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Golden Gate Bridge

Pictures by QT Luong

[1 : Overview][2 : From the Ocean] [3 : From the Bay] [All]

The Golden Gate bridge is named for the strait it crosses, the opening where the San Francisco Bay meets the Pacific Ocean, not for its color. It is generally accepted that the strait was named "Chrysopylae" or Golden Gate by Army Captain John C. Fremont, circa 1846. It is said it reminded him of a harbor in Istanbul named Chrysoceras or Golden Horn.

Declared one of the modern Seven Wonders of the world, when completed in 1937, after a four-year construction, it was the longest single-span (suspension) bridge in the world (1.2 miles, 2km), and remained so until 1964. It also had the world's tallest suspension towers (746 feet, 230 m) at the time of construction, and held that record until more recently. The Golden Gate bridge is easily America's most photographed structure, and the most photographed bridge in the world. It is photogenic at any time of the day. Its distinctive orange vermillion color (chosen to blend with the span's natural setting in clear weather, as well as to look good in fog), makes it one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world. Maintenance job consists of repainting the bridge (a continuously ongoing task) and replacing the 600,000 rivets in each tower that have been corroded.

Besides the bridge itself, the Golden Gate is also made spectacular by the flow of the summer fog, which is quite a unique phenomenon to observe. Created by the huge temperature differences between the California interior central valley, and the masses of cold Pacific water, a thick band of fog rolls in exactly at the Golden Gate (see also this aerial view). At first, the band is low enough that usually the top of the pillars of the bridge still emerge. After a while, the whole area, that used to be warm and sunny becomes damp and cold.

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Golden Gate Bridge in Fog seen from Battery Spencer. San Francisco, California, USA (color) Golden Gate Bridge pillar. San Francisco, California, USA (color) Surfer and wave below the Golden Gate Bridge. San Francisco, California, USA (color) Fort Point courtyard, lighthouse, and arch of the Golden Gate Bridge. San Francisco, California, USA (color) Arched galleries of Fort Point and Golden Gate Bridge pillar. San Francisco, California, USA (color) Three-story Fort Point below the Golden Gate Bridge. San Francisco, California, USA (color) Golden Gate Bridge with city skyline, afternoon. San Francisco, California, USA (color) Golden Gate bridge, afternoon. San Francisco, California, USA (color) Golden Gate bridge seen from Hawk Hill, afternoon. San Francisco, California, USA (color) Pilar of the Golden Gate Bridge emerging from the fog at sunset. San Francisco, California, USA (color) Golden Gate bridge seen from Battery Spencer, dusk. San Francisco, California, USA (color) The city seen through the cables and pilars of the Golden Gate bridge, dusk. San Francisco, California, USA (color) Golden Gate Bridge pillar at night. San Francisco, California, USA (color) Golden Gate and Bridge, sunset. San Francisco, California, USA (color) Traffic on Golden Gate Bridge at dusk. San Francisco, California, USA (color) Golden Gate Bridge reflected in wet sand, blue hour. San Francisco, California, USA (color) The city seen through the cables and pilars of the Golden Gate bridge, night. San Francisco, California, USA (color) Golden Gate bridge and surf seen from E Baker Beach, dusk. San Francisco, California, USA (color) Golden Gate bridge at night from Baker Beach. San Francisco, California, USA (color) Golden Gate bridge and surf seen from E Baker Beach, night. San Francisco, California, USA (color)

All text and photos © QT Luong. See conditions for use of images. There are 20 color pictures on this page out of 52 color pictures of Golden Gate Bridge.

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