The symbol of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge is more than a regular transportation bridge.
Since its opening after four years of construction in 1937, the $ 27 million bridge has appeared in dozens of films and other works of art, writes CNN.
Yet it is also a working bridge, which is monitored daily by about 200 employees to ensure the comfortable and safe passage of more than 100,000 vehicles per day, as well as thousands of pedestrians, cyclists and public transport passengers.
10 secrets of the Golden Gate Bridge:
1. Why is it called the Golden Gate Bridge? It's not made of gold
The Golden Gate Bridge got its name because it is thrown across the Golden Gate Strait.
It is a strait three miles (4.8 km) long and one mile (1.6 km) wide that connects Pacific Ocean with the San Francisco Bay.
2. What color is the bridge? It looks red
It is not red, although many people think that the bridge has that color.
After the construction of the bridge, the US Navy, which then followed the waterways, wanted to paint the bridge black and yellow for maximum visibility.
When the bridge was erected in the 1930s, the steel used to build it was reddish in color from lead, and the team of architects who designed the bridge loved how this color looked against the landscape.
They mixed paints and painted the bridge in a color called International Orange, which is very similar to the color of red lead.
3. Can I paint my house the same color?
It is difficult to predict how your family members and neighbors will react to an International Orange house, but you can really paint it in this color. Copy the paint formula listed on the bridge's website - it's free - and take it to your local paint store.
4. Is the bridge completely repainted every year?
No. The top coat of paint has indeed been completely replaced with a new and environmentally improved paint. However, not all parts of the old paint have been removed to bare metal for a complete repainting.
5. What colors?
Every two years, bridge engineers inspect every inch of the structure and create a work plan for where painting and other repairs are needed to keep the bridge in good working order.
After that, the painters begin to work, as well as the specialists who create protective temporary buildings for them so that the painters can safely get to all the paint points. To begin with, all the old paint is removed, and only then the new one is applied. Then they apply 4 layers of paint, up to 10 milliliters thick. This can take months, depending on the size of the treatment area.
6. How long does the paint last after painting?
On average, engineers expect 25-30 years of paint durability without the need for repainting.
However, this depends on which part of the bridge is being painted and how it is exposed. Some parts of the bridge are still painted with paint created by architects after its construction.
7. What sounds do I hear on foggy days?
It is the unique tone of the bridge, created by four misty pipes that emit 165 decibels of sound. It has a range of audibility up to six miles (about 10 km) and is activated when heavy fog may make it difficult for ships to see the bridge.
Of course, this is a reassurance, since ships have GPS systems and specially trained helmsmen, but no one wants to risk it.
These sounds are manually triggered, attempts to use automated systems failed because salty water damaged the equipment.
8. Who is responsible for the rescue operations on the bridge?
Darren McVeigh and his team are responsible for this. They have been fulfilling this task for the past 17 years and have already lost count of the number of people they have rescued.
If a person refuses to listen to the police, then McVeigh's team goes to the fence of the bridge to rescue this person.
In September 2018, construction of a suicide containment system began on the bridge. It is designed to catch a person who is trying to jump, but, according to experts, its very existence becomes a deterrent for those who want to commit suicide. Construction is expected to be completed in 2021.
9. Was a poem really dedicated to the bridge?
Actually, two. Both poems were written by engineer Joseph Strauss, who made preliminary sketches for the Golden Gate Bridge in 1921 and served as chief engineer during construction. Upon completion of the bridge, he wrote poems: "The Mighty Task is Done" and "The Golden Gate Bridge."
Address: Russia, Vladimir, st. Bolshaya Moskovskaya
Build date: 1795 year
Coordinates: 56 ° 07 "36.7" N 40 ° 23 "49.7" E
An object cultural heritage Russian Federation
History and description
Grand Duke Andrei Bogolyubsky, having declared Vladimir the capital of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality, began to strengthen his capital city.
In 1158 he surrounded the city with a rampart, and in 1164 he built five entrance gates. Only the Golden Gate has survived to this day, serving as the front entrance to the richest princely boyar part of the city. The oak doors of the gate, which are not there now, were bound with sheets of gilded copper, shining brightly in the sun, therefore the gate was called Golden. The gate was built by Vladimir architects. This is evidenced by two princely signs carved on one of the stones in the southern niche of the Golden Gate.
There is a legend that when the work was coming to an end and the scaffolding was dismantled, the arches of the gate suddenly collapsed and buried 12 people. None of the eyewitnesses doubted that people were crushed to death under the weight of stones, but Andrei Bogolyubsky ordered to bring the miraculous icon of the Mother of God and turned to the heavenly patroness with a prayer for the unfortunate.
They cleared the blockage and found the people lying under it safe and sound. In honor of the miracle that happened, Andrei Bogolyubsky ordered to build a tiny white-stone chapel of the Position of the Robe of the Mother of God over the Golden Gate.
View of the Golden Gate from Kozlov Val
The Golden Gate served a variety of functions. Firstly, they served as the main entrance to the city - through them the prince's squads, returning from the battlefield, rode into Vladimir. A white-stone triumphal arch, reaching a height of 14 meters, a grandiose travel tower and massive oak gates hanging on forged hinges, gave the structure a majestic appearance that corresponded to its purpose. Secondly, the Golden Gate, along with the non-preserved Copper, Irinin, Silver and Volga gates, constituted a single complex of defensive fortifications of the city of Vladimir.
View of the Golden Gate from the Trinity Church
The gates adjoined an arched lintel, on the top of which a wooden flooring was arranged, serving as a battle platform. From this site, the defenders of the city fired at the enemy. From the flooring, only large square nests have survived, intended for powerful wooden beams.
The ascent to the site was carried out by a stone staircase, arranged in the thickness of the southern wall. Among other things, The Golden Gate served as a decorative function, serving as a symbol of princely power and wealth.
The graceful gate chapel crowning the gate blessed everyone who came to Vladimir in peace. In 1810, the Church of the Robe was completely rebuilt, and today the exposition of the military history museum is located within its walls. Under the vaults of the chapel, there is a large diorama depicting the assault of Vladimir by the troops of Khan Batu on February 7, 1238. Thanks to the light and music effects and soundtrack with the announcer's text, the picture recreates in detail the capture of the city by the Mongol-Tatars.
View of the Golden Gate from st. Noble
Lost Relic of the Golden Gate
In 1238, hordes of Mongol-Tatars, having devastated many Russian cities, approached Vladimir. The townspeople prepared for the defense and hid everything valuable relics in case the enemy does break through. The idea was a success: the gilded doors of the Golden Gate have not been found so far and are officially included in the UNESCO registers as masterpieces lost by mankind. In the 1970s, the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union received an unexpected proposal from Tokyo. The Japanese corporation promised to clear the bottom of the Klyazma River and even expand its channel.
View of the Golden Gate from the Kozlov Val
For their work, the Japanese did not demand either Sakhalin or Kurile Islands and didn't even ask for money. As payment, they wanted to take everything that they would find at the bottom of the Klyazma. This proposal was never accepted by the Soviet authorities, but it made one think about the question: "What values did the Japanese want to find in the river in order to recoup their costs?" Perhaps the Japanese were looking for gilded plates that once adorned the gates of the Golden Gate. Rescuing precious doors from Khan Batu, the townspeople drowned them in Klyazma.
1. The Golden Gate was built by princely craftsmen in 1164, during the reign of Andrei Bogolyubsky. This is evidenced by a special princely sign, which the builders left on one of the white stone blocks.
3. The appearance of the Golden Gate differs significantly from the original one. This was facilitated by frequent fires, raids of enemies and civil strife. From the ancient building, only the passage arch, powerful side pylons and part of the battle platform above them remained. Everything else was repaired, completed and changed many times. The vaults and the gate of the Rizopozhenskaya church were rebuilt, side elements, which were not originally there, were added.
4. Now there is a museum in the church above the Golden Gate. A military-historical exposition (weapons and military equipment of different times) is presented. And a diorama telling about the defense of Vladimir during the attack of the troops of Khan Batu in 1238.
5. One of the best specialists in ancient Russian architecture, Vladimir archaeologist Nikolai Nikolaevich Voronin believed that the architecture of the Golden Gate in Vladimir is unique for medieval Europe... For the West, only tower structures were characteristic, performing purely defensive functions. Vladimir's Golden Gate was built not only for protective purposes, they served as the main front entrance to the city, and also had a religious purpose - the Church of the Deposition of the Robe was active.
6. The ramparts on both sides of the Golden Gate, according to one of the legends, were torn down in 1767 by order of Empress Catherine II. Her carriage got stuck in a huge puddle under the archway at the entrance to the city. Then detours of the golden gate were organized. But without the ramparts, the gates began to collapse, so side fortifications were soon built.
7. In the 19th century, they wanted to make the Golden Gate a water collector-distributor. Fortunately, this idea was not implemented, and for these needs was built water tower, which now houses a museum and an observation deck.
8. One of the legends says that during the construction, the vault of the Golden Gate partially collapsed, burying 12 people under it. No one had any doubts that people had died. Andrei Bogolyubsky ordered to bring the Miraculous icon and began to pray to the Mother of God, asking for the salvation of the workers. As a result, the people under the rubble survived, and the prince ordered to build on the gate a small church of the Position of the Robe of the Virgin.
9. After the incident with the collapse of the vault, Andrei Bogolyubsky replaced the brigade of craftsmen - Italian builders were completing the work, who later erected the Dmitrievsky and Assumption Cathedrals, the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl and the prince's residence.
10. In February 1238, the troops of Khan Batu did not manage to get into the city through the front Golden Gate - they perfectly withstood the onslaught of the invaders. But nevertheless, the city was taken - the Tatar-Mongols penetrated there through a gap in the wooden wall of the fortress. The oak gate, faced with gilded copper, has not yet been found. During the export to the Horde, they sank in the Klyazma.
1. Creators of the "Golden Gate"
The construction of such a huge structure took only 4 years! Joseph Strouss is the project designer, renowned architect Irving Morrow was his consultant, and Charles Alton Ellis performed all the math calculations. But the latter's name was not entered on the bridge builders' plaque, as he had a bad relationship with Strous. Such is the injustice!
2. Where does the name come from?
The poetic name of the bridge has its own background. The military surveyor John Fremont in 1846 noticed the similarity of the Pacific Gulf with the Golden Horn in the capital of Turkey - Istanbul.
3. The complexity of the design
The construction of such a structure required a lot of effort. Just imagine what kind of load had to be placed on a 1970 meter long bridge with a support height of 230 meters above the water and weighing almost a million tons! It had to withstand a Pacific current of 185 kilometers per hour and gusts of wind, causing the bridge to vibrate up to 9 meters.
4. Opening day
On the first day of opening at 6 a.m. on May 27, 1937, the bridge was accessible only to pedestrians. But the very next day the first cars drove to it. On its fiftieth anniversary, the Golden Gate was attended by 300,000 people. Until 1964, it was considered the largest suspension bridge in the world!
5. Why is the bridge so popular?
The Golden Gate Bridge is popular for several reasons. First, its bright red color makes it easily recognizable. Secondly, it is depicted on the emblem basketball club NBA Golden State Warriors and Cisco Systems. And thirdly, the picturesque landscape of the vicinity of the Golden Gate flashed in many films, in particular - "X-Men: The Last Stand" and "View of the Murder" - one of the parts of Bondiana.
6. But there is also a bad reputation
The number of suicides committed on it has brought bad publicity to this bridge. According to statistics, every two weeks someone's life ends on it.
The Golden Gate in Vladimir can be called almost the main attraction of the city. The Golden Gate is a unique monument of Russian architecture, a symbol of the greatness and power of North-Eastern Russia. The Golden Gate in Vladimir was built in 1164; unfortunately, it has not been completely preserved to this day.
The Golden Gate in Vladimir was built during the reign of Prince Andrey Bogolyubsky. The gate was part of the city's defensive fortifications. They also performed the function triumphal arch... It was through these gates that honored guests came to the city of Vladimir, it was through the Golden Gate that Andrei Bogolyubsky solemnly returned after military successes.
Inside, the arch of the Golden Gate was closed by heavy oak doors, trimmed with gilded copper (hence the name of the gate - Golden). The Golden Gate was the main entrance to the noble part of the city, where princes and boyars settled mainly. The Golden Gate was built by local craftsmen. This assumption is based on the fact that a princely sign was left on one of the stone blocks of the gate. The Golden Gates were built by builders in semi-household masonry. This technique of building stone products was widespread in the cities of North-Eastern Russia. This fact is another reason to assume that they were built by Russian masters. The Golden Gate was not the only gateway to the city. In the massive walls the Copper Gates, Irinins, Serebryany and Volzhsky were "cut down". Unfortunately, these buildings have not survived to this day.
In 1238, during the Tatars' raid on Vladimir, the Golden Gate was seriously damaged. In the 17th century, during the Time of Troubles, the gate again had a difficult time. In 1778, there was a big fire in Vladimir, during which the Golden Gate was also damaged.
In 1785, the Golden Gate in Vladimir underwent a major restoration. These were the years of the reign of Catherine II. The Empress, together with her officials, worked out plans for the development of cities. So in terms of Vladimir's development, there was an instruction to tear down the ramparts that adjoin the Golden Gate and build a road in their place. The support structures of the Golden Gate were weakened during the stripping of the shafts. The question arose about the next reconstruction. So, in 1795 the architect Chistyakov developed a project for the reconstruction of the Golden Gate. Now, buttresses were attached to the corners of the pylons, which were "driven" into round towers. The vaults of the Golden Gate were also reconstructed, and a new brick church was built on the vaults. 
Since then, the view of the Golden Gate in Vladimir has not changed. Back in the early 19th century, officials and architects tried to develop a project to restore the Golden Gate in its original form. However, this did not lead to anything.
What else is the Golden Gate so unique and famous for? Similar buildings existed in different years in large Orthodox cities - Jerusalem, Kiev and Constantinople. And to this day, only the Vladimir Golden Gate has survived.
