TheorangetowersoftheGoldenGateBridge–probablythemostbeautiful,certainlythemostphotographedbridgeintheworld–arevisiblefromalmosteverypointofelevationinSanFrancisco.TheonlycleftinNorthernCalifornias600-milecontinentalwall,foryearsthismile-widestraitwasconsideredunbridgeable.Asmuchanarchitecturalasanengineeringfeat,theGoldenGatetookonly52monthstodesignandbuild,andwasopenedin1937.DesignedbyJosephStrauss,itwasthefirstreallymassivesuspensionbridge,withaspanof4200ft,anduntil1959rankedastheworldslongest.ItconnectsthecityatitsnorthwesterlypointonthepeninsulatoMarinCountyandNorthernCalifornia,renderingthehithertoessentialferrycrossingredundant,andwasdesignedtowithstandwindsofuptoahundredmilesanhourandtoswingasmuchas27ft.Handsomeonaclearday,thebridgetakesonaneeriequalitywhenthethickwhitefogspourinandhideitalmostcompletely.
Youcaneitherdriveorwalkacross.Thedriveisthemorethrillingofthetwooptionsasyouraceunderthebridgestowers,butthehalf-hourwalkacrossitreallygivesyoutimetotakeinitsenormoussizeandabsorbtheviewsofthecitybehindyouandtheheadlandsofNorthernCaliforniastraightahead.Pauseatthemidwaypointandconsiderthesevenorsosuicidesamonthwhochoosethisspot,260ftup,astheirjumping-offspot.Monitorsofsucheventsspeculatethatvictimsalwaysfacethecitybeforetheyleap.In1995,whenthesuicidetollfromthebridgehadreachedalmost1000,policekeptthefiguresquiettoavoidarushofwould-besuicidesgoingforthedubiousdistinctionofbeingthethousandthpersontoleap.
Perhapsthebest-lovedsymbolofSanFrancisco,in1987theGoldenGateprovedanauspiciousplaceforasunrisepartywhencrowdsgatheredtocelebrateitsfiftiethanniversary.Somequarterofamillionpeopleturnedup(athirdofthecitysentirepopulation);thewindswerestrongandthehugenumberscausedthebridgetobuckle,butfortunatelynottobreak.
