If there’s one piece of infrastructure that cinema loves to destroy, it’s the Golden Gate Bridge. The famous bridge in San Francisco collapses under Godzilla’s attack in Godzilla (2014), is swept away by a tsunami in San Andreas (2015), and is torn in half in X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) when a mutant lifts it to access Alcatraz.
Built between 1933 and 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge stretches 2.7 km long and rises 227 meters high. But above all, it’s a strategic structure for the San Francisco Bay Area. According to the Golden Gate Bridge Highway & Transportation District, 112,000 vehicles cross it every day, and in 2024, tolls alone generated $154.3 million.
A unique piece of engineering marvel—and a global icon—visited by 10 million people annually. Tourism in the Golden Gate Recreation Area contributes $1.5 billion a year to California’s economy.
Its beauty and recognizability have made it not only one of the most famous bridges in the world, but also a favorite of filmmakers, who often use it as a symbol of catastrophe and rebirth.