San Francisco

37.7749°N, 122.4194°W.

City at the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula, occupying 121 km² between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The city is built across approximately 50 named hills, with grades up to 31.5% on Filbert Street between Hyde and Leavenworth — among the steepest paved streets in any major city. The 1906 earthquake (magnitude 7.9) and resulting fires destroyed 80% of the city; reconstruction kept much of the pre-earthquake street grid even where it climbed implausible slopes. The Golden Gate Bridge (1937, 2,737 m total span) crosses the strait at the Pacific entrance to the bay; the orange color (International Orange) was specified by consulting architect Irving Morrow over Navy preference for black-and-yellow stripes. The San Andreas Fault runs 16 km offshore directly through the bay; the next major rupture is overdue.

A city built on five dozen hills above two transform faults rebuilt itself on the same street grid after losing 80% in one morning — and the bridge is the wrong color on purpose.