Situated on the northern end of Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Eakins Oval is one of city's most significant landmarks. Designed by Jacques Gréber, the traffic circle is named after famed pianist Thomas Eakins, and is the site for numerous cultural shows, parades and festivals. The oval is also home to the famous Washington Monument- a fountain most notable for its intricate sculptures.
The red-bricked Georgian building in the midst of the 45-acre (18.2-hectare) Independence National Historical Park is one of the most recognizable historical landmarks in the nation, emblematic of the culmination of a series of epoch-making events that led to the birth of an independent America. The place where both the Declaration of Independence (1776) and the Constitution of the United States (1787) were signed, the Independence Hall has come to be synonymous with the the ideas of freedom and democracy that the declaration is hinged on, and stands tall on Philadelphia's historic Chestnut Street, flanked by side wings and a steeple. Constructed between 1732 and 1753, the famed Independence Hall was the brainchild of Andrew Hamilton and Edmund Woolley, and also served as the meeting place for the Second Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention. The iconic Liberty Bell is located right around the corner, although its original home was Independence Hall's bell tower.
Open now
A joint project of the Franklin Institute Science Museum and Please Touch Museum, this is an interactive outdoor park for parents and children. Free with admission to either the Franklin Institute or the Please Touch.
The Walnut-Chancellor Historic District is an area spread across 5 acres (2.0 hectares). Located in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood of Philadelphia, it displays a mix of the Italianate, Gothic and Colonial Revival styles. The district has 51 buildings that contribute to its historic nature. This beautiful historic district has been adorning the National Register of Historic Places since 1980.
Although not used for any commerce or trade today, The Merchants' Exchange Building is a city landmark that is hard to miss. Situated between Dock Street and Third Street, this Greek-revival building is an architectural treasure of the city and is now a national historic landmark. In its heyday, the exchange building was used for real-estate dealings, business transactions, auctions and as a post-office after it was built in the mid 1800's. The architect, William Strickland, used Athenian structures as a model for the Merchants' Exchange Building and later went on to design other national landmarks like the U.S. Mint and the U.S. Naval Asylum. Today, the stately building is run and occupied by the Independence National Historic Park and houses a small exhibition room to display the building's history.
