The 13 Top Landmarks in Philadelphia

One of the biggest metro areas in the country, Philadelphia attracts droves of visitors, domestic and international alike, every year for its spectacularly preserved slice of American history, its eye-catching cityscape and a mighty passionate sports scene.

Philadelphia offers some of the finest sightseeing opportunities in the country, especially for those interested in American history. This guide to the13 top landmarks in Philadelphia highlights a wealth of historical sites, such as world-class city parks and one of the oldest, yet still vibrant, public markets in the United States.

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The most iconic landmark in Philadelphia is the famously cracked Liberty Bell, commissioned in 1751 and originally hung in the Pennsylvania State House (now known as Independence Hall). Legend holds that it rang after the Second Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, though it’s not clear if this happened.

Regardless, the Liberty Bell—inscribed with “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants Thereof”—remains a symbol of freedom, associated not only with the American Revolution but also many subsequent national struggles, such as the civil rights and women’s suffrage movements.

The Liberty Bell Center housing the artifact also includes exhibits about its creation and significance. If the line to view the bell up close turns you off, keep in mind you can eyeball it through a window from outside the center.

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·Address: 520 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106

The old Pennsylvania State House, now called Independence Hall, has hosted some of the foundational events of U.S. history: from the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on the Fourth of July in 1776 to the drafting, in 1787, of the U.S. Constitution during the Constitutional Convention.

As the largest of the Independence Square buildings, Independence Hall is one of the centerpieces of Independence National Historical Park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The daily timed ticketed tour (available for a nominal $1 handling fee) lets visitors enter the Assembly Room, where both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed.

The West Wing of Independence Hall, meanwhile, can be explored separately during open hours (no tickets required). It displays original copies of the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution among its exhibits, along with the Syng Inkstand employed for the signing of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution.

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Sharing Independence Square with Independence Hall and originally built as the Philadelphia County Courthouse, Georgian-style Congress Hall housed the U.S. Congress from 1790 to 1800, when Philadelphia served as the nation’s temporary capital. George Washington was sworn in for his second term as president inside Congress Hall, which also witnessed the inauguration of President John Adams. Among the other notable events that took place within Congress Hall were the establishment of the Federal Mint and the U.S. Department of the Navy.

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Built in a colonial Georgian style between 1727 and 1744, Christ Church welcomed such historically significant worshippers as George Washington and Betsy Ross (brass plaques marking the spots in the pews where some of the illustrious visitors sat). The original chandelier, mounted in 1740, still hangs from its ceiling.

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A few blocks from the church itself, the Christ Church Burial Ground is another must-visit in the City of Brotherly Love for history buffs. Among the 1,400-odd graves here is the final resting place of Benjamin Franklin. (Some visitors leave pennies on his gravestone for good luck after the famous “a penny saved is a penny earned,” saying). Franklin is among five signers of the Declaration of Independence buried here.

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Many historians consider the widely told story of seamstress Betsy Ross sewing the first Stars and Stripes—based on a sketch shared with her by none other than George Washington—an apocryphal one. Regardless, Ross did indeed make many flags, not to mention (records suggest) bed hangings for George and Martha Washington. Tour her circa-1740 home, which includes her busy upholstery shop and meet “Betsy” herself as you do.

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While not the very oldest Black church in the U.S., the Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church, established in 1787, occupies the oldest continuously African-American-owned piece of ground in the country. Founded by Reverend Richard Allen as the Bethel Church to provide a place for African-Americans to worship freely, the “Mother” in the name reflects its status as the mother church of the A.M.E. denomination.

The gorgeous building is notable for some spectacular stained-glass windows and a fascinating museum in the basement crypt, which includes such items as Rev. Allen’s original pulpit and muskets used by Black troops that Allen mustered for the War of 1812.

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You should visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art for its first-class collection, of course, but there’s no question that part of its appeal is its big-time cinematic credentials. Some of Philly’s standout photo ops center around the museum’s stairway, widely known as the “Rocky Steps” on account of Sylvester Stallone’s iconic ascent of them—and fist-pumping routine up top—in Rocky. Besides reenacting that scene, you can pose at the base of the stairway beside the Rocky Statue, originally installed for the filming of Rocky III.

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Set in John F. Kennedy Plaza (aka LOVE Park—a stone’s throw from City Hall, the LOVE Statue is, by definition, one of the nicest landmarks in Philadelphia and arguably the city’s quintessential photo op. Created by artist Robert Indiana (1928-2018), the statue was originally displayed on loan in 1976 for the nation’s bicentennial celebration; after outcry over its removal, a local businessman and chairman of the Philadelphia Art Commission, F. Eugene Dixon, bought the statue and donated it to the city.

Memorialize your visit to the City of Brotherly Love by posing for a photo beside LOVE, backdropped by the plaza fountain, Benjamin Franklin Parkway and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

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Established in the mid-19th century, Fairmount Park is Philadelphia’s oldest park and among its flagship public gathering spots, a gorgeous 2,000-plus-acre greenspace naturally divided into two sections by the Schuylkill River.

Along with its multiuse trails, picnic areas, playgrounds, sports fields, concert venues and fountains, the park encompasses such top-tier attractions as the Philadelphia Zoo, the Shofuso Japanese House & Garden and such historic buildings as Strawberry Mansion. The views of the city skyline from the Belmont Plateau make for a quintessential Philadelphia vista.

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Among the oldest public markets in the country and another of the top landmarks in Philadelphia, the Reading Terminal Market has been going strong since 1893. The location features 80-plus vendors including a few representing family businesses that were part of the very first edition. From farm-fresh Amish fare from Lancaster County to a smorgasbord of international eats, the market is a place to survey the bounty of Greater Philadelphia’s cuisine.

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This two-story brick Georgian-style building housed the First Continental Congress in 1774, during which firebrand Patrick Henry spoke and delegates voted for a trade embargo against the British Empire. A visit to the building lets you see chairs used by the First Continental Congress delegates, a scale model showing the building’s construction and a banner displayed during the 1788 Grand Federal Procession celebrating the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

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Perhaps the oldest continuously inhabited residential street in the U.S., Elfreth’s Alley offers a kind of time travel, being lined by more than 30 historic homes dating from the 1700s and 1800s. Named for Philadelphia blacksmith and developer Jeremiah Elfreth, the alley is a National Historic Landmark. Besides exploring on your own or joining a guided tour, you can learn more about the corridor in the Elfreth’s Alley Museum.

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