San Francisco

San Francisco is after Los Angeles and San Diego the third greatest town in the federal state of California. It is situated in the north of a hilly peninsula which seperates the Pacific Ocean from the San Francisco Bay. The north of San Francisco is limited through the Golden Gate. The original inhabitants and owners were the Costanoan Indians. Not until 1769 a group of Spaniards discovered the San Francisco Bay. In 1776 a village named Yerba Buena was founded which was taken by the Mexicans later. But when the USA bought Yerba Buena from the Mexicans for 500.000$ in 1846, the name was changed into San Francisco. The first boom which S.F. experienced was the gold rush in the year 1848. On 24th January James Marshall discovered gold in Coloma. When the outside world heard that thousands of people streamed to S.F. to continue their travel at the Sacramento River. To the end of the year 1849 the city of gold grew to 25.000 people. In 1850 S.F. became the capital of California. Another recovery was the completition of the Central Pacific Railroad in 1869 which drove from the east coast to S.F.. Until 1900 the small settlement grew to a city with 340.000 people. The 18th April was the blackest day in the history of the city. An earthquake distroyed a big part of S.F.. Today there live 700.000 people. 100.000 blacks there are many Asians whose part of the whole population is higher than in other American cities: 14.000 Japanese, 30.000 Filipinos and 85.000 Chinese who built Chinatown.San Francisco's Chinatown is the greatest home for Chinese outside Asia.Besides Chinatown is the most densely populated part of S.F.In S.F. you don't need your car.The most important means of public transport are the buses,but the most famous are the cable cars.The first cable car was inserted in 1873.The airport in the south of the city is one of the greatest airports of the United States.S.F. has a mild climate.No snow in the winter and in the summer it isn't very hot.The wormest month is September with maximum temperatures of 23 degrees.A peculiarity of S.F. are the fogs,which has been forming along the coast.To noon the city and the Golden Gate Bridge are hidden in sea - fog.The bridge was opened in 1937 after 4 years of difficult construction.Today it's the second - longest bridge with 2,8 km and you need one hour to go over the bridge.Another sight of S.F. is Alcatraz - Island.The prison island lies two kilometers away from the coast in the bay.Since 1973 you can visit the prison.The ten highest buildings of S.F. are in the Financial Center.Outside of this part no one is allowed to build any other skyscrapers.The two highest buildings are the Transamerica Pyramid (260m) and the Bank of America (232m).That's the greatest bank of the United States.In contrast with Los Angeles S.F. was never a good industrial town.But the tourism is very important for the economy.S.F. is one of the most  popular Olestinations of the USA.

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