Golden Gate Bridge

Completed in 1937, San Francisco’s best-known landmark, the Golden Gate Bridge, stretches 2737m (8981ft) across San Francisco Bay, connecting the city with Oakland Bay and the Northern Counties. The elegant suspension towers reach a height of 227m (746ft) and the clearance over the channel below is 67m (220ft). For those who wish to walk the 2.7km (1.7 miles) across the bridge, access is from the Joseph B Strauss statue (on the southeast side), although the bridge can also be accessed from the northeast side. Other viewing areas are located at the north and south ends of the pedestrians’ east sidewalk. Fort Point, located south of the bridge, is a military defence, constructed between 1853 and 1861 to protect San Francisco Bay from hostile attack. It was also occupied by US federal troops during the American Civil War (1861-65), but the last troops were withdrawn in 1886. Nowadays, visitors can explore the fort itself, as well as learn about the history of the American Civil War and the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge through displays and video presentations in the Fort Point Bookstore Visitor Center.