Golden Gate Bridge
Architecture

Facts about Golden Gate Bridge

We found 18 facts about Golden Gate Bridge

The San Francisco icon

One of the most iconic bridges in the world, the Golden Gate Bridge, was a marvel of engineering in the 1930s. At first, it was criticized and called names by the press, now it is considered as one of the most distinguished landmarks on the map of the United States.

Golden Gate Bridge
1
The Golden Gate Bridge’s construction began in 1933.
It was considered a risky operation since it was the time of the Great Depression.
2
The construction took only four years to finish.
It was ahead not only of schedule but under the budget as well.
3
In the midst of the construction in 1935, an earthquake struck the region of San Francisco.
The construction swayed almost 5 meters from side to side.
4
Its name derives from the entrance to the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean.
It is called the Golden Gate Strait.
5
It is the 13th tallest bridge in the world.
It is 227,4 meters high.
6
It spans 2,7 kilometers.
7
It is constructed with steel and weighs 887,000 tons.
8
The cost of the construction is estimated at $35 million in the 1930s, which today is over $1,5 billion.
9
The chief engineer at the Golden Gate Bridge was Joseph Baermann Strauss.
He designed the bridge in the 1920s. It was a colossal undertaking at that time since the Golden Gate Bridge was the world’s longest and the tallest suspension bridge.
10
There is a controversy regarding the “father” of the engineering marvel.
Charles Alton Ellis was responsible for the structural design of the Golden Gate Bridge, but due to conflict with Struss, he was not recognized for his work. It was not until 2012, that a plaque acknowledging his contribution to the project was installed on the south tower of the bridge.
11
Since the chief engineer was concerned with the well-being of his crew, a safety net was installed underneath the bridge.
It saved the life of 19 workers.
12
The signature paint was created precisely for the Golden Gate Bridge.
It is slightly lighter than the common International Orange, and its formula is rust-resistant. To maintain its vibrancy, the bridge is constantly being painted.
13
On the 50th anniversary, the number of tourists visiting the Golden Gate Bridge, estimated at 750,000 to 1,000,000, lowered the bridge by over 2 meters.
14
An average of 40 million vehicles cross the bridge every year.
That is over 112,000 a day.
15
The Golden Gate Bridge is constructed to withstand an earthquake of magnitude 8.
16
The bridge is frequently partially covered by fog, called Karl the Fog.
17
Any non-service animals, including horses, are not allowed on the Golden Gate Bridge.
The only time that a horse ever crossed the bridge was on the day of its opening.
18
It is the most popular suicide location in the world.
According to estimates, over 1,500 people have already taken their lives while jumping off the bridge. A jump causes an acceleration of about 120 km/h, and the suicide hits the water surface within four seconds.

To minimize the number of suicide attempts, special protective nests of stainless steel have been installed since 2017.
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