Today is the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Verrazano Bridge. 

The beautiful bridge spans NY harbor, connecting Brooklyn and Staten Island.  Upon opening day in 1964, it was the world's longest span.  The span was designed to be 60 feet longer than the previous #1, the Golden Gate Bridge.  Fifty years later, it has fallen out of the top ten and is now the 11th longest.  

The bridge has an iconic form and shape, and provides a grand, sweeping entrance to NY from the sea.  It has terrific “bridginess”- a visual expression of bridging.It was the last major project developed by the Robert Moses through the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority.  Another bridge proposed to connect Long Island to Connecticut was never built.  It was also the last project under supervsion of chief engineer, Othmar Amman.

A slide show from the original construction can be found here.