1. Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, Calif.

We checked around to make sure we weren’t being parochial here, but even our overseas correspondents agreed on the No. 1 bridge in the world. There are many suspension bridges out there, and even a handful with spans that are longer, but there is only one Golden Gate Bridge. It links the northern edge of the San Francisco peninsula to Marin County, was designed by Joseph Strauss, and completed in May 1937. Its towers rise to a height of 746 feet and the entire bridge is painted in instantly recognizable International Orange—a color that provides enhanced visibility for passing ships in this famously foggy city. (It’s also said that repainting the bridge never ceases—a perpetual undertaking.)

For more information: Golden Gate Transportation District