SAN FRANCISCO

In March 1776 in the northern part of the peninsula, which is now the city of San Francisco, was founded Presidio - the first Spanish military fort and the first Catholic mission - Mission Dolores. At forty nameless hills grew fragrant grass "Uerba buena", so called, and the first settlement, which arose here in 1835 - "Yerba Buena" (Good Grass).

In 1846 this settlement captured Americans, who, in the hope of heaven′s favor renamed it San Francisco - in honor of Francis of Assisi. First, in the village lived only a few dozen people, and its economic activity was less than in the fortress of Ross, the projected 120 miles north of Russo-American company to fish for sea animals and the fur trade.

But St. Francis did not disappoint: two years later, gold was discovered here, and obscure before the Californian town with a population of only 500 people rushed thousands of fortune seekers. If in 1848 an obscure port was visited by a total of 15 ships, then in the next year - already 755. Railroad here did not yet exist, but the settlement with the lightning turned into a city and soon became a port of world significance. Five years later, San Francisco already had 50,000 inhabitants.

In order not to sleep in tents or under the eaves, the settlers brought with them prefabricated houses: while the forest around was enough, but people hurried in search of gold. Several hundreds of ships that arrived immigrants, also served as housing, restaurants and even a prison.

Photo — «San Francisco»

People of different nationalities participated in the development of San Francisco, and because as a result of decades of "gold fever", he turned into a city of many religions, languages and cultures.

Development of the first urban plan for the San Francisco Irish engineer engaged DO Farrell. He planned to create in large type on the boulevard Champs-Elysees in Paris, and so, despite numerous protests, cut a broad Market Street diagonally to the already laid out the streets. She became the central thoroughfare of the city.

In 1856 the French architect Verseman ferried from their homeland in his house and built a model in San Francisco a few more. Similarly, the house appeared from Holland, England, Scotland and spacious building for the restaurants in 1850 were imported from Belgium, and the houses made of granite was built exclusively Chinese, as only they could read the instructions that came with the influx of Chinese stone blocks.

Wealthy citizens were invited for the construction of their houses are usually the architects of world renown. The city grew, developed and prettier, it erected magnificent buildings of public institutions and hotels, industrial corporations and banks. Moreover, the banks ended up not only gold but also silver, discovered in 1859 in the neighboring state of Nevada.

In the architectural point of San Francisco was an odd mixture of old and new buildings. Many of them were built without any regard to possible natural disasters, and yet close to the city is the San Andreas Fault - a sort of giant "scar", which stretches across diverse natural area.

Photo — «San Francisco»

Since its foundation, San Francisco experienced many earthquakes, while some of them even had a small fracture. But none of the serious danger of the inhabitants of the city did not think.

Early on the morning of April 18, 1906, too, there were no signs trouble: on the eve of the weather was beautiful, warm evening drew in parks and theaters of the masses of the people, restaurants and cafes, even the night were full of visitors. Meteorologists have predicted a clear, calm weather, and the day promised to be cool. But in 5 hours 11 minutes local time, came the first blow from which I awoke many residents, followed by a second - the most powerful and destructive, followed by a whole series of tremors, but weaker.

A terrible roar and crackle of bursting buildings as devastating tornado that swept across the streets. From the underground strike, which lasted just 40 seconds, shake skyscrapers, streets reared up, broke off power lines, gas pipes and electrical conductivity of burst pipes . . . Writhed asphalt, the pavement flying boulders, exploding tramlines, overturning cars and trucks. A giant cloud of dust has shot into the sky and eclipsed the sun. Suddenly the gathering darkness enveloped the whole of San Francisco, and only the bright and alarmingly bright glow of fires broke out. Handsome city, situated in the cozy Green Bay, the resort city in a few seconds turned into flaming ruins . . .

In memory of this earthquake every April 18 in 5 hours 11 minutes in the morning at "Lotta fountain, located on Market Street, residents are going to San Francisco.

Photo — «San Francisco»

By longstanding tradition, they are sent to paint the golden hydrant, through which three days continually bring water to extinguish the fire.

The city was revived very quickly, and already in 1915 adopted the Panama-Pacific Exhibition held in honor of the opening of the channel. At the beginning of XX century in San Francisco began to build the first high-rise buildings, many of which today adorn the city center. The heart of the financial district is a forest of skyscrapers, built of glass, steel and concrete. One of the symbols of the city was the building of the corporation "Transamerica" - a pyramidal structure, built in 1972.

The symbol of the city is elegant and orange-red bridge "Golden Gate" thrown over the Golden Gate Strait - the longest suspension bridge in the world. Movement on it opened May 27, 1937, and this was laid a direct route between San Francisco and Marin County. It was then silenced by those who insisted that such a bridge can be built.

A construction of the bridge was a matter of really difficult: there were even accidents with workers who in most difficult conditions for 4 years struggled with flooding, swift currents and dense fog, to build this bridge is 1,730 meters long. The most difficult was the laying of foundation piles for the south bridge, but the builders have coped with this task . . .

"Golden Gate" from the outset a fresh coat of paint was orange-red color, which is always used in the erection of steel structures.

Photo — «San Francisco»

Such paints contain lead component, which protects the steel from rust, in addition, the color of the bridge is clearly visible in the often thickening fog.

To the north of the Golden Gate "is located the famous park of San Francisco, the first of which was the architect WH Hall. After him, the park courted Scot DA McLaren, who landed here about 2 million trees and created a lot of attractions in the park. He even developed special rules of conduct, for example, forbade the workers to wear gloves and smoke during work. To park sculptures D. McLaren treated with complete indifference, as if they were still set, then quickly tried to hide them for overgrown with bushes.

City Park was built on sand dunes, and everything in it is - the hills, waterfalls, valleys, lakes, islands - was created by human hands. In the oasis, "Golden Gate" are, for example, several gardens - Bible, Garden and other flavors. There in the park, Shakespeare Garden, where specially grown trees, which are mentioned in the works of the great English playwright.

San Francisco, on the scale of Europe and Asia - the city is very young, the oldest of its stones not more than 200 years. Today San Francisco is changing and more beautiful, and at the same time, the city carefully preserves the memory of times past. Here, try to preserve not only the old houses, but even the details of them, for example, the facades of buildings affected by earthquakes and fires.

In 1978, the attraction of national significance in San Francisco announced public center, built in neoclassical style.

Photo — «San Francisco»

Several buildings from the gray granite picturesquely situated around the area of the George C. Marshall - carpenter, who first discovered the gold mine.

If you travel to San Francisco from the south, urban change is conspicuous immediately. Gone plum and apricot orchards, and along the road there are entire villages of mobile homes. Skyscrapers in the city built a relatively few, and the building you modern buildings, the architects tried to combine them with the traditional architecture style of the Spanish period.

Over the past decade San Francisco has changed less than other American cities. This is a city of white two-story houses, built in the style of Victorian architecture. It seems that they all look alike, in fact, similar no. When you look at San Francisco from Twin Peaks hill, in a clean air emerges almost the whole city: white, sparkling, with bays and bridges in the eastern part and the vague outlines of the ocean - in the west. Knowingly claim brochures America: "You leave your heart in San Francisco!".