The Golden Gate Bridge

100 Places to See Before You Die! 

The Golden Gate Bridge

San Francisco, California

Perhaps no structure has been "destroyed" more in movie history than the Golden Gate Bridge.  It seems like every time something bad happens to the earth, this iconic San Francisco landmark meets a tragic and spectacular end of some kind.  It's probably because of (and possibly has added to) the fact that the bridge is certainly the most recognizable of its kind in the world.

When completed in 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world at 4,200 feet.  Now ranking 9th (and falling), it is still the most iconic and the face of San Francisco.  Engineer Joseph Strauss first envisioned the project in the early 20's, but architect Irving Morrow is credited with playing the major role, particularly in selecting the Art Deco features and the distinctive orange-vermillion color (officially called "International Orange"), chosen to harmonize with the natural landscape and to stand out in the fog which regularly engulfs the northern California coast.  Construction began in 1933 and the bridge was completed in 1937 at a cost of $36.7 million.  It would cost well over $1 billion today.

The view from Lincoln Park Golf Course

 

More suicides are committed at the Golden Gate Bridge than anywhere else in the world…by far!  The pedestrian deck is about 245 feet above the water and jumpers reach around 75mph in the four seconds they fall before striking the bay.  Most die on impact while just about anyone surviving the initial fall will drown in the extremely cold Pacific.  A staggering number of statistics are kept regarding bridge suicides.  The mortality rate of those attempting the jump is over 98% and only 26 people are known to have survived the jump.  They even have signs up along the walkway now saying things like "Crisis Counseling Available" and "There is hope, make the call". 

Prisoners on Alcatraz had a nice view of the GGB!

  

As far as seeing the Golden Gate Bridge, it's viewable from most areas in the northern part of San Francisco.  There are people that rent bicycles and ride across, and you can certainly walk across if you like.  I've crossed it in a vehicle and cruised under and around it in a boat.  It's nice to be able to say you've crossed it, perhaps on a trip to Sausalito or the beautiful Muir Woods, but you don't have to in order to experience the beauty of the structure and its surroundings.  San Francisco is a striking visual city, and there are a countless number of beautiful photo op locations to shoot the bridge from.  Perhaps the best reason to see the Golden Gate Bride "before you die" is that it's located in San Francisco, a great city to visit with a number of things to see and do making for a great vacation.