Island in San Francisco Bay 9 letters. San Francisco (Bay). Oldest street in San Francisco

Nestled in the oceanfront hills, San Francisco, with its iconic Golden Gate Bridge, is one of the most beautiful cities in the United States. The city has a rich history, beautiful beaches, parks, museums and a large number of entertainment.
Among some of San Francisco's most famous attractions is historical island Alcatraz and Fisherman's Wharf. In the center of the city is Golden Gate Park - a huge green area where you can walk for hours. San Francisco's Chinatown is considered one of the largest in North America, and historic cable cars stop at most of the city's major landmarks.

Golden Gate Bridge

Alcatraz Island

Fisherman's Wharf

San Francisco Cable Car

Golden Gate Park

Chinatown

California Academy of Sciences

de Young Museum of Art

Modern Art Museum

Twin Peaks

Asian Art Museum

Exploratorium

Palace of Fine Arts

Golden Gate National Recreation Area

AT&T Park

Ghirardelli Square

Trip to Napa Valley

Where to Stay for San Francisco Sightseeing

The city of San Francisco is one of the largest cities in the USA. It is located on a peninsula between the bay of the same name and the Pacific Ocean. This is a real pearl of California, attracting tourists from all over the world due to its beautiful nature and rich history, starting long before the Gold Rush. This is a multifaceted city with contrasts and color. Let's go virtual trip to California and get to know the sights of San Francisco.

City `s history

San Francisco has a fascinating history. It began in 1776, when travelers from Spain landed on the Pacific coast. It was they who wrote the first pages in the history of the city of San Francisco. The Spanish preacher founded the Mission of St. Francis of Assisi, after whom the city was named. The Spaniards built a fort called the Golden Gate. At the beginning of the 19th century, gold deposits were found in what is now California, which was considered Mexican at that time. A stream of gold miners poured into the open deposits. A settlement was founded with what is now Portsmouth Square and the first street called Calle de la Fundación (Founder's Street).

William Richardson, the first land grantee, built his home on the hill where the city of San Francisco is now located. Along Grant Avenue between Clay and Washington streets the first residence was established. The settlement turned into a city, which was named Yerba Buena, which is translated from Spanish means "good grass".

This small town did not attach much importance, but the situation changed when a gold mine was discovered. In 1848, during the Gold Rush, Yerba Buena was conquered by the Americans and later became known as San Francisco. It became the largest city on the Pacific coast. This is the history of the name of the city of San Francisco. True, except for yours official name, it is called the “city by the bay” and the “city of fogs.” The city received its second nickname because of the strong summer fogs that descend on the city, when hot air currents from the central part of the continent collide with cold ones brought from the Pacific Ocean.

Geographical position

The peculiarities of the city's geographical location include the fact that it is surrounded by water on three sides. The leading role in the transport infrastructure is played by the bridges: the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge, which connects San Francisco with Oakland. Geographic coordinates of the city of San Francisco: 37°46’29" north latitude and 122°25'9" west longitude.

What is the city like now? San Francisco has developed commercial shipping and tourism businesses, a huge service sector and largest centers production of high IT technologies. The city is a symbol of the Hollywood industry. There is hardly a day in the city when some film is not being filmed on its streets, which residents are already accustomed to, and tourists are interested in seeing how Hollywood actors work.

By the way, the current population of the city of San Francisco is about 815,000 residents. Due to this indicator, the city ranks fourteenth in the United States in terms of population.

Climate

The terrain in which San Francisco is located is hilly. Water, surrounding the city, significantly influences weather conditions. Among the major cities in the United States, the climate in San Francisco is considered the coolest and at the same time the most comfortable. Typical for the city Mediterranean climate with mild winters, warm summers, and slight temperature fluctuations throughout the year.

Most cold month- January. The temperature at this time in San Francisco does not fall below +8 °C. September is considered hot with temperature fluctuations of +13...+21 °C. There is almost no rain in the summer months, but there is frequent rain from November to April. There is practically no snow falling.

Hills of San Francisco

The city of San Francisco is located on 74 hills (allegedly), of which 47 are named. Seven important San Francisco hills at 900 feet: Telegraph Hill, Nob Hill, Russian Hill, Rincon Hill, Mount Sutro, Twin Peaks, Gemini at the top 910 feet (277 m) and Mount Davidson at 925 feet (283 m). The remaining hills are lower in height. Roads in San Francisco go up and down hills. Some of the roads are extremely steep. For safety, the city of San Francisco has strict parking laws to prevent cars from rolling into the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean!

One of the city's landmarks is Lombard Street, the most winding street in the world, designed and laid out in the 1920s. It is located on Russian Hill. Its slope is 27%, and on 400 meters of the road there are 8 sharp turns. Cars on this unique road move at low speeds, only 8 km/h. Visitors say that there is nothing more fun than riding along these steep curves.

Neighborhoods of San Francisco

The city's area is just over 46 square miles, which is approximately 120 square miles. kilometers. Occupying the square tip of the peninsula (11 x 11 km), San Francisco is divided into several districts, each of which is interesting with its own flavor. A map consisting of 11 official districts has been developed for tourists.

The Mission District can be considered the most hipster area. The area is historically Latino. Their culture is the lifeblood of this area. Street art thrives here. As already mentioned, the city of San Francisco (photos of which are in this article) has many faces and is unique. Each house in the area has its own “face”.

In the evenings the main street The Valencia area is full of fun-loving, stylish young people. Residents like to spend weekends in Dolores Park. Mission Dolores is one of San Francisco's most popular parks. Its football fields, tennis courts and playground almost always filled with city dwellers who love to spend their holidays in nature.

The Haight-Ashbury area became famous for the fact that hippies came to it from all over the country in 1967 and everything that was associated with this movement came from here: sex, drugs, music, art, freedom...

If you're heading to San Francisco, don't forget to wear some flowers in your hair.

The words from Scott McKenzie's famous song, which has been the unofficial anthem of San Francisco for almost 50 years, personify this city as the capital of the hippie movement and progressive youth.

For tourists interested in vintage clothing, there are many shops in the area where you can buy them. There are small shops selling books and musical accessories: from sheet music to instruments.

Castro is an open gay quarter of the world and synonymous with LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) culture can only be found in the USA in the city of San Francisco. Everything in the quarter is painted in rainbow colors: passages, shop windows, flags on the streets. Historical Center The LGBT community reflects a vibrant area popular with young families, tech workers, and the arts community.

People are accepted here for who they are - gay, bisexual, transgender... The area is filled with popular boutiques, bars and restaurants that attract a wide range of visitors. There are many nudist beaches in the area. Nudists are mostly men of all ages.

Popular place in San Francisco - Chinatown

The largest and most famous among Chinatowns in the USA is located in San Francisco's Chinatown. It is home to the largest Chinese community outside of Asia. It arose in the mid-nineteenth century, from immigrants who arrived from the Chinese province of Guangdong. The Chinese, wherever they came, always organized a “city within a city.” Once in this area, tourists feel the presence of Asia: shops with inscriptions in Cantonese, most buildings have pagoda-shaped roofs, all the lamp posts are decorated with dragons, and the streets are decorated with lanterns. There are many cafes and delicious Chinese restaurants where they serve fortune cookies with the bill.

Today's Chinatown was rebuilt after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, and its architecture is an odd mix of Edwardian foundations and Chinese details. Traditionally believed to provide protection, a pair of Chinese guardian lions are a common sight in front of Chinese imperial palaces, government offices and temples. The gate has three entrances. The central one is intended for high-ranking persons, and the other two - located on either side of the central one - are intended for ordinary people.

On the territory of the quarter there is cultural places for visiting tourists: Museum of the Chinese Historical Society of America and the Chinese Cultural Center.

Oldest street in San Francisco

Grant Avenue is considered the oldest street in San Francisco, which runs from north to south, being the central axis of the tourist Chinese district. This is the area that is literally overflowing with tourists, scurrying around the kitschy shops and authentic Chinese restaurants. An overview of the entire street is a long story, not on one page, but it’s worth paying attention to several noticeable places on a busy street. Symbolizing proximity to paradise, most of the temples are located in Chinatown in the upper floors of townhouses. The oldest is also located on Grand Avenue. chinese temple in America Tin How. It was founded in 1852. On the corner of Grand Avenue and Commerce Street are several beautifully hand-decorated murals featuring Bruce Lee and a mural of Buddha. On another wall there are also murals of dancing dragons and the imposing Golden Dragon. What Grand Avenue in San Francisco looks like today is in the photo below.

Tourism

The Bay City continues to grow, welcoming thousands of new residents from around the world each year. It truly is a vibrant, diverse and welcoming place to live in America. The city of San Francisco has an extremely low unemployment rate. Tourism is considered one of the main sectors of the economy of this metropolis, so working in tourism business you can always get it.

What attracts tourists to San Francisco? Most likely, not only historical sights, but also a favorable mild climate, the uniqueness and originality of the city. More than 17,000,000 tourists come here for excursions and recreation. San Francisco ranks fifth in the United States for foreign arrivals.

The city is known for its iconic landmarks, such as the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge, and restaurants serving unique cuisine in different areas of the city. A healthy balance of consistently mild weather and plenty of green space throughout the city continue to make it one of the most popular and picturesque cities in the state of California. San Francisco invites tourists to visit Fort Point, an ideal place for history buffs, as well as Golden Gate Park. You can attend the annual free Bluegrass Festival there if your visit to San Francisco coincides with the festival. In the park you can ride an ancient carousel and even see a buffalo natural conditions life.

The city's attractions

San Francisco has a unique world symbol - the Golden Gate Bridge. It was considered the longest span bridge from its completion in 1937 until 1964. It connects San Francisco to Marin County and is a total of 3.2 km (2.7 miles). This is the most photographed bridge in the world.

The Golden Gate Bridge location is also within walking distance of many other tourist places, such as Fort Point, Fort Baker and Presidio.

There are places to go for those interested in historical and cultural values. These are museums and cultural centers. These include the Museum of Modern Arts, the Asian Art and Culture Center, the Jewish Community Center, and the Memorial Opera House.

In addition, in the Mission District you can spend hours walking the streets and looking at painted buildings, visiting art studios, and visiting exhibition venues. The Dolores park area is always full of people. Moreover, it has recreation areas, conventionally divided into hipster, family and gay zones. Depending on the holiday season, Mission hosts carnivals (in May), large street fairs (in March), and also a parade in April in honor of Cesar Chavez.

Mysterious Alcatraz Island

Alcatraz Island is considered one of the most visited places by tourists port city San Francisco. Why do travelers from all over the world try to get to the island? Perhaps this attraction is attractive due to its interesting, but rather dark history. And tourists come to the island to see for themselves what Alcatraz was like decades ago...

The history of the city of San Forancisco marks the construction of the first lighthouse on the West Coast in 1854. And the place for it was determined on Alcatraz Island (translated from Spanish as “rock”) in San Francisco Bay in order to guide ships passing through the Golden Gate. But not only the lighthouse was built on the island. Government officials decided that the tiny island, aptly nicknamed “The Rock,” would be the ideal location for a federal penitentiary. The rocky island was washed by dangerous currents and extreme tides, so it was impossible to escape from this prison. The most famous people served their sentences in prison bad Boys countries: Al Capone, George "Machine Gun" Kelly and " bird man» Robert Stroud, a killer who was an expert in ornithological diseases.

During a tour of Alcatraz, tourists can see first-hand how grim life was for prisoners in solitary confinement. Alcatraz may seem ominous from the inside, but from the outside tourists are treated to dazzling views of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, the lush marina setting to the north and neighboring Angel Island, as well as state park State of California.

San Francisco is one of the most iconic cities in the United States of America and, without a doubt, the most beautiful. The combination of geography, nature, architecture and its diverse and cosmopolitan composition makes San Francisco a world-class city.

In Russia (and in many other countries), old military towns are usually abandoned and destroyed over time. But in San Francisco there is a military town located on the island Treasure Island, will soon turn into a real one garden city- a new eco-village right in the middle of the bay, in close proximity to the Golden Gate Bridge.

As a result, right in the middle of the San Francisco Bay, in close proximity to the city center, a self-sufficient garden city will appear, a city of the future that combines all the best of the city and the countryside.

The name Alcatraz comes from the Spanish Alcatraces. In 1775, Spaniard Juan Manuel de Ayala was one of the first to sail to what is now known as San Francisco Bay. His expedition mapped the bay and named one of the three islands - Alcatraces, which eventually became Alcatraz. Although there is still debate about the etymology of this word, it is believed that the word "Alcatraz" means pelican or strange bird.

By the end of the decade, the first military prisoner appeared on the island. Over time, Alcatraz's defensive function decreased (by the way, the island never had to use its weapons in action), but it acted as a prison for more than 100 years.

In 1909, the army demolished the fortress, leaving the basement level to be used as the foundation for a new prison. From 1909 to 1911, prisoners built the prison building, which belonged to the Pacific Division of the US Army Disciplinary Barracks. It was this building that later became known as the Rock

The army used the island for more than 80 years: from 1850 until 1933, when Alcatraz was transferred to the custody of the US Department of Justice, or rather, it was placed under the jurisdiction of Federal Bureau in prisons. The government decided to organize a well-guarded maximum security prison there with the most minimal rights for prisoners. And thus show the public that the federal government is serious about reducing the crime rate that plagued the United States in the 20s and 30s.

As a prison, Alcatraz was not the "American Devil's Island" as it is portrayed in books and movies. Typically there were 260-275 prisoners in the prison. And although it was designed for 336 people, its capabilities were never fully used. Alcatraz housed less than 1% of the country's total prison population. Many prisoners noted decent living conditions in Alcatraz (for example, the fact that there was only one person in each cell). The conditions were better than in other federal prisons, and some prisoners even asked to be transferred to Alcatraz.

Prisoners

The most famous prisoner of Alcatraz was Robert Stroud, nicknamed the birdcatcher. In fact, Stroud never raised birds in Alcatraz, and indeed, he spent most of his time not in this prison at all. He also wasn't the sweet uncle Burt Lancaster portrayed him in Birdman Of Alcatraz (1962).

In 1909, Stroud was imprisoned for robbery. But while he was serving his sentence in a Washington prison, he attacked a fellow inmate. He was transferred to a Kansas prison. But in 1916 he killed a guard there, for which Stroud was sentenced to death penalty. However, then then-President Wilson, at the request of Stroud’s mother, replaced the execution with a life sentence. In 1942 he was transferred to Alcatraz. There he began studying birds, which he had been interested in since childhood, and even wrote two books about canaries and common diseases among them. Seeing such keen scientific interest, the prison administration allowed Stroud to study birds in the wild. But Stroud did not betray himself, and items prohibited in prison were often found in bird cages. He spent only 17 years in Alcatraz - 6 years in "block D" and 11 years in the prison hospital. In 1959, he was sent to a federal prison facility in Springfield, Missouri, where he died in 1963.

Prison routine

While such notorious criminals as Al Capone, George Machine Gun Kelly (Public Enemy N1), and Arthur Doc Barker spent time in Alcatraz, most of the 1,576 prisoners housed in different time there, they were not famous gangsters. However, these were prisoners who refused to comply with the rules established in other federal prisons, that is, especially dangerous and prone to escape.

In Alcatraz, prisoners had 4 solid rights: food, clothing, shelter and medical care. The prisoner must earn everything else for himself. Working prisoners received privileges related to visiting hours, visits to the prison library, and the opportunity to relax, paint or play music.

Attempts to escape

During the 29 years (1934-1963) that Alcatraz was used as a federal prison, 36 people (including two who attempted to escape twice) staged 14 escape attempts. Twenty-three were caught, six were shot, and two were drowned. Two of those who were caught were subsequently executed in the gas chamber at California State Penitentiary at San Quentin. They were executed for their participation in the murder of a prison officer during the famous riot of May 2-4, 1946, called the Battle of Alcatraz.

It is officially believed that there was no successful attempt to escape from the Rock, but to this day five prisoners from Alcatraz are listed as "absent, presumed drowned."

April 27, 1936 - Joe Bowers, who was assigned to burn garbage that day, suddenly began to climb the fence. The guard gave him a warning, but Joe ignored him and was shot in the back. He died from his wounds in the hospital.

December 16, 1937 - Theodore Cole and Ralph Roy, who worked in the store, decided to escape through the iron bars on the window. They managed to get out of the window, after which they ran to the water and disappeared into San Francisco Bay. Despite the fact that a storm broke out on this very day, many believed that the fugitives managed to reach land. But officially they were considered dead.

May 23, 1938 - James Limerick, Jimmy Lucas and Raphas Franklin, working in a woodworks store, attacked an unarmed security guard and killed him with a hammer blow to the head. The trio then climbed onto the roof and attempted to disarm the officer guarding the roof of the tower, but he opened fire. Limerick died from his wounds, and the surviving couple received life sentences.

January 13, 1939 - Arthur Doc Barker, Dale Stamphill, William Martin, Henry Young and Raphas McCain escaped from the isolation compartment into the building where the cells for prisoners were located. They sawed off the bars, climbed out of the building through a window and headed to the water's edge. The guard discovered the fugitives already on the western shore of the island. Martin, Young and McCain surrendered, and Barker and Stamphill, who refused to obey orders, were wounded. Barker died a few days later.

May 21, 1941 - Joe Kretzer, Sam Shockley, Arnold Kyle and Lloyd Backdall took several of the guards they were working under hostage. But the guards managed to convince the prisoners to surrender. It is significant that one of these guards later became the third commandant of Alcatraz.

September 15, 1941 - While clearing garbage, John Bayles tried to escape. But the icy water in San Francisco Bay forced him to return to shore. Later, when he was brought to federal court in San Francisco, he tried to escape from there. But again without success.

April 14, 1943 - James Borman, Harold Brest, Floyd Hamilton and Fred Hunter took two guards hostage in an area where prisoners were working. They climbed out through the window and jumped into the water. But one of the guards managed to signal the emergency to his colleagues, and the officers, who set off in the footsteps of the fugitives, overtook them only at the moment when they were already sailing away from the island. Some of the guards rushed into the water, others opened fire. As a result, Hunter and Brest were detained, Borman was wounded and drowned. And Hamilton was pronounced drowned. Although in fact he hid in a small gorge for two days, and then returned to the territory where the prisoners were working. There he was captured by guards.

August 7, 1943 - Charon Ted Walters disappeared from the laundry, but was caught on the shore of the bay.

July 31, 1945 - one of the most elaborate escape attempts. John Giles often worked in the prison laundry, which also washed army uniforms, which were sent to the island especially for this purpose. One day he stole a full set of uniform, changed clothes and calmly left prison and went to lunch with the military. Unfortunately for him, the military was having lunch that day on Angel Island, and not in San Francisco, as Giles had assumed. In addition, his disappearance from prison was immediately noticed. So as soon as he arrived on Angel Island, he was arrested and sent back to Alcatraz.

May 2-4, 1946 - this day is known as the "Battle of Alcatraz." Six prisoners disarmed the guards and seized a set of keys to the cell block. But their plan began to go awry when the prisoners discovered that they did not have the key to the door leading to the recreation yard. Soon the prison administration suspected something was wrong. But instead of surrendering, the prisoners resisted. As a result, four of them returned to their cells, but not before opening fire on the guards who had been taken hostage. One officer died from his wounds, and a second officer was killed while attempting to regain control of the cell block. About 18 guards were injured. American sailors were immediately called in to help, and on May 4 the mutiny ended with the murder of three prisoners. Subsequently, two “rebels” received a death sentence and ended their days in the gas chamber in 1948. And the 19-year-old rioter received a life sentence.

July 23, 1956 - Floyd Wilson disappeared from his job at the dock. He hid among the rocks for several hours, but when he was discovered, he gave up.

September 29, 1958 - While clearing debris, Aaor Bargett and Clyde Johnson subdued a prison officer and attempted to swim away. Johnson was caught in the water, but Bargett disappeared. Intensive searches yielded no results. Bargett's body was found in the San Francisco Bay two weeks later.

June 11, 1962 - This is the most famous escape attempt thanks to Clint Eastwood and the film Escape from Alcatraz (1979). Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin were able to disappear from their cells, never to be seen again. A fourth man, Allen West, was also involved in planning the escape, but for unknown reasons remained in the cell the next morning when the escape was discovered. The investigation revealed that the fugitives prepared not only fake bricks to cover the holes made in the walls, but also realistic dolls in the beds, stuffed with human hair, to hide the absence of prisoners during the night rounds. The trio exited through a ventilation pipe adjacent to their cells. The fugitives climbed the pipe to the roof of the prison block (they had previously unbent the iron bars in the ventilation). At the north end of the building they climbed down a drainpipe and thus reached the water. They used prison jackets and a pre-made raft as a means of floating. As a result of a thorough search in the cells of the fugitives, tools were found with which the prisoners used to hammer the walls, and in the bay they found one life jacket made from a prison jacket, an oar, as well as carefully packed photographs and letters belonging to the Anglin brothers. A few weeks later, the body of a man wearing a blue suit similar to a prison uniform was found in the water, but the condition of the body made it impossible to identify him. Morris and the Anglin brothers are officially listed as missing and presumed drowned.

Closing

On March 21, 1962, Alcatraz prison was closed. It is officially believed that this decision was made due to the growing cost of keeping criminals on the island. For the further use of the prison, restoration work totaling $3-5 million was required. However, these figures did not include the daily maintenance of prisoners - and Alcatraz prisoners cost the budget three times more than any other federal prison. For example, in 1959, the daily cost of holding a prisoner for Skala was $10.10, compared to $3 in the Atlanta prison. The high cost was explained by the fact that literally everything - food, fuel - had to be delivered from the mainland. There wasn't even one on the island drinking water, and about a million gallons of water had to be shipped to Alcatraz every week.

Since the prison's closure, many ideas have been discussed for the future use of the island. For example, it was proposed to build a UN monument here as the West Coast's answer to the Statue of Liberty. Businessmen tried to take the island for hotels and shopping centers, and the Indians - for the cultural center of the indigenous population of America. In 1969, a group of Indians actually took over the island, gaining enormous public support among a wide range of American society - from opponents of the Vietnam War to hippies and Hell Angels bikers. However, the Indians could not maintain order throughout the island, and in June 1971, by government decision, they were expelled from Alcatraz. In 1972, Congress approved the creation of Golden Gate National Park, and Alcatraz became one of the park's properties. In 1973, the Rock was opened to the public and has become one of the most attractive places in the National Park - about a million tourists visit Alcatraz every year.

San Francisco began as a city of adventurers obsessed with the glitz of the Gold Rush and the possibility of instant riches. From a small settlement of Yerba Buena it grew to a large modern city, which today attracts thousands of tourists.

Unfortunately, everything that was built before 1906 has practically not survived. As a result of a massive earthquake, old San Francisco ceased to exist. But gradually a new one began to appear - with magnificent squares, business districts and huge parks.

There are many amazing places in the city - this is Pier 39 with a colony of Californian lions that have settled right within the city limits, and a mysterious prison island, and a group of miraculously surviving Victorian mansions. In a word, everyone can find an attraction to their taste.

The best hotels and inns at affordable prices.

from 500 rubles/day

What to see and where to go in San Francisco?

The most interesting and beautiful places for walks. Photos and brief description.

Main transport artery Northern California and a recognizable symbol of San Francisco. The Golden Gate Bridge opened to traffic in 1937. The design was loved not only by motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. Many film directors have featured the Golden Gate in their films. Grandiose flying flights of red color can be seen in the films “Interview with the Vampire”, “Terminator 4”, “Superman” and others. The bridge was built according to the design of D. Strauss, I. Morrow and C. Ellis. The length of the structure is 2737 meters, width is 27 meters.

Former prison on an island in San Francisco Bay. This place became famous for the fact that famous and especially dangerous criminals were kept here under the strictest security. Until its closure in 1963, not a single person managed to escape from Alcatraz and survive. In 1969, the island was occupied by Indian leaders who protested against the government and believed that the Americans had forcibly occupied their rightful lands. Currently, Alcatraz has been converted into a museum.

Historical public transport, which began operating in 1873. The cable tram moves like a funicular along a cable car, that is, the engine is not in the car itself, but in the depot at the substation. Nowadays this transport is used more as tourist attraction, however, the system is capable of transporting up to 7 million passengers per year. In the middle of the 20th century, there was a serious struggle to preserve the historical line; in the end, after several reconstructions, it was decided to leave the tram.

One of the central squares of San Francisco, located in the district of the same name. It is surrounded by huge shopping centers, boutiques, hotels, souvenir shops, restaurants, salons and galleries. Life here is in full swing around the clock and does not stop for a minute. The square is the starting point for exploring the city, local residents They make dates and business meetings here.

Picturesque street, or, more precisely, a 400-meter section of the highway, located on Russian Hill. Lombard Street is famous for being shaped like a winding ribbon that descends to the highway at a fairly steep angle. For cars this is a rather difficult section of the road, but for tourists it is an interesting sight, like an attraction. The road surface of the street is made of red brick, with green lawns planted along the edges.

A city park with a fairly large territory (the area is about 400 hectares), which starts in the city center and ends on the ocean coast. Inside there are artificial lakes, hills, islands, waterfalls, dunes, plains, and several museums. The park has all the conditions for sports, walking, cycling and just have a relaxing holiday. In terms of attendance, the Golden Gate is second only to New York's Central Park.

A group of Victorian houses that survived the 1906 earthquake. The attraction is located on the territory of the elite city quarter of Nob Hill. The houses received the name “Painted Ladies” due to their architecture and bright exterior colors, which B. Kardum worked on in 1963. The picturesque wooden facades of the buildings are decorated with balconies, towers, verandas and other architectural delights.

A tourist port area, which is famous for its abundance of fish restaurants, shops, and museums. Ferries to Alcatraz depart from here, as well as a cable car line. During the Gold Rush, Fisherman's Wharf became a habitat for unlucky gold miners who turned to fishing for a living. The Maritime Historical Park is located in the area.

A marina with a wide variety of entertainment options, it is a popular vacation spot for visitors and residents of San Francisco. The main attraction of Pier 39 is the California sea lion rookery. Special wooden platforms have been built for the animals in the water, on which they rest and bask in the sun in whole flocks. In total, about 1,500 lions live in the pier area; they first appeared in the bay in 1989.

Bright and colorful Chinatown with traditional red lanterns and pagodas. Chinatown is not only a place of residence for emigrants from the Middle Kingdom, but also a popular tourist attraction. The area began to form in the middle XIX century, it became home to numerous Chinese refugees from Guangdong Province. Over more than 150 years of history, the quarter has grown and acquired its own infrastructure.

A small urban area with a large population of sexual minorities. Rainbow flags of the LGBT community are hung everywhere in the streets of the neighborhood. Local attractions are dedicated to the history of the emergence and development of the gay movement, as well as its struggle for equality. There is the LGBT History Museum, the famous Twin Peaks gay club with glass walls, and the Pink Triangle park.

Construction of the temple began in 1906 after the earthquake and lasted more than 50 years. Due to the seismic instability of the area, the architect had to abandon additional elements of façade decoration, as they could be destroyed during a natural disaster. The interior of the cathedral is made in the neo-Gothic style with numerous stained glass windows, frescoes and massive bronze gates.

The structure is located on the shore of an artificial lake. It is not a palace in literally, the structure is an open arched colonnade of white stone, surrounded by a picturesque park. In fact, the Palace fine arts- This is a more durable copy of the exhibit of the 1915 exhibition, which was called “Tower of Gems.” The residents of San Francisco loved the structure so much that they called it a palace and decided to preserve it for the city.

The largest museum on the West Coast of the United States and the second most popular in the entire country. Works by contemporary artists who worked in the 20th-21st centuries are exhibited here. Among the exhibits are works by Pollock, Klee, Matisse, Saarinen, Warhol and other famous masters. The gallery opened in 1935; in 1995, an original modern building designed by M. Botta was built for it.

Interactive exhibition founded by experimental physicist F. Oppenheimer in 1969. Some visitors call it the “mad scientist museum.” Oppenheimer himself could not hold academic positions after being accused of anti-American activities. He got a job as a science teacher in high school. At this time, he carried out many experiments to study the properties of the environment and materials, which became preparations for the future museum.

The exhibition is located on the territory of the Golden Gate Park. Its founder was M. de Young, a journalist from a local news agency. The exhibition halls house a collection of objects and works of art belonging to the period of the 17th – 21st centuries. – paintings, clothes, furniture, etc. Basically, the exhibits were collected in the Northern and South America, Africa and Asia-Pacific region.

The Museum of Natural History, which is also a serious scientific organization. The Academy was founded in the middle of the 19th century. The team is engaged in educational work, organizing exhibitions and conducting scientific research in various fields, which include marine botany, ichthyology, ornithology, paleontology, anthropology and other disciplines.

The exhibition is housed in a building that previously belonged to the Public Library. The museum displays exhibits brought from various parts of the Asian region. There is also a shop at the gallery where you can buy jewelry, Chinese porcelain, silk and various antiques. On the territory of the museum there are free excursions accompanied by a guide.

The museum opened to the public in 2009 thanks to the efforts of the daughter of a famous cartoonist. The building is located on the territory of Presidio Park. Here is a collection of personal belongings of W. Disney, his sketches and designs, models and other exhibits. One of the walls of the building where the exhibition is located is made of glass. Thanks to this you can admire picturesque views San Francisco Bay.

The museum is located under open air in the bay. It includes several facilities: a library, the museum itself, a marina and a visitor center. The exhibition is dedicated to the history of shipbuilding and navigation, as well as some events in the naval history of the United States. On the pier you can look at historical ships of the 19th-20th centuries. The museum library stores ancient documents - drawings, archives and maps.

The city hall building of 1915, built in an elegant architectural style bozar designed by A. Brown Jr. The building is crowned with a monumental dome, the interior is dominated by marble decoration, and statues of the mayors of San Francisco are installed in the corridors. Tours of City Hall are organized for tourists, or you can go inside on your own - on weekdays admission is free.

Most large market San Francisco, very popular among tourists. Retail space are located in the ferry terminal building, which is located in the central part of San Francisco. In addition to shops with a large selection of drinks and quality products, the market has a cafe, counters with prepared food and sections with products from local farms.

Skyscraper-pyramid, the most high building in San Francisco. Construction of the structure was completed in the 1970s. The tower reaches a height of 260 meters, it contains 48 floors, where offices and various retail premises are located. Every day 1.5 thousand people come here to work. Tourists cannot climb to the top of the tower, since only the first floor is open to the public.

The structure is located on top of Telegraph Hill. The tower is architectural monument difficult period in US history - the Great Depression (1930s). Inside, the walls of the building are painted with frescoes demonstrating current themes of those years: economic difficulties, unemployment, social protest. There are even drawings that depict sympathy for communist ideas.

A shopping center and entertainment complex located in the central part of San Francisco. The interior of the building is made in a somewhat pompous style for such a place; many structures are decorated with gilding and trimmed with marble. Inside the shopping center there are more than 170 high-end stores and several expensive restaurants. Westfield opened in 1988.

A baseball stadium located in one of the suburbs of San Francisco. It is an important sporting venue and a popular tourist attraction. The arena is home to the San Francisco Giants (a member of the US Major League Baseball). AT&T Park is not only capable of hosting matches, it is also ideal for hosting concerts, festivals and other large-scale public events.

A garden in a traditional Japanese style, located within the city's Golden Gate Park. In 1894, it was a temporary exhibit at the World's Fair, but later became a permanent garden. The gardener-emigrant from Japan M. Hagiwara took care of the park for a long time. Thanks to his works, visitors can admire picturesque alleys, pagodas, streams, cherry blossoms, arched bridges and stone statues.

A hill with an observation deck offering a breathtaking panoramic view of the city. There is a natural park on the slopes. It is best to arrive at the site before sunset. At this time, the sun's rays flood San Francisco with golden light and bright reflections play in the waters of the bay. According to many tourists, not a single skyscraper observation deck can compare with Twin Peaks.

A beach on the Pacific Ocean located in the westernmost part of Golden Gate Park. The Great Highway runs along the beach. The water in this place is quite cool, and in summer there can be fogs at temperatures as low as 9°C. It is better to visit the beach in late autumn or in early spring. Ocean Beach is the most attractive for surfing, but there are often dangerous currents.

A small beach with a length of 800 meters, located in the northwestern part of San Francisco. It is perfect for hiking, barbecue or sunbathing, but the water is too cold for swimming. From the beach you can clearly see the Golden Gate Bridge framed by picturesque coastal hills. Baker Beach is quite popular among nudists; there is a special area reserved for them. north side beach