Construction began on January 5, 1933 and the bridge opened on May 27, 1937. Its main span is 4,200 feet, and it was the longest suspension span in the world until 1964. The towers rise 746 feet above the water.
Joseph Strauss oversaw the project. Leon Moisseiff conceived the suspension design, and Charles Ellis did much of the engineering but received little credit while he lived.
Architect Irving Morrow designed the Art Deco touches and chose the color. He picked International Orange because it suits the setting and shows up in fog. The Navy had suggested black and yellow stripes.