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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Landmarks

The landmarks listed below are located in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Academy of Music

Academy of Music

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102
Opened in 1857, the building is the oldest grand opera house in America used for its original purpose. It is the home of the Pennsylvania Ballet and the Philadelphia Opera Company.

African American Museum in Philadelphia

African American Museum in Philadelphia

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
Built in 1976 for the nation's Bicentennial, the African American Museum in Philadelphia was the first institution funded and built by a major city to preserve, interpret and exhibit the heritage of African Americans.

Atwater Kent Museum of Philadelphia History

Atwater Kent Museum of Philadelphia History

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
Designed by John Haviland, the Greek-Revival style building was the original home to the Franklin Institute, which opened for students in 1826. It has been the city's history museum since 1938.

Awbury Arboretum

Awbury Arboretum

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19138
The Awbury Arboretum was established in 1916 by the family of Henry Cope, a Quaker shipping merchant. The grounds were partially designed by William Saunders, designer of the Cemetery at the Gettysburg Battlefield and of the U.S. Capitol grounds.

Benjamin Franklin Bridge

Benjamin Franklin Bridge

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Benjamin Franklin Bridge, originally named the Delaware River Bridge, is a suspension bridge across the Delaware River connecting Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Camden, New Jersey.

Benjamin Franklin Craftsman Sculpture

Benjamin Franklin Craftsman Sculpture

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107
This sculpture by Joe Brown was presented to the city of Philadelphia by the Pennsylvania Free Masons whose temple is across the street. The artwork was dedicated on June 27, 1981.

Benjamin Franklin National Memorial

Benjamin Franklin National Memorial

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Located in the the Franklin Institute Science Museum, the National Memorial features a 20 feet (6m) tall statue of Benjamin Franklin sculpted by James Earle Fraser between 1906 and 1911.

Betsy Ross House

Betsy Ross House

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
The Betsy Ross House is generally recognized as the place where Betsy Ross lived when she may have made the first American Flag. The building was built around 1740 and is presented as it would have looked when Betsy Ross lived and worked there.

Carpenter's Hall

Carpenter's Hall

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
Build in 1770 and owned by oldest trade guild in America, Carpenter's Hall was the site of the First Continental Congress in 1774. Today it is part of Independence National Historical Park.

Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul

Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The cathedral was dedicated on November 20, 1864 by James Frederick Wood, the first Archbishop of Philadelphia. It is modeled after the Lombard Church of St. Charles (San Carlo al Corso) in Rome and is of the Roman-Corinthian style of architecture.

Chinatown

Chinatown

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107
Chinatown functions as a popular tourist destination, a center of trade, and as a home to many of the city's finest ethnic restaurants and bakeries. It is the fourth-largest Chinatown in the United States.

Chinese Friendship Arch

Chinese Friendship Arch

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107
The Friendship Arch is an ornate paifang, a gate or archway used to divide regions of a city. Though many North American Chinatowns have these arches, Philadelphia's version is considered to be more elaborate than most.

Christ Church

Christ Church

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
Constructed between 1727 and 1744, Christ Church is the birthplace of the American Episcopal Church in the United States. The congregation included 15 signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Citizens Bank Park

Citizens Bank Park

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19148
Home to the Philadelphia Phillies, Citizens Bank Park is a 43,647-seat baseball-only stadium that opened on April 3, 2004. The ballpark was built to replace Veterans Stadium.

Elfreth's Alley

Elfreth's Alley

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
The houses in this small street have been privately owned and lived in since the early 1700's, making Elfreth's Alley the oldest continuously inhabited residential street in the country.

First Bank of the United States

First Bank of the United States

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
Chartered in 1791, the First Bank of the United States was erected in the neo-classical style to echo the democracy of Ancient Greece. The bank building was restored for the Bicentennial in 1976.

Fort Mifflin

Fort Mifflin

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Originally called Fort Island Battery, Fort Mifflin was commissioned in 1771. During the American Revolutionary War, the fort was a centerpiece of the British conquest of Philadelphia.

Franklin Court

Franklin Court

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
This is where Benjamin Franklin lived and worked in Philadelphia. The court contains recreations of storefronts and apartments owned and run by Franklin, plus a "ghost house," a steel representation of his house. There is also an underground museum.

Free Library of Philadelphia (Central Library)

Free Library of Philadelphia (Central Library)

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
The Central Branch of the Free Library is one of two buildings that are replicas of those in the Place de la Concorde in Paris. This was done in part to help establish the Benjamin Franklin Parkway as Philadelphia's Champ Elysees.

Girard College

Girard College

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19121
This boarding school teaches grades 1 through 12 on a 43 acre (170,000 m2) campus. It grants full scholarships to eligible students from families with limited financial resources, headed by a single parent or guardian.

Gloria Dei (Old Swede's) Church

Gloria Dei (Old Swede's) Church

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19147
Founded in 1677, Gloria Dei is the second oldest Swedish church in the United States. The building is Pennsylvania's oldest church building, having been completed sometime around 1700.

Grumblethorpe

Grumblethorpe

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19144
In September 1777, during the Battle of Germantown, the British General James Agnew occupied the house as his headquarters. He was wounded and died in the front parlor, where his blood stains can still be seen on the floor.

Independence Hall

Independence Hall

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
Originally the home of the Pennsylvania Assembly and Supreme Court during the Colonial Era, the building was called the Pennsylvania State House. The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were adopted and signed here.

Joan of Arc Statue

Joan of Arc Statue

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19130
This sculpture originally stood at an intersection in Paris but was removed when a subway was constructed. It was placed here by the Fairmount Park Art Association as part of a movement to beautify the park with sculpture and landscaping.

Liberty Bell

Liberty Bell

Philadelphia, County, Pennsylvania
The Liberty Bell rang out for important events during the Revolutionary War and America's Federal period, but did not acquire its famous name until the 1830's, when it became a symbol for the abolitionist movement.

Mann Music Center for the Performing Arts

Mann Music Center for the Performing Arts

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19131
Originally founded as the summer home of the Philadelphia Orchestra, The Mann Center is the only outdoor cultural arts venue in the Philadelphia region and one of the largest of its kind in the nation.

Memorial Hall

Memorial Hall

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19131
Memorial Hall was built as an art gallery for the 1876 Centennial Exposition. It was the original home to the Philadelphia Art Museum. It was one of America's first examples of Beaux-Arts architecture.

Merchants' Exchange Building

Merchants' Exchange Building

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
Upon its completion in 1834, the building became the financial center for Philadelphia, housing commercial houses, marine insurance companies, the Philadelphia Board of Trade, and the Philadelphia Stock Exchange.

Morris Arboretum

Morris Arboretum

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19118
The Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania features thousands of rare plants, including some of Philadelphia's oldest, rarest, and largest trees.

Municipal Services Building

Municipal Services Building

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102
Because City Hall could not hold all the offices necessary for the city's government, the Municipal Services Building was constructed to house many of the city's administrative offices and services.

National Constitution Center

National Constitution Center

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Located within Independence National Historical Park, the Center is dedicated to the history and continuing relevance of the Constitution of the United States. The museum contains exhibits, artifacts and a theater.

Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts

Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts was founded in 1805 by painter and scientist Charles Willson Peale, sculptor William Rush, and other artists and business leaders. It is the oldest art museum and school in the nation.

Pennsylvania Eastern State Penitentiary

Pennsylvania Eastern State Penitentiary

Philadelphia, County, Pennsylvania 19130
Designed by John Haviland and opened in 1829, Eastern State is considered to be the world's first true penitentiary.

Pennsylvania Hospital

Pennsylvania Hospital

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107
The Pennsylvania Hospital was founded in 1751 by Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond, making it the oldest hospital in the United States. The Pine Building was the original hospital and was based on the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Philadelphia Bourse

Philadelphia Bourse

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
The Philadelphia Bourse was the first commodities exchange in the United States. Completed in 1895, the building was one of the first steel-framed buildings to be constructed in the city. Today, it houses a shopping mall and office complex.

Philadelphia City Hall

Philadelphia City Hall

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107
The world's tallest masonry building, Philadelphia's City Hall is 548 feet (167 m) tall including the statue of William Penn. The statue is the tallest atop any building in the world.

Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)

Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19153
PHL is the 10th busiest airport in the world in terms of aircraft activity. The airport is the primary international hub of US Airways. It has seven terminal buildings, which are divided into seven lettered concourses.

Philadelphia Museum of Art

Philadelphia Museum of Art

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19130
The Art Museum stands on 10 acres that was formerly the reservoir for the Fairmount Water Works. It is one of the largest art museums in the country and holds over 225,000 objects.

Philadelphia Museum of Art: Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building

Philadelphia Museum of Art: Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19130
Formerly the Fidelity Life Insurance Building, the Philadelphia Museum of Art bought the property and renovated it for use as an annex.

Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Completed in 1987, the memorial is located in Philly's Penn's Landing area just across from I-95. This section of I-95 is also called the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway.

Philadelphia Zoological Garden

Philadelphia Zoological Garden

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
The Philadelphia Zoo was the first zoo in the United States. It is considered one of the premier zoos in the world for breeding animals that have been found difficult to breed in captivity.

Physick House

Physick House

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
The building was once the home of Philip Syng Physick, who is known as the father of American surgery. From his home medical office, he treated many well-known patients including Dolly Madison, President Andrew Jackson and Chief Justice John Marshall.

Reading Terminal

Reading Terminal

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107
The Reading Terminal is a complex composed of three parts: the Reading Terminal Headhouse, the Reading Terminal Trainshed, and the Reading Terminal Market. The station opened on January 29, 1893.

Rodin Museum

Rodin Museum

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
The Museum was the gift of movie-theater magnate Jules Mastbaum and opened in 1929. It holds the largest collection of Rodin�s work outside of Paris.

Samuel Powel House

Samuel Powel House

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
Samuel Powel served as the last mayor of Philadelphia under English rule and was the first mayor of the city after the creation of the United States. The house is considered one of the best existing examples of a Georgian Colonial townhouse.

Second Bank of the United States

Second Bank of the United States

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
The Second Bank was incorporated in 1816. Designed by William Strickland, this building, built between 1819 and 1824, is one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in the United States.

Smith Civil War Memorial

Smith Civil War Memorial

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19131
The Smith Civil War Memorial was erected between 1897 and 1912 under a bequest of Richard Smith. It features several statues of the military leaders of the war and a whispering bench.

The Union League of Philadelphia

The Union League of Philadelphia

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102
The Union League was established in 1862 to promote loyalty to the Union and the policies of Abraham Lincoln. The classic French Renaissance-styled League House dates back to 1865 and is listed in the National Historic Register.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier honors the thousands of soldiers who died during the American Revolutionary War, many of whom were buried in mass graves in the park. Built in 1954, it features an eternal flame and a statue of George Washington.

U.S.S. Olympia

U.S.S. Olympia

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Olympia is the sole floating survivor of the U.S. Navy's Spanish-American War fleet. It was from her deck, during the Battle of Manila Bay, that Commodore George Dewey spoke the famous words "You may fire when ready, Gridley."

United States Mint

United States Mint

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
Completed in 1969, this is the fourth building to house the nation's first mint. Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the minting process, see the original coining press used in 1792 and purchase commemorative coins in the gift shop.

Washington Square

Washington Square

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
Washington Square was originally called Southeast Square and was one of the original parks created by William Penn in his plan for Philadelphia.

Top 10 Most Popular Philadelphia Landmarks

  1. Liberty Bell
  2. Independence Hall
  3. Benjamin Franklin Bridge
  4. Benjamin Franklin National Memorial
  5. Academy of Music
  6. Pennsylvania Eastern State Penitentiary
  7. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
  8. Benjamin Franklin Craftsman Sculpture
  9. Betsy Ross House
  10. Philadelphia Museum of Art: Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building

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