San Francisco

San Francisco’s symbols

San Francisco is the fourth most populous city in California San Francisco is the fourth most populous city in California where about 808,000 people live. It lies on the northern end of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay. San Francisco was founded in the 18th century by the Spanish. Before the Gold Rush of 1849 it was a tiny settlement. The rush brought crowds of people to the city and its surroundings. In 1906 an earthquake and then a fire destroyed the city but it rebuilt itself even into a larger city. San Francisco is famous for its hills. There are about 50 of them in the city. Some neighborhoods are named after the hill on which they are situated. A few of San Francisco’s parks and nearly all of its beaches form part of the regional Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which is visited by over 13 million people a year. It is one of the largest urban parks in the world. There are theatres and museums in the city. The most known are the Herbst Theatre, the Museum of Modern Art and War Memorial and Performing Arts Centre which includes the San Francisco Opera and the San Francisco Ballet.

Some San Francisco Facts Country : United States Currency : US Dollar (USD) Language : English Population City: 852 469 (2014) Metro: 4 594 060 (2014) Time Zone: Pacific Standard Time (PST) The Mark at Nob Hill

San Francisco is a popular international tourist destination San Francisco is a popular international tourist destination. Among the most famous landmarks of the city are Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars and Chinatown, which is the oldest and one of the largest in North America. Golden Gate Bridge is one of the world’s longest suspension bridges going over icy-cold, shark infested bay.

Golden Gate Bridge This world famous marvel of architecture - the world's tallest and highest bridge when it was completed in 1937 - is now the most famous symbol of San Francisco.

Museum of Modern Art The MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) in San Francisco was the first museum on the west coast dedicated to modern art. The museum's collection is housed in an iconic building at the Yerba Buena Gardens.

Fort Mason From this military base, about 1.6 million soldiers left for the Pacific during the Second World War. In 1972 it was converted into a center for arts, education and events. 

Pioneer Monument

California Palace of the Legion of Honor

Ferry Building Built in 1898 as a terminal for ferry passengers, the Ferry Building was a hub of activity until the construction of the Bay and Golden Gate Bridges in the 1930s.

Waterfall at Yerba Buena Gardens The construction of the Moscone Convention Center was the start of the Yerba Buena project, which lead to a revived area, known as Yerba Buena Gardens.

Embarcadero Center

Palace of Fine Arts The only building that remains of the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exhibition is this magnificent neo-classical edifice, now home to a science museum.

Transamerica Pyramid The exotic shape of this skyscraper made the Transamerica Pyramid one of San Francisco's iconic landmarks. The 260m tall tower (850+ft) was built in 1972 by William Pereira. 

San Francisco's City Hall San Francisco's City Hall, a magnificent beaux-arts building completed in 1915, was made seismic-proof after the 1989 earthquake damaged the historic structure.

St. Mary's Cathedral This strikingly modern church was built in 1971 as San Francisco's Roman Catholic cathedral. The 190ft (58m) tall building is topped with a 55ft (17m) tall cross. Inside is a modern kinetic sculpture by Richard Lippold.

555 California Street The city's tallest building when it opened as the Bank of America World Headquarters in 1969, the skyscraper is still an imposing figure on the city skyline.

Vedanta Temple

Statue of Christopher Columbus and Coit Tower

Alamo square San Francisco's 19th century Alamo square is famous for the row of Victorian houses lining the square. The panoramic view over the city from Alamo Square is fabulous.

Old St. Mary's Church

Holy Virgin Cathedral

Saints Peter and Paul Church

Lincoln Statue

Grace Cathedral

Mission Dolores Basilica

Japan Town Pagoda

Использованные источники: hthttp://www.aviewoncities.com http://www.activeenglish.ru/geo/topics/cities-of-the-world/san-francisco https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki