This year, I went to Philadelphia for Thanksgiving weekend, only because it was a quick and convenient trip. I’ll be very frank; I had no expectations whatsoever about the city, in fact I was so delusional, it only goes to show how judgmental we sometimes can be. My preconceived ideas and utter ignorance made me believe Philadelphia is one of those depressing deserted cities, with not too much to see. But, oh how pleased am I to have discovered I was terribly wrong. Having booked a hotel room only a few hours prior, I did not have any plans on specific things to see while in town. However, walking towards the hotel I realized that downtown Philadelphia is a beautiful mixture of historical landmarks with cool modern-day mirrored skyscrapers.
I stayed at the Loews Hotel in the City Center, where the rooms were as spacious and comfortable as they can be, offering spectacular city views from above. Although the decor was nowhere near the art deco they wishfully presume to have, with a pool as sad as an old maid, I do recommend it for a weekend stay or a business trip.
Walking up Chestnut Street, five minutes away from the hotel, lies Independence Hall. I had booked a Free Tour by Foot tour for Saturday afternoon, which explored historical Philadelphia for somewhere near two hours. Our guide, Mike, was as funny and passionate a guide should be about a destination. He did not mind the teeth chattering cold we were all suffering from, although at his third tour of the day. His jokes and fun anecdotes made the tour slightly warmer 🙂
Around the Independence National Historical Park and its surroundings, I felt just like I was in London. The resemblance was striking, especially due to the Georgian architectural style of the Independence Hall and its adjacent buildings and the horse carriages driven on charming cobblestone streets.
This is where both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were debated and adopted.
By the time the tour had reached the Second Bank of United States, it was evident why Philadelphia came to be known as the “Athens of America.” During the late 1700s, many exquisite private and public buildings were built, including Andrew Hamilton’s Independence Hall.
The next stop was Carpenter’s Hall, where the First Continental Congress met, in regards to the passing of the Intolerable Acts by the British parliament, punishing the Boston Colonial Americans for the Boston Tea Party. This was in the early days of the American Revolutionary War, in 1774. In was pretty cool to see the actual place where the Congress members met and debated these issues, along with some of the original furniture of the time – seen above.
Another surprising history lesson was learning about Christ Church. Founded in 1695, it’s the best place to explore Colonial and Revolution-Era history. Its burial ground, which includes the tomb of Benjamin Franklin, is an authentic historic site for learning about the lives of early Americans. It was the first parish of the Church of England (Anglican) in Pennsylvania. It is also the birthplace of the American Episcopal Church.
What blew me away, however, was seeing actual graves placed down the aisle of the church, an European custom practiced in the early Anglican churches. I had seen Anglican churches before and I certainly know of European customs – being one – but I have never seen burial grounds down the aisle, where people can step on them. Much of the artifacts are original, such as the English chandelier above – slightly modified – with its candles still being lit.
Our tour guide, Mike, along with a church representative, told us about the true story of Mrs. Mary Andrews, a spinster (burial ground as seen in the picture above) that upon her death, left £100 as donation to buy bread to feed the poor at Christmas. In 1769, out of funds remaining from her bequest, the Church erected a new Pulpit and created a monument for the philanthropy. As it turns out, the amount that was left was invested, and has fed the poor to this day, 251 years after her death!
Following the historical landmarks, we entered the artsy area of the Old City, filled with beautiful houses, art studios, cafes and restaurants.
My absolute favorite was Elfreth’s Alley, popularly known as the “nation’s oldest residential street.” As you can see, the houses are in excellent condition, reminiscing Europe’s architectural styles. People still live in them – I imagine in quite challenging conditions, given the amount of tourists stopping by.
We also stopped by the Betsy Ross House, whose legend says she was the first to sew Stars & Stripes of the American flag. A woman said to have raised seven daughters all by herself (many of whom did not reach maturity), twice-widowed, plagued by constant loss and tragedy, she was known not only as a seamstress but a trained upholsterer. She worked until she became blind and died at the age of 84.
Our tour guide also went into details about the Quakers, their importance within the state of Pennsylvania, and the simplicity of their faith and rituals. If you have a few days in Philadelphia, a visit to the Quaker Meeting House would make for a fascinating afternoon.
To visit the Independence Hall, free tickets must be picked up from the Independence Visitor Center across the street. To my surprise, claiming the tickets did not involve waiting on line or losing my patience. My advice would be however to go earlier in the day, as by 1pm, tickets can be no longer available. I chose to visit it on Sunday.
As you start the tour, The Liberty Bell is also a must.
Once inside the Hall, you will see an authentic court room from those early days, as well as the Assembly Hall, where both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were debated and adopted. This is unequivocally the birthplace of America! Although the decor is not all original, it was constructed to look as it was in those days.
The one most important piece that is indeed original is George Washington’s Rising Sun Armchair, seen at the pulpit above. George Washington used this chair for nearly three months during the Federal Convention’s continuous sessions. We were told that James Madison reported Benjamin Franklin saying, “I have often looked at that behind the president without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting. But now I… know that it is a rising…sun.”
The chandelier is what caught my attention; a replica of the original one, it does date few centuries ago. And it’s stunning!
And now, as you learnt, just as myself, that the city of “brotherly love” is not all about Philly cheesesteaks alone, but a rich cultural heritage with a blooming art scene, I’ll leave you with an insightful quote:
“Wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy.” Benjamin Franklin
