Bridges are not only a vital part of infrastructure and the transportation system, allowing us to easily travel across water without the hassle and delay of ferries, but also function as important landmarks and magnificent pieces of art. This holds especially true when it comes to both the Brooklyn Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge.  These tremendous structures were both engineering marvels when first constructed and represent the resilience and ingenuity of mankind. Both bridges feature twisted cable suspension engineering and were the longest suspension bridges in the world when first constructed.

The Brooklyn Bridge, built roughly 50 years prior to the Golden Gate, has towers built from a combination of limestone. granite, and Rosendale cement. It also features long suspension cables made from steel wire and a neo-Gothic architectural style. The bridge is one of the oldest of its kind and is considered a historic icon of New York City. Connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn, the bridge is generally photographed with the New York skyline in the background, a reminder of the bridge’s importance to the transportion of the bustling city. It is said that Warren Roebling designed the bridge to be six times stronger than it needed to be. This, along with the city’s love for the historic landmark and willingness to renovate it, are the reasons why the Brooklyn Bridge is still standing today.

The Golden Gate bridge, completed in 1937, was the longest suspension bridge in the world until 1964 and has become an icon for the city of San Francisco. The bridge, famous for its “International Orange” color, is largely comprised of steel, contrary to the Brooklyn Bridge, and is held together by some 1.2 million steel rivets. It also features a more contemporary design than the ne0-Gothic style of the Brooklyn Bridge. Photographs of the bridge tend to be shot from one end or the other and focus on beauty of the surrounding foothills and the water in the Golden Gate strait. Some of the most aesthetically pleasing photos capture the bridge while surrounded by a sea of fog, giving it the appearance of floating on a bed of clouds. Ingrained into the culture and history of San Francisco, the bridge has undergone numerous renovations, including a $392 million program to retrofit the bridge for the seismic activity common in the area.

The Golden Gate bridge is a suspension bridge, and is the twelfth longest in the world. The bridge’s cables system is fairly simple; they run straight up and down. Although eye-pleasing, the “wow factor” of the bridge’s design lies more in its sheer size and length, and bright orange color, than in intricate or lavish details. Photography of the bridge tends to focus on its length and lighting system rather than up close details. It is an icon in the city of San Francisco, and has been declared one of the Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers, which is why this bridge continues to be upgraded and improved rather than replaced.

 

The Brooklyn Bridge, by contrast, is a cable-stayed/suspension bridge hybrid. It was the first steel-wired bridge of its kind, and has an intricate crossing wire design. The bridge also has two large towers from which the cables run to support the bridge deck. The bridge contains limestone, granite, and Rosendale cement and is neo-Gothic style, giving it a much more historic look than the Golden Gate bridge, with many more fine details. Photographs of this bridge showcase its wire system and detail on the pillars, rather than its overall size and appearance. This bridge, too, is iconic in New York City, and continues to be renovated rather than rebuilt in order to preserve this historic landmark (it was actually designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964).

 

I think that the Brooklyn Bridge gives us a peek into past architecture while still practicing new, innovative techniques, while the Golden Gate Bridge was a step toward a new, more modern look and era in architecture and engineering.

When photographed both the Golden Gate Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge are admired for their architecture.  While scrolling through pictures on Flickr it became apparent that the Golden Gate Bridge is admired for its color and how it appears in the bay.  On this specific website there were no photographs that were taken on the bridge itself, always from a distance.  On the other hand, there were many more photographs of the Brooklyn Bridge from a pedestrian’s point of view, the many different cables on the bridge create very interesting photographs.  From looking at the photographs of the two bridges, the Golden Gate Bridge appeared to symbolize a gateway to either the bay or the ocean on the other side.  When looking at the Brooklyn Bridge it seemed that the connection of two important cities was the main focus.

The Brooklyn Bridge, having opened in 1883, was very sturdy for its time.  Roebling had designed the bridge to be stronger than it needed to be because the science of bridge building had not been figured out yet.  I think that if the science had been better during the developing we would not have the iconic bridge, with many cables and huge towers, that we do today. In comparison to the Brooklyn Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge is just as breathe taking but much sleeker.  The opening for the Golden Gate was just over 50 years later, and engineers began to have a greater understanding of bridges.  It was designed to be more flexible, to withstand the wind it would encounter.  Had the bridge been built at the same time as the Brooklyn Bridge it is possible that the design would have been bulkier and not as iconic.

Both bridges have had minimal changes through the years, none of them effecting the overall appearance.  By both New York City and San Francisco deciding to keep their historical images they are appreciating their city’s past, and our country’s past.  Even being on opposite sides of the country both cities are places of innovation and change, but they know it is important to celebrate history and to be proud of what came first.