometric shapes, and carefully designed details give the bridge its distinctive Art Deco appearance.

Iconic Colour: The bridge owes its distinctive colour to architect Irving Morrow. He chose the shade to complement the surrounding landscape while also creating a strong contrast with the sea, sky, and frequent fog. Grey and black were among the other colours considered. For better visibility, the US Navy even preferred a black-and-yellow striped paint scheme. The salty, humid air continues to attack the steel, so damaged areas are constantly treated to remove rust before being repainted with a protective coating and the bridge’s characteristic orange topcoat.

Opening: On May 27, 1937, the bridge was reserved entirely for pedestrians. Around 200,000 people took part in the so-called “Pedestrian Day”, walking across the new structure and experiencing it up close. The following day, the bridge opened to motor traffic and began regular operation.

Anniversary: For the bridge’s 50th anniversary in 1987, around 300,000 people crowded onto the roadway during the four-hour Bridgewalk. Under the enormous weight, the bridge changed shape so dramatically that its normally upward-curving roadway appeared almost flat. Despite the extraordinary load, the structure remained within its intended safety limits and suffered no damage.

Heavy Traffic: More than 100,000 vehicles cross the bridge on an average day. Its six traffic lanes can be flexibly divided between the two directions depending on traffic conditions. Since opening in 1937, more than two billion vehicles have crossed the Golden Gate Bridge. The one-billionth vehicle was recorded on February 22, 1985.

Suicide Prevention: The bridge also has a tragic history, with numerous suicides taking place here over many decades. To prevent further deaths, a safety net was installed along the entire bridge, creating a continuous protective barrier from the beginning of 2024. The measure is already showing results: in 2024, the number of suicides was 73 percent below the long-term average for the previous 20 years.

Origin of the Name: The bridge takes its name from the strait it crosses. In 1846, the American explorer John C. Frémont referred to this entrance to San Francisco Bay as the “Golden Gate”. He was inspired by the Golden Horn in Istanbul, whose setting and shape reminded him of the strait.