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| City Guide - Philadelphia - City Overview | ||
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City Overview Situated between the Schuylkill and Delaware rivers, just across from Camden, New Jersey, Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania and the fifth largest city in the USA. Famed as the birthplace of the United States and the nation's original capital (1790-1800), it was founded in 1682 by the English Quaker, William Penn, who envisioned the colony as a 'holy experiment' to create a land of tolerance and religious freedom. Philadelphia flourished as settlers flocked to it, many of them fleeing persecution; Penn named the town after the Greek for 'brotherly love'. Many of the city's - and the nation's - most famous sights are preserved in downtown's Independence National Historical Park, including the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. Colonial Philadelphia was also home to the great statesman Benjamin Franklin, who founded the country's first hospital, library, fire company and university. At the turn of the nineteenth century, Philadelphia was known as the 'Workshop of America', as its cotton mills, textiles manufacturing and steam-powered machinery plants led the country into the Industrial Revolution. Today, manufacturing is on the decline and new high-tech industries, such as medical technology and electrical components, are emerging. Health care is a leading sector, as is medical education (one sixth of America's doctors train here) and service industries, such as tourism, banking, legal and insurance services. Philadelphia has much more to offer than hallowed historical sights. It is an exciting city of culture and the arts, with a renowned orchestra, world-class museums and some of the country's leading restaurants. There are over 100 neighbourhoods with a multi-ethnic population that gives the city a vibrant atmosphere, from the bustling Italian market to the African-American festivals, the blues and jazz clubs and the traditional Amish community who sell produce and foodstuffs in Reading Terminal Market. Quintessentially Philly foods, such as cheesesteaks, soft pretzels and hoagies (sandwiches), reflect the range of traditions. Philadelphia is also the gateway for those travelling west into Pennsylvania Dutch Country, north into the ski resorts of the Pocono Mountains and southeast to the Delaware Peninsula and Atlantic Seaboard beaches. Thanks to William Penn, who devised a logical grid pattern for the streets, it is easy to get around. Downtown Philadelphia is known as Center City. The main thoroughfares of Market Street, running east-west, and Broad Street, running north-south, meet at the central hub of City Hall. Forming four quadrants around City Hall are the Parkway Museums district, the Convention Center district, and the Washington Square and Rittenhouse Square districts. Further east are the oldest areas, the Old City and Society Hill/Waterfront districts along the Delaware River. Local weather can be changeable, with moderate amounts of rain throughout the year. Summers are warm with occasional heat waves. Winters can be cold with periods of snowfall. The William Penn statue on the top of City Hall has always been a beloved symbol of the city and for decades a gentleman's agreement prevented the construction of any building that would surpass its height. The erection of the Liberty One office tower in 1987 broke the mould and, while Penn still enjoys a supreme view, Philadelphia's soaring skyline reflects the city's progressive outlook for the twenty-first century. |
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