Why is the Golden Gate Bridge a modern wonder?

The Golden Gate Bridge Hanging from two 746-ft-high towers, its cables -- each a yard thick --are the biggest ever to support a bridge. In fact, the Golden Gate Bridge contains enough cable to encircle the earth three times.



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A symbol of New York City, the building has been named as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers. It was ranked first on the American Institute of Architects' List of America's Favorite Architecture in 2007.

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The Seven Wonders of the World now comprise: the Great Wall of China, Jordan's ancient rock city Petra, Brazil's Statue of Christ Redeemer, the hilltop city of Machu Picchu in Peru, Mexico's Chichen Itza pyramid, the Colosseum in Rome and India's Taj Mahal.

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5 Fun Facts About the Golden Gate Bridge
  • The bridge is actually not golden at all! It's a bright red-orange.
  • It was named one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.
  • It took four years to build.
  • There are approximately 600,000 rivets in each of the bridge's towers.
  • It's the most photographed bridge in the world.


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With the earlier phases of the retrofit complete, the bridge can safely withstand an earthquake over 7.0 in magnitude, but it may experience damage that requires closure after a major seismic event.

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Of the seven wonders, only the Pyramid of Giza, which is also by far the oldest of the wonders, still remains standing, with the others being destroyed over the centuries.

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First the cables are washed and the old paint removed. Then the cables are lightly sanded before two coats of elastic paint are applied. Finally an acrylic coat is painted on. Painting the bridge is a full-time job and a long one: this paint job is expected to take four years.

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Only the Pyramids at Giza (built in the mid-third millennium B.C.) remains intact today. Although five of the others have disappeared, or are in ruins, enough documentary and archaeological evidence is available to confirm that they once stood proud, and are not the product of hearsay or legend.

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