Verrazano, an Italian about whom little is known, sailed into New York Harbour in 1524 and named it Angouleme. He described it as 'a very agreeable situation located within
two small hills in the midst of which flowed a great river.' Though he is not thought to be a great explorer, Verrazano will be remembered because the longest suspension bridge in the world which was designed by Othma Ammann was named after him on
Novemember 21st, 1964. The Verranzo Brige joins Brooklyn to Staten Island, with a
span of 4,260 feet. It consists of two great towers built on immense underwater
platforms made of steel and concrete. It took sixteen months to build the over 100-foot-
-tall platforms under the sea. Above the surface of the water, the towers reach a height of nearly 700 feet. The towers support four cables from which the brideg has been
suspended. Each of the four cables extends a length of 26.108 feet. Even if it were
packed with cars, the brideg would be filled to a third of its total capacity. In all, the
bridge is so simple and elegant that an enormous object can be suspended by the faint cables.
