San Francisco is Northern California’s cultural, commercial, and financial center. The city has a population of 815,201 people, making it the thirteenth most populated city in the United States. The city became known in 1849 as the center of the Californian Gold Rush, which pushed it to the position of being the most populous city on the West Coast at the time. Some of the most popular attractions are Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, Alcatraz Island, and Union Square.