Philadelphia

Philadelphia , United States

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Although it's dear to the hearts of America's flag-wavers, there's a lot more to Philly than the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. However, despite the support of patriots and the cappuccino set, the 'City of Brotherly Love' has long been the butt of jokes by WC Fields and other laugh-a-minute types.

When the insults finally soaked in - just in time for America's bicentennial in 1976 - the city began renovating. The soon-to-follow Rocky films sentimentalised Philly's tough-guy reputation, born in the Ben Franklin fraternity of rebellious Constitutionaries.

Philadelphia now enjoys recognition as a major cultural centre with world-class museums, performing arts centres and some stunning architecture - and don't forget those pretzels! Cheered for their cheesesteaks and hallowed for their hoagies, Philly's foodies recently took the lion's share of Condé Nast Traveler's best-of-the-nation restaurant recommendations, while the city itself was voted the country's friendliest.

Area: 136 sq km
Population: 1.6 million
Country: USA
Time Zone: GMT/UTC -5 (Eastern Time)
Telephone Area Code: 215, 267, 445

Orientation

Philadelphia sits on the west bank of the Delaware River in southeastern Pennsylvania near New Jersey's western border. New York City is a 2-3 hour bus ride north. Most of the central Philadelphia area lies between the Delaware River, which runs north and south through town, and the Schuylkill River, a tributary, in the west.

Philadelphia is easy to get around. It's laid out in a grid and divided into four quadrants, each with its own park; most of the major sights and accommodations are within walking distance or a short bus ride or drive from each other. Market St crosses the city east/west; Broad St runs north/south. Most visitors to the city spend their time in historic Old City and Center City, which are laid out around public squares (Penn, Franklin, Washington, Rittenhouse and Logan) with City Hall more or less in the middle. The other main areas of interest are University City (in West Philadelphia), Fairmount Park (northwest of downtown) and South Philadelphia.

Philadelphia International Airport is 8km (5mi) southwest of Center City. The Amtrak train station is on 30th St in University City beside the Schuylkill River. The Greyhound bus terminal and NJ Transit station are both in Center City. A ferry service operates from Penn's Landing in Old City across the Delaware River to nearby Camden, New Jersey.

Philadelphia

When to Go

Philadelphia can get unbearably humid in the summer and freezing cold in the winter, making spring and autumn, which are generally characterised by warm days and cool nights, the best time to visit the city. If you can stand the crowds, Philadelphia comes alive with patriotic frenzy and fireworks every 4th of July (Independence Day).

Events

Mummers Parade on New Year's Day sees 30,000 men wearing sequins, feathers, makeup and risqué costumes spectacularly strut their way around town accompanied by accordions and glockenspiels. The event's been taking place since the 1700s. Penn Relays in April is one of the world's oldest, largest and best amateur athletic carnivals, held at the University of Pennsylvania. The Jambalaya Jam in May is a 3-day celebration of Creole and Cajun food and New Orleans music at Penn's Landing. You better believe that the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence gets down on Independence Day; the Philadelphia Freedom Festival sees fireworks, parades and concerts during the first week of July.

Philadelphia

Attractions

Independence National Historic Park

Independence Park is an L-shaped area west of the Delaware River that features Philadelphia's most renowned historical sites. Called the birthplace of American government, Independence Hall was built between 1732 and 1756 as Pennsylvania State House, the colony's headquarters. One of the country's best examples of Georgian architecture, its simple, understated lines also show the Quaker influence of Philadelphia's early days. The Second Continental Congress later met here from 1775 to 1783. The Assembly Room is where the delegates from the 13 colonies met to approve the Declaration of Independence on 4 July 1776; where the design of the US flag was agreed upon in 1777; where the Articles of the Confederation were drafted in 1781; and where the Constitutional Convention was held in 1787, producing the US Constitution.

Beside Pennsylvania State House is Congress Hall, where the US Congress met between 1790 and 1800 when Philadelphia was the nation's capital. Here, the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments, were added to the Constitution, the US Mint was established, George Washington was inaugurated for his second term and Kentucky, Tennessee and Vermont were admitted to the Union. Nearby, Independence Square is where the Declaration of Independence was read publicly for the first time on 8 July 1776.

Liberty Bell Pavilion is Philadelphia's top tourist attraction. Commissioned to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Charter of Privileges (Pennsylvania's constitution, enacted in 1701 by William Penn) this 2080lb (936kg) bronze bell's inscription reads: 'Proclaim liberty through all the land, to all the inhabitants thereof.' The bell was secured in the belfry of Independence Hall and tolled on important occasions, most notably the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in Independence Square. The bell became badly cracked during the 19th century; despite initial repairs it eventually became unusable in 1846 after tolling for George Washington's birthday.

Near to Independence Hall is Franklin Court, Ben Franklin's home and workplace. An underground museum on the site displays Franklin's various inventions, including a heat-efficient stove to warm houses. The National Portrait Gallery was the second bank of the US until 1836, when it was dissolved by President Andrew Jackson. It now houses several pieces of art by Charles Wilson Peale, America's top portraitist at the time of the American Revolution. Other exhibits include a copy of the first edition of the Declaration of Independence and early prints of Philadelphia from when it was the nation's capital.

Old City

Old City was Philadelphia in the city's early days. The face-lifted Elfreth's Alley is believed to be America's oldest residential street, with colonial-style houses dating back to 1728. The Betsy Ross House is also in Old City. Some uncertainty surrounds Betsy Griscom Ross, an 18th-century seamstress. Although it's now known that she didn't design the American flag, she may or may not have sewn the first US flag for the early federal government. This is the house where she lived and where you can see her sewing machine and other tools. The US Mint in Old City is the world's largest.

The National Museum of American Jewish History and the Afro-American Historical & Cultural Museum contain some of the best collections in the country detailing the role of Jews and African Americans in American history. Congregation Mikveh Israel was founded in 1740 in Old City and is the second oldest congregation in the US. It's one of only four synagogues in the world that uses the Sephardic Rite.

Old City is the far mideastern section of Philadelphia along the Delaware River and confined within Walnut and Vine Sts and Front and 6th Sts.

South Philadelphia

South Philadelphia has been settled by succeeding waves of immigrants: from the Dutch and Swedish settlers of the 17th century, through the Jewish and Italian arrivals in the 19th and early 20th centuries, to the black, Hispanic and Asian settlers of more recent years. The Italian Market is the main attraction and, though still largely Italian, vendors and customers reflect the city's ethnic diversity. If that's not enough, take a peek at the Mario Lanza Museum. Lanza was born Freddie Cocozza in South Philly, where the crooning singer and actor first studied his craft. Another fine cultural experience is to be had at the Mummers' Museum.

Philadelphia's yearly Mummers Parade on New Year's Day sees 30,000 men strut their way around town in sequins, feathers, makeup and risqué get-ups. Exhibits at the museum include some of the extravagant costumes and photos and videos of the parades. The museum also features a digital clock that counts down the days to New Year's Day.

Philadelphia

Off the Beaten Track

Pennsylvania Dutch Country

Pennsylvania Dutch Country is home to a community of Amish, Mennonites and Brethren collectively known as 'Plain People.' They started arriving in the area in the 1720s and are unified on the issues of separation of church and state, a Bible-centred life, voluntary adult membership, the importance of family and community and a 'forgiving love' that translates into conscientious objection to war. The core of the Pennsylvania Dutch region is a string of towns, farms and sights spread out over an area of 20 by 15mi (32 by 24km). These lie to the east of Lancaster, the area's main city and more or less its western boundary. East of Lancaster, the most visited road is Route 340 (Old Philadelphia Pike), with the towns of Bird-in-Hand and Intercourse. South of this and also running east-west is Route 30 (Lincoln Hwy), which is lined by dairy farms, farm guesthouses and crafts workshops. To get off the beaten track, take any one of the side roads between Routes 30 and 340.

Most Pennsylvania Dutch live on carefully manicured farms, but because of a rising population, urbanization and other outside pressures, many also now work in small-scale industries, producing quilts, furniture and crafts. The Amish refer to anyone outside their community as 'English,' wherever they might be from. Keep in mind that the Amish object to having their photo taken.

The Pennsylvania Dutch Country is a 90-minute drive west of Philadelphia on Route 30. There are daily buses and trains between Lancaster and Philadelphia.

Pocono Mountains

Pocono comes from 'pocohanne,' a Lanape Native American word meaning 'stream between the mountains.' The region is home to over 100 varieties of trees and many rare species of plants and animals. A natural 'four-season' choice for nature, sports and outdoor enthusiasts, it's a heavily touristed area especially on weekends and in the fall when visitors come to see the changing colours of the hardwood trees.

The Delaware Water Gap is a 37mi (60km) long national recreation area on the border with northwestern New Jersey, which also includes about 25mi (40km) of the Appalachian Trail. It's full of opportunities to hike, mountain bike, ski, canoe, sail and camp. Bushkill Falls, part of the gap, is a series of eight waterfalls which drop 100ft (30m) over silt-stone and shale.

The Poconos occupy 2400 sq mi (6200 sq km) of Pennsylvania's northeastern corner, bordering New York and New Jersey. Stroudsburg, at the intersection of several highways, is the main commercial centre of the Poconos. Buses travel regularly between Stroudsburg and Philadelphia, about a two hour drive away.

Valley Forge National Historic Park

Valley Forge was the site of the US Army's renowned winter encampment from 19 December 1777 to 19 June 1778, while the British occupied Philadelphia (then the capital of the new nation) during the War of Independence. Not a battlefield, the site is held as a symbol of bravery and endurance - 2000 of George Washington's 12,000 troops perished because of freezing temperatures, hunger and disease. Despite such losses, the army was reorganized and emerged to eventually defeat the British. The British withdrew in 1778 after the Articles of Confederation were approved by Congress and Americans made an alliance with the French. Important sights include the National Memorial Arch to the soldiers who endured that winter and the Monument to Patriots of African Descent, a bronze statue honouring the 5000 blacks who died in the war.

Valley Forge is 20mi (32km) northwest of downtown Philadelphia. You can get there via a 40-minute bus trip from downtown; by car take the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) west.

Philadelphia

History

In March 1681, England's King Charles II granted William Penn a charter to a parcel of land west of the Delaware River. Charles dubbed the area 'Penn' in honor of William's father, with Penn the Younger adding '-sylvania', meaning 'woodlands'. Brimming with pacifist Quaker idealism, Penn regarded his colony as a 'holy experiment' and ensured as its governor and proprietor that its laws respected religious freedom and liberal government. Penn chose Philadelphia as the capital of Pennsylvania in 1682, optimistically naming it after the Greek for 'brotherly love'. A survivor of London's Great Fire of 1666, he made sure the city's design included a grid system with wide streets, not the narrow, winding maze that had caused so much havoc in England's capital. This format was to become the inspiration for most American cities.

Philadelphia quickly grew to become the second largest city (after London) in the British empire, before ceding that title to New York City. Opposition to British policy in the colonies became seated in the city, where colonial leaders would meet to plan their course of action. The result was the Declaration of Independence, and in 1790 Philadelphia became the temporary capital of the new United States before Washington DC got the job in 1800. The US Constitution was drawn up and first read here in 1786. Often led by the multitalented Benjamin Franklin, Philadelphia became a centre for developments in the world of arts and science.

Between 1793 and 1820 Philadelphia suffered five yellow-fever epidemics, which killed thousands but led to the construction of the US's first city water system. Philadelphia's fortunes declined in the 19th century, as New York took over as the nation's cultural, commercial and industrial centre. Philly never regained the stature of its early years, despite continued cultural and educational innovation, commerce and shipbuilding, and a brief boomlet following WWII.

During the mid-20th century, Philadelphia, like many American cities, watched much of its middle class forsake the city for the suburbs. The 1970s saw Philly grapple with inner-city tensions, typified by the firefights between the police and the paramilitary MOVE group. However, by 1976, lavish plans for the nation's bicentennial had inspired a citywide cleanup and renovation campaign.

The city's population continued to decline in the 1990s, but that didn't stop the urban renewal. Philadelphia has indeed become a model of just how much can be achieved, largely through the efforts of its two-term mayor, Ed Rendell. While preserving a good deal of its architectural heritage, and remaining a national centre of science, medicine and higher education, Philadelphia now boasts new theatres (including the impressive glass-enclosed Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts), a convention centre, new museums, hotels, restaurants and clubs. The city's gastronomic scene has attracted the attention of foodies from afar.

Philadelphia

Getting There & Away

Philadelphia's airport, located just 8km (5mi) southwest of the city, is served by direct flights from Europe, the Caribbean and Canada, with connections to Asia, Africa and South America as well as over 100 destinations in the US.

Philadelphia International Airport is 8km (5mi) southwest of the city centre. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation System SEPTA runs rail lines from the airport into the city every 30 minutes. Shuttle buses, limousines and taxis also operate between the airport and the city. There are rental car agencies at the airport and in town.

Buses travel to Philadelphia from New York City, Newark, Atlantic City, Washington DC and even San Francisco (an excruciating 27-hour ride). If you prefer to take a train, Philadelphia is on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor route, which runs between Richmond, Virginia, and Boston, Massachusetts, via Washington DC and New York City. There are also trains west to Lancaster, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Chicago and south to Florida. NJ Transit has a frequent rail service between Philadelphia and Atlantic City.

Several highways lead through and around Philadelphia, making it easy to come and go by car. From the north and south, the Delaware Expressway (I-95) follows the eastern edge of the city beside the Delaware River, while the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-276) runs east across the north of the city and over the river to connect with the New Jersey Turnpike. Ferries operate on the Delaware River between Penn's Landing in Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey.

Getting Around

Driving isn't recommended in central Philadelphia; parking is difficult and regulations strictly enforced. Most downtown distances are short enough to walk.

SEPTA provides comprehensive transportation service in the city and suburbs, both on rail and bus systems. A trolley bus is a good way to visit many of the sights. Three subway lines travel under the city.