The most photographed bridge in the world

The iconic Golden Gate Bridge at 75

It's a Happy 75th Birthday today for the Golden Gate Bridge, the most photographed bridge in the world.

The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, which is the opening of the San Francisco Bay into the Pacific Ocean. It is part of both U.S. Highway 101 and California State Highway 1 routes, and it links the city of San Francisco, on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula to Marin County. Construction on the Golden Gate Bridge began in 1933 and it opened to the public on May 27, 1937. It has a height of 220 feet and is 8,980 feet long.

The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most internationally recognized and photographed symbols of San Francisco. Each year, countless photographs of the Golden Gate Bridge are taken by both locals and tourists.  It's a very beautiful sight to behold no matter the point of view: from the vista point near the northern end to the Crissy Field shoreline adjacent to the Marina Green.

The American Society of Civil Engineers selected the Golden Gate Bridge as one of the modern Wonders of the World and it's easy to see and understand why.

As a resident of the San Francisco Bay Area for 16 years, I've seen the Golden Gate Bridge countless times ~ from both sides of the bay ~ and snapped many photographs of it, too. I'm happy to say that it's still a very welcoming sight to my eyes after all these years.

Golden Gate Bridge photograph by Michael Dickens. Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.