Golden Gate Bridge, California, united states of America

The Golden Gate Bridge, is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the one-mile-wide (1.6 km) strait connecting San Francisco Bay, and the Pacific Ocean. The structure links, the united states city of San Francisco, California, the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula, to Marin County, carrying both U. S. Route 101, and California State Route 1, across the strait. It also carries pedestrian, and bicycle traffic, and is designated as part of U. S. Bicycle Route, 95. Being declared one of the Wonders of the Modern World, by the American Society of Civil Engineers, the bridge is one of the most internationally recognized symbols of San Francisco, and California. It was initially designed, by engineer Joseph Strauss, in 1917. The bridge was named for the Golden Gate strait, the channel that it spans.

Strauss, was the chief engineer in charge of the overall design, and construction of the bridge project. However, because he had little understanding or experience with cable-suspension designs, responsibility for much of the engineering, and architecture fell on other experts. The final graceful suspension design was conceived, and championed by Leon Moisseiff, the engineer of the Manhattan Bridge, in New York City.

Irving Morrow, a relatively unknown residential architect, designed the overall shape of the bridge towers, the lighting scheme, and Art Deco elements, such as the tower decorations, streetlights, railing, and walkways. The famous International Orange color, was Morrow's personal selection, winning out over other possibilities, including the US Navy's suggestion, that it be painted with black and yellow stripes, to ensure visibility by passing ships.

The Frommer's travel guide, describes the Golden Gate Bridge, as "possibly the most beautiful, certainly the most photographed, bridge in the world. " At the time of its opening in 1937, it was both the longest, and the tallest, suspension bridge in the world, with a main span of 4,200 feet, (1,280 m) and a total height of 746 feet (227 m).