Philadelphia – Brotherly Love is Just the Beginning

After watching the HBO television series Boardwalk Empire, I had a view of Philadelphia as a high class, liquor saturated city that had a reputation among the big players of the prohibition. Prohibition may be gone but the hard-drinking label still remains.

Like many American cities, the “City of Brotherly Love” experienced a tragic downturn that robbed the downtown of its energy. Today the city has become a model for gentrification and urban redevelopment. The Liberty Bell be dammed, this city is a great place to be, Philadelphia is a friendly city that holds no pretense. All the amenities of the big city can be found here, without many of the drawbacks.

A Little Geography:

Philadelphia was founded on the western shore of the Delaware river. On the eastern shore lies the State of New Jersey and the city of Camden. The Schuylkill River cuts the city off from its western suburbs before spilling into the Delaware River. The city lies in the heavily populated Eastern Corridor of the United States and sits almost half-way between Washington D.C. and New York. For those looking to escape the summer heat the Jersey Shore is located only an hour and a half away!

A Little History

Philadelphia was the most British of the Thirteen Colony cities and it should be no surprise that the “green town” founded by William Penn, was know as the most educated and genteel city in North America. The city brims with Victorian charm and strange curiosities. One the greatest American authors Edgar Allan Poe and the revered British novelist Charles Dickens, writer of “A Tale of Two Cities” met here in March 1842. Furthermore, Philadelphia has a history of innovation and a wealth of scientific discovery that goes back to Benjamin Franklin. It is this vibrant heritage that has propelled its urban renewal forward. The vibe in Philly is one that is interesting, strange and absolutely worth experiencing. Come see why this city was once referred to as the Athens of America!

Colonial Era

The site was occupied by Lenape Indians before European arrival. After the arrival of the colonists the Delaware river was then contested between Dutch, Swedish (I know right!) and English settlers until the fall of the Dutch New Netherlands to the English in 1664. By 1681 King Charles II of England gave the territory, that is now called Pennsylvania, to William Penn as a repayment of debt owed to him. This was a common practice at the time. Penn ordered the city built on the Delaware to serve as the principle port of the Pennsylvania colony and to be its capital. 

The reason Philadelphia rose to prominence so quickly is due to the ingenuity of William Penn, a Quaker. His convictions motivated him allow freedom of worship within his holdings and he cultivated good relations with the local native American tribes. Penn bought the land from the Indians, although he was not required to (his sons held no such scruples). This ensured peace for the new colony.

The city Penn had planned has never materialized as he had envisioned it. He had desired to produce a sprawling English town with large lots and yards that contained orchards and other vegetation. The large plots quickly gave way when the setters subdivided their plots and crowded around the Delaware river.

Revolutionary Capital

Before the revolution Philadelphia was a city on the rise. By the time the American Revolution had ended it had cemented its place in American history, surpassing Boston as the largest urban center in the nation and becoming the nations first capital. Before the revolution luminaries such as Benjamin Franklin made great improvement to the civic fabric of the city. You see, although Philadelphia was beginning to attract some level of wealth, the colony was still in its infancy and was rudimentary by European standards. Franklin set up the first library, fire department and the university of Pennsylvania as well as created valuable inventions. These shall be elaborated upon about in more depth later in this article. At the outbreak of the war Philly would host the First Continental Congress at Carpenters Hall outlining their grievances and demands from the British government. This represented a significant change where previously the colonial representative to Britain had no say in the administration of the colonies. The much better known Second Continental Congress, signed at independence hall, marked the beginning of De Facto independent colonial rule. Many of the signatories of this document were from Philadelphia.

The war brought many hardships to the city. Located in a strategic area at the heart of America it was first captured by the British and then retaken by the Patriots when the British army deserted for New York. It is just outside the city that the American Patriots, under George Washington, faced their greatest tribulations. In the winter of 1777, shortly after losing the city to the British, the American encamped at Valley Forge to wait out the winter and rally their forces. Under-supplied and badly nourished they suffered while the British along with upper crust of Philly society were hosting balls and celebrating 

For revolutionary war buffs, Benedict Arnold lived in Philadelphia while recovering from his wound at the Battle of Saratoga. An important and much maligned figure in American history, you have probably seen his name in a few of my posts including Ticonderoga, Tarrytown, Saratoga, Plattsburg and Newport. His time here was marked by with discord between differing patriot factions plotting intrigue against him. Nerveless, he married a Philadelphia socialite Peggy Shippen and bought an expensive house in Philly.  His time in the city certainly contributed to his betrayal of the American army at West Point, after which was labeled a traitor. A good article discussing Arnold in Philly can be found here.

Largest City in America

The nation’s capital was moved to Washington in 1800 and the state capital to Harrisburg in 1812 but Philadelphia had become the largest port in America. With imports from Europe slowing, the United States developed their own manufacturing industry, much of which was based in Philadelphia. Immigrants poured in from Europe and after the civil war African Americans began to make their long journey north, many settling in the city. This era is characterized with the construction of much of the civic infrastructure that would make the city iconic. The famous Museum of Art was completed in 1876 for the centennial exposition. This exposition was the first Words Fair held in the United States. The city hall was completed in 1901, it was intended to be the tallest building in the world, which the tower did achieve in 1894 when it was completed. During the early part of the 20th century many of the civil works still operating to this day were completed such as parkways, bridges and subways.

Decline and Revival

In the 1950’s industry restructured and the city began to decline as the wealthy, mostly white, residents moved to the suburbs. The downtown was crowded, dirty and crime increased significantly. Much of the city’s heritage fabric was turned into slum tenements, one could say that the city had lost its luster. Today the city has made a full recovery and is a vibrant place to be! Gentrification began in the late 1980’s, and has not let up since. The city has been held up as a model of urban renewal and many cities have tried to imitate the results.

Getting Around

As an old industrial city, Philadelphia has a wealth of legacy infrastructure. This is reflected in the many regional rail lines that connect the city center to far-flung suburbs and many other municipalities such as Trenton, NJ and Wilmington, DE. This system is called SEPTA, it is one of the largest in the United States. I found it to be fast, comfortable, affordable, clean and efficient. I would recommend taking this system if you plan of visiting a far flung neighbourhoods like Manayunk or alternatively if you wish to go to the airport. I was very impressed! For inner-city transit, the subway is available. The system consists of two main lines but is lacking in the sense that it is not a particularly extensive system. The metro does have the advantage of connecting to the SEPTA Regional Lines, Interstate Buses as well as the Amtrak Station. The two main transportation hubs for the city are located in the west end by the University of Pennsylvania and Downtown, near the Reading Terminal Market. 

Finally, for those coming from in from out of town by train, the Amtrak station is located in the city’s west end. It is part of the western transportation hub. The metro connects this station to the downtown or commuter rail hub and will allow you to take the train to the airport.

What to do in Philadelphia

Philadelphia is a city of neighbourhoods, as such it is best to concentrate on one area at a time and move one. The city is large and will take time to explore so be ready to walk. I have tried to include the neighborhoods in the order that I explored them but have had to make a few exceptions.

Note (Heritage Plaques):

Look out for these blue signposts located throughout the city. They tell the story of Philadelphia through its buildings, events and people. I have never seen a city with some many of them.

Old City

I began my exploration of Philadelphia in the aptly named Old City where my apartment was located. The district sits directly west of Penn’s Landing and is well connected to the city transit systems with a connection to the metro system. The district is bounded by Center City to the west, the Delaware river to the east, Society Hill to the south and north Philly past the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. This district hosts some of the most important buildings of old Philadelphia as well as many museums. 

Something I had looked forward to after my experience in New Orleans was the free walking tour by Free Tours by Foot. Safe to say the history tour in Philadelphia was a bitter disappointment to me, although that may be due to our guide who was more interested in giving us his personal favorite stories about the city rather than building an interesting narrative. As such we did not leave the tour having a better understanding of Philadelphia’s place in the American Republic. I think it would have been better with 

The tour starts at the Betsy Ross house, it was once home to the seamstress of the American flag and now serves as a museum. The bodies of Betsy and John Ross house are buried in the courtyard. While waiting for the tour I visited the premises and sat down in the courtyard to try my first Philly cheese steak, it was still early in the morning but I was too excited to wait. To know more about the food culture in Philly, see the foods section below.

There are many sights in the vicinity of the Betsy Ross house. To the south you have Elfreth’s Alley, a picturesque yet narrow 18th century Georgian alleyway, with old working-class tenements. Come early in the morning to avoid the crowds!

To the north you can visit an authentic Quaker School, the Historic Arch Street Meeting House. Furthermore, there is a large bust of Franklin (yes do take a selfie with it! I sure did) and the Christ Church burial ground. This burial ground is actually quite far from Christ Church, located three blocks to the south. This historic church was attended by the Philadelphia elite as well as many of the signatories of the declaration of independence. The fee to enter is rather high.

The graveyard also has a fee, although lesser than the church. It contains the graves of many revolutionary war figures, most prominent among them, Franklin’s. His grave is usually found covered with pennies as he coined (haha get it 😉 ) the term “A penny saved is a penny earned”. Franklins grave has attracted so many pennies that it helps pay for the cemetery maintenance, he was onto something with his pennies. In total 5 signatories of the declaration are buried here Francis Hopkinson, Joseph Hewes, George Ross and Benjamin Rush, as well as the previously mentioned Franklin. The nearby Christ church holds the bodies of James Wilson and Robert Morris, two more signatories of the declaration as well as Jacob Broom and Pierce Butler, two signers of the Constitution. Morris in particular is notable as he is one of the few that has signed all three major documents towards independence, the United States Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the United States Constitution. In addition he was he main financier of the patriot army.

The church itself is worth seeing from the outside, although I don’t recommend you pay the entry fee for either the graveyard or church. It is a tad pricey. The structure, built in 1744, is made of masonry is modeled in Georgian style. It includes a 60m steeple, built at a latter date, that was once the tallest building in North America. The baptismal font that William Penn was baptised in was shipped here from England and remains to this day.

For those looking for a convenient metro access, the 2nd street metro is located around the corner and is the easiest way to get in and out of Old Town.

Continuing north of Franklin’s grave you have the Independence Mall, a large patch of grass surrounded by museums and cultural institutions. These include the Liberty Bell, The National Constitution Center, Independence Hall and the rebuilt remains of a house George Washington would have lived in when he was in Philly. There are plaques that talk about the slaves that worked on the property and their stories. For those itching of thirst the independence Beer Gardens are located nearby!

For those looking to start their day here you can access the 5th avenue metro.

The area behind independence hall is the historic heart of the city and contains many of the buildings associated with revolutionary and pre-revolutionary America. The independence Mall stops here and continues south. There is a great statue of John Barry,  founder of the American navy located right behind the hall as well as the Athenaeum, an old library. Continuing south, though the mall, there are many more monuments from America’s past including many statues, the First bank of America, the Second bank of America, the Customs House, Merchant Exchange Building and Carpenters Hall.

Carpenters Hall, itself, is a building of particular interest. Constructed in Georgian style, it played host to the First Continental Congress in 1774. Here is a fun fact for history lovers: Oddly enough, the event that was attended by the Canadian province of Newfoundland (then under British control).

The 1930’s Art Deco customs house looms over old city and is the southern anchor of the National Mall. Right in front of it you can find the Museum of the American Revolution, one of the (3) three great revolutions that shaped the enlightenment (the other two are the French Revolution and the Greek war of independence). Newfoundland did not attend the subsequent meetings and remained part of the British Empire.

Exiting the mall on Third Street you will find many more gems including the Science Museum and the Museum of the American Jewish history a block to the west. Philadelphia was a center of American Judaism and many synagogues can still be found throughout the city. Continuing on third street there is a bar located in an old bank called National Mechanics serving science (beer!) on tap, I prefer this beer hall to the independence beer gardens. When you hit Market Street, turn west, you will hit a brick post office. Turn in and you will have entered the Franklin Museum and Post Office. 

This area is known as the Franklin Courtyard. At its center sits the framing of a house, marking the spot where the house of Benjamin Franklin would have stood. The original house that Franklin lived in was torn down and when the National Park Service bought the property they erected a museum on the site. Furthermore excavations were performed on the original foundation, they can be seen though glass panels located in the courtyard along with the excavated home water well. On some of the paving stones there are quotes from Franklin’s diaries and plaques with descriptions of the house.

The post office building located on site can be visited, although there is not much to see inside. The building next door houses a recreated printing press, Franklin’s first profession before he fled his brothers print shop in Boston at age 17 for the city of Philadelphia. In the shop they explain the grueling work that went into the printing industry.

The Franklin museum is located to the side of the house frame and is worth the price of admission. It is a small space that you can do in an hour but the price of admission is 5$, a fair price. Inside the museum, the life of the famous founding father is outlined so that you can understand how this polymath started at the bottom and worked his way to the top becoming the most interesting man in American history. Franklin was a printer, a political scientist, a scientist (in the realm of physics), a diplomat, a politician an inventor and much more. He was instrumental in restricting the power of wealthy landowners such as the Penn family, discovered electricity, invented bifocal lenses and by the time of the American revolution he had become the leading statesman of the Pennsylvania colony (as well as the eldest). Once finished in the museum there is a gift shop with a surprising plethora of Franklin accessories, including mugs, wine glasses, neon lights and much more.

Penn’s Landing (Waterfront)

From the old town you can access Penn’s landing from an overpass over the highway. This is the site where William Penn landed on the Delaware River to start his colony. Surprisingly, the waterfront was one of my favorite areas of Philly, especially during the evening when cherry street pier is animated. Around the corner from the Ben Franklin bridge is a microbrew located in an old sandstone building (good but not my favorite in Philly). On some nights there is even a hologram of a ghost pirate ship, although the attraction is seasonal (October). For more information on this area at night please see the nightlife section.

During the day this area is equally as interesting. It offers a great view of the city of the city of Camden on the New Jersey side as well as great cultural institutions such as the Independence Seaport. Continuing west, you have the Spruce Street Park and a Memorial to Columbus.

Spruce street park is a seasonal attraction best seen on a summer night. It uses up the space of a former dock, hammocks and installed and the whole thing is lit up. Sitting behind it are a few old ships and submarines to check out. In winter the park transforms into a skating rink, as such it may still be worth the visit.

Society Hill

Society Hill is one of the most interesting residential neighborhoods in Philly and possibly my favorite in the whole city. If I had known more about the neighborhood before coming I would have preferred to stay here instead. It reminds me of Soulard, where I stayed in St Louis. It is residential, with lots of brick, good restaurants, old churches, local businesses, cultural institutions, and some bars without being directly downtown.

The neighborhood used to be connected to the river, where a large market was erected. It was named after the free society of traders, a group of wealthy merchants that ran the new colony’s economy. As such many important Philadelphia families called Philadelphia their home. The neighborhood is located a hare south of Old City, bordering independence square and a hare West of Penn’s Landing. The athenaeum, mentioned in Old City is actually part of this ward.

The most attractive part of the neighborhood is called the Shambles. It is the remains of a massive covered market that once extended all the way to south street. It is one of the oldest in the united states, dating from 1745, and one of the prettiest. The head house, with its distinctive Georgian facade greets the visitor to the Shambles, or the market area. To both sides are narrow alleys lined by old brick tenements, that now house many shops. This area comprises the Head House historic district and there are great bars and restaurants to stop in at nearby!

The ward is home to many important religious structures. Pay special attention to the many synagogues, Philadelphia has a wealth of Jewish history. For history buffs make sure to see:

• St Peters church, its spire is so high that it is hard to get a good shot of it with the camera
• The Society Hill Synagogue, an old Baptist church that was converted into a synagogue.
• The Old Pine Street Church, the only Presbyterian building remaining from before the revolution it has been called the “Church of the Patriots” due to the fact that John Adams and many of the influential parishioners were supporters of Washington. George Duffield, the church pastor (you can see a wood carving of him in the yard), served as the Chaplin for the continental congress. Many attendees of the congress are buried here as well as the ringer of the Liberty Bell, Revolutionary war soldiers, a signer of the constitution and other influential people of the era.

One of the more obscure attractions is the house of Thaddeus Kosciuszko, it is the smallest unit of land in the National Park Service. A lesser known hero of the American revolution, his life and story are remarkable. He came to America of his own volition to help the cause of revolution and after serving seven years building fortification and leading armies in the continental army he returned to Poland. He would eventually lead the polish army during the uprising against partition. The hero was wounded and returned to Philadelphia in exile. He rested up here with his lifelong friend Thomas Jefferson. The museum is only open a few days a week but it is free to visit, so check the schedule before you come! If you visit the city of Krakow in Poland, don’t forget to visit his burial mound.

South Philly

My first impression of the city of Philadelphia was shaped by the South Ward. You see, the airport is located south of the city, and to go downtown you must first take the highway along the river. From the elevated highway sections you are granted a great view of the neighborhood, specifically towards the river. The first thing I remember about the South Ward was seeing the historic Navy Yard where three massive ships saluted me on my way into the city. It was grand and seemed of an era past, a time when Philadelphia was a prime base for the American Navy.

I returned to South Philly on my second day, excited to explore. South Philly is an amalgamation of many neighborhoods that comprise the south end of the city. The area is often overlook by tourist as there is so much to do in Old Town and center city but boast some of the best neighborhoods, street art, food and bars. There are actual walking tours just of the street art!

One of the most popular areas to grab a bite to eat is the Italian Market. This ward falls outside the original city boundaries as established by William Penn and as such grew quickly due to immigration. There is a mix of fresh produce vendors and gourmet shops surrounded by traditional row houses. The market is located on 9th street and is an icon of the city!

A major attraction in the ward is an art installation called the Magic Gardens and it is one of the strangest in Philly. The entry ticket will buy you access to a courtyard and a building covered in a mosaic of junk. From colorful tiles, to glass bottles, bicycle wheels and everything in between every surface of this property is filled (and even the toilet has murals!). The installation was created in the 60’s by artists that had moved into the street when it was slated for demolition for a proposed highway that never materialized. When the neighborhood turned around in the 90’s, they were able to purchase a few vacant properties thus creating the gardens as we know them today.

Center city

This area is the CBD (Central Business district) of the city. It is built in a grid plan around city hall, the land originally put aside by William Penn for his new city. It is located due west of the Old City. From the main boulevards you can see the towers of city hall, at its highest point sits the massive statue of William Penn. This statue can be seen from most parts of the city and is so large that it had to be cast in (14!) fourteen different pieces. If you wish to visit city hall you can ride a rickety elevator to the top but you must first purchase a ticket at the city hall ticket office.

To the east of city hall you can find the Declaration House. It is a reconstruction of the house that Jefferson wrote the declaration of independence in. Strangely the structure was only partially reconstructed and is attached to a modern building giving the impression that it is cut in half.

To the south you have the Wannamaker building and the gaybourhood. The Wanamaker Building is considered to be the first department store. It was conceived by John Wannamaker a pioneer in Marketing. It is now a Macy’s but still retains the luster of its past!

The Gaybourhood (it is actually referred this way by name), is one of Philly’s popular neighborhoods. It hosts great shops and dining experiences. When you leave Wanamaker’s by the south door you will be only a stones throw away.

As an aside Philadelphia loves Halloween. I have never seen so many properties decorated. I took a picture of this cheeky display in South Philly. McGillans Old Ale House just west of the gaybourhood was fully decorated! Grab a pint while you are at it!

For its part just two blocks south of city hall, on Broad Street South, you will find a distinct Victorian. The grand clubhouse is home to the The Union League of Philadelphia, a civil war exhibit. Not far from it is the old Belleview-Stratford Hotel (now just the Belleview). The opulent hotel was home to a grim but interesting tibit of medical history. This is where the outbreak of the 1976 Philadelphia Legionnaires’ disease outbreak. The disease is named after a Legionnaire convention held for the bi-centenial of the United States. During the tragic event, the bacteria circulated though the HVAC system and infected many participants. This is the first time that Legionella pneumophila was identified. Somehow the staff was unaffected.

On the north side of the city hall you have a variety of attraction including the ornate masonic temple of Pennsylvania, one of the finest in the world. Other attractions include the Reading Terminal Market. Built in 1893 under the elevated Reading Railroad train shed, it is one of the best urban markets I have visited. The market was almost demolished in the 1970’s, shortly after the destruction of the Dock street market in Society Hill (Urban renewal my ass!). Since then the market has been revitalized,  the Philadelphia convention center occupies the old train shed and the Jefferson Street Septa station occupies the basement, bringing in much needed foot traffic. The food operations are outstanding. For those interested the Pennsylvania Dutch vendors operate Wednesday through Saturday.

The market is well integrated with public transit. For use of the commuter rail lines the Jefferson terminal offers great connections and for local service the 11th street subway is a stones throw away.

For those looking for something off the beaten path the Pennsylvania hospital has the oldest operating theater in the United States. This hospital was founded in large part due to fundraising efforts by Benjamin Franklin. Today there are walking tours offered of the hospital for those interested in medical history.

Rittenhouse and Logan Square

The Rittenhouse and Logan square neighborhoods are bounded by the Schuylkill River to the West and the Center City to the east. These neighborhoods hold many of the institutions that make the city a destination for culture vultures everywhere.

Logan Square:

Logan square is located to the north of Rittenhouse square. Its center is Logan square, a roundabout where the Benjamin Franklin parkway meets the downtown core. At the center lies a massive fountain, the top jet of water of this fountain corresponds with the view angle of city hall. Around this roundabout sits a cluster of buildings that serve important architectural or institutional purposes.  I will note a few of them bellow:

• The Academy of Natural Sciences: a museum with many dinosaur fossils as well as mechanical dinosaurs fighting in the front yard.
• The Franklin Institute: A family oriented science museum with a giant heart. It is more for kids than adults.
• The Cathedral of Peter and Paul: A beautiful sandstone church with an ornate interior, a dome and Corinthian columns.
• The Parkway Library: A Central Library with an imposing exterior.
• The Ronin Museam: Slightly north west of the square, this art museum is dedicated to the works of the French sculpture Auguste_Rodin. It is the largest collection of his work outside Paris
• The Philadelphia Free Library host a creepy stuffed Raven belonging to Charles Dickens that inspired the Edgar Allen Poe poem, “The Raven”. Go to the rare books department to find him.

Rittenhouse Square

Rittenhouse Square is located south of Logan Square and to the south-west of city hall. It is a lively residential neighbourhood built around the Rittenhouse Park. Here you can find great cocktail bars, high end dining and lots of activity in the pedestrian realm.

The district contains some great lesser known attractions, some of them obscure and others just odd. The best know of these attractions is the Mütter Museum. The museum portion is attached to The College of Physicians of Philadelphia and contains medical anomalies of all kinds including slides of Einstein’s brain as well as other specimens removed from well-known Americans as well as medical tools of all kinds. Admission is steep but may be worth it for those interested in such things.

My favorite museum in the district is the Rosenbach Library. The library is located on a pretty tree lined street of 19th century rowhouses and if you are either a reader or a book lover this is the place for you. Admission will net you a guided tour of the property with a member of the very knowledgeable staff. The building was once the home of renowned book/manuscripts seller and collector Abraham Rosenbach. He was know as the terror of the auction room for his purchasing power and skill acquiring rare volumes.

The tour of the ground floor gives an overview of his family life, as such the life of gentile society, in Philadelphia though the home’s furniture and painting. It also tries to paint a picture of upper class Philadelphian life. The upper floors are dedicated to the fascinating world of book collecting and the colorful collectors themselves. It also examines the contribution to the literary world brought on by these types, more specifically when it comes to American novelists. In the Rosenbach office and library you will find many prized volumes of the famous collection. Books included here include the likes of Vampyr, Bram Stokers Dracula, as well as many books by Joseph Conrad Herman Melville, James Joyce and many others. At the end of your tour you will find a rotating exhibit on an American author. At the time of my visit the exhibit was on Herman Melville, author of Moby Dick based on the New Bedford, Ma whaling industry.

While we were there there was a special exhibition on Herman Melville, the author of Moby Dick. One story I can remember from the tour was the outrage James Joyce felt when a manuscript of Joseph Conrad was bought/sold (I cant remember!) for a higher sum than his work.

North Philly, Fairmount Park and Manayunk

This section covers a large geographic area, where attractions are fairly well spread out. North Philadelphia has a bad reputation, but I found it to be well worth the visit and I did not experience any trouble while here.

I began my day by taking the commuter train from downtown, to Manayunk. From the train you can see the decay of this once proud industrial sector of the city , with many brick factories lying in abandon and houses boarded up. There are also signs of gentrification in the areas surrounding Temple University and, of course, rows upon rows of those iconic Philadelphia row houses.

Getting off the train in Manayunk, I felt like I had stepped into a different city. This working class manufacturing town has obviously gentrified over the years but still retains its stucco charm. Manuyunk was once one of the leading manufacturing centers of Philadelphia, it is here that one of the first canals in the united states took shape and textile mills provided uniforms for the union army during the civil war.

The elevated rail will drop you directly in the center of the neighbourhood. You will be a few blocks away from the main street. To get there you will cross under the elevated rails and walk down towards the river. The main street contains many shops and businesses, including some of the best bars and restaurants in Philly. 

The neighbourhood is built into a the side of a hill, with mostly white stucco houses making up the bulk of the residential tenements. The spire of St John the Baptist Church, a Gothic Church, pokes out above the housing rooflines. Running parallel to the main street is the Manayunk canal, along with some old stone textile mills.

There is a path along the length of the canal, you can follow this all the way up to the Manayunk brewery, a popular establishment with locals. If you go on the back patio there is a view of the river and a rusted out iron bridge.

Walking around Manayunk you will be able to see some of the revitalization taking shape such as the conversion of old industrial sites to lofts.

The neighbourhood adjoining Manayunk is refereed to as the East Flats. Between both there is a stretch of forest hosting one of the more offbeat attractions in Philadelphia, the Cave of Kelpius, home of America’s first cult. You can also find a pretty stone bridge called Lovers Leap, this pathway can be an interesting walk for those with a lot of time.

In East Flats you can find the Laurel Hill Cemetery, as seen in the movie Rocky as well is the Drexel College of Medicine. Within it is the nerve of Harriet Cole. This body of an African-American woman has been used to show the full nervous system inside the body.

If all this walking didn’t exhaust you, the next attraction, the Wagner Institute, is one of my favorites, although you have to take the train back to Temple University to see it. You will walk though North Philly, with its many abandoned properties right along some of the most beautiful buildings in the city, a real eclectic mix but one that made it interesting. At one point we were on a really bad street, where not more than one or two units were occupied and the rest was boarded up or torn down. In contrast, the next street over was a very attractive street populated by university students. As such there was a few frat houses and lots of life.

The Wagner Free Institute of Science is a free museum, established in 1859 for the express purpose of teaching the citizens of the city about the natural world. It was founded by William Wagner, a prominent natural scientist who started his lecture series with only a few students before it grew so big he needed a whole building to hold his classes. Today, this Victorian science museum holds all the creepy treasures your heart could desire. The place is packed with animal remains, placed in accordance with Darwin’s theory of evolution with more complex species at the end of the display and simpler ones at the front. The museum is free but they ask for you not to take photography of the samples, so I took a picture of one of the classrooms instead. The main part of the museum is on the second floor and showcases what a science museum would be like in the Victorian era, it is well worth the visit. Leave a donation if you enjoyed it as much as I did.

My next stop was the eastern state penitentiary, but I got caught up looking at some more buildings on the north side including this Jesuit church.

And this school, called Girard College! The beautiful boarding school was the charitable work of Stephen Girard, a Philadelphia native who was one of the richest men in the United States. He left his fortune to many philanthropic causes, including the cost of educating orphans at this school. This was the largest charitable gift in American history at that time.

Finally I made it to the walls of Eastern State Penitentiary, albeit not a the front entrance so I had to walk around the perimeter until I hit the front gate. This massive prison complex has been left to rot and has now become an urban ruin. The hulking The Gothic exterior was meant to stand as a daunting reminder to the prisoners that there was to be no escape.

The historic trust tasked with maintaining the property runs tours of the property during the day. At night the complex turns into a haunted house (for the month of October). Buy your tickets online as it is cheaper! I did both the night and day tour.

The prison was built in 1829 as the worlds first penitentiary, as such the prison actually received many tourists during its inaugural years. The facility was considered a model for crime, punishment and rehabilitation and was emulated all over the world. One of these visitors, Charles Dickens was horrified with the institution. This is due to the fact that the Penitentiary was built with prisoner isolation in mind. This practice was meant to reform the prisoners based on the assumption that idle time in a confined cell would allow the prisoners to reflect on the harm they had caused. The prisoners were brought in to the cells blindfolded so that they would not see who their fellow inmates or guards were.

The prison was build with a central rotunda leading down several corridors with rows of cells. As you progress through the complex you will see the changes made to the prison over time. The institution migrated from holding fewer prisoner, but having them in solitary confinement to becoming an overcrowded facility. With pressure on the facility capacity solitary confinement was dropped completely in order to fit more prisoners.

The audio tour is given by the actor Steve Buscemi, who had first visited the complex when scouting for a movie location. The choice is an inspired one and the audio tour was of an excellent quality. The tour includes many stories from prisoners at the institution throughout the years and offers the option to go in depth with certain topics such as “Sex in Prisons” if desired. It offers an wealth of additional information, in the case above I learned that the prison was once a mixed sex complex and certain incidents changed the policy. The tour also tells you about famous prisoners, such as the gangster Al Capone, who was jailed here prior to being sent to Alcatraz in San Francisco.

The goal of trust that runs the prison today is to educate the visitor on the history of the prison, to elaborate about the legacy of crime and punishment in United States and to stabilize the rotting structure, maintaining the character of it as an urban ruin in the process. 

This brings me to the Halloween Haunt. The penitentiary trust hosts this charitable event on a yearly basis to raise money for the restoration of the jail. It is basically a giant haunted house that takes you though the prison complex for some interactive jump scares and some spooky acting. For those with a high tolerance for fright you have the option to wear a wristband that allows actors to take you away from your group!

As you enter the jail loud music plays and lights blare in every direction. The line may be long but this attraction is well worth the wait.

The haunted house takes place all though the jail. This takes about an hour to complete. When you are done, you are invited to join the Speakeasy at Al Capone’s cell if you have purchased a ticket. This includes a bar, where you are offered a complimentary drink and a musical act back in the jail itself.

Other attraction in the north end include the house of author Edgar Allan Poe, much like the Thaddeus Kosciuszko house the hours are limited and I missed out on the opening hours. 

Brewery Town and Fairmount Park

Although part of North Philly, I wanted to break this down into a smaller section as this small strip of land by the Schuylkill River hosts many of Philadelphia’s most renowned attractions. The most important of which is the Philadelphia Museum of Art

As you approach the city from the water you will see boathouse row, a series of beautiful boathouses for the socially connected elite that once ruled the city. Just before you reach the back of the museum you will see the waterworks. This is one of the best places to get a picture of the art museum.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is one of the most visited art museums in the world. The Art Deco Perelman Building on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway is also part of this facility it serves as an annex, as if the massive space wasn’t enough. The building is in Greeko-Roman style with large colonnades and a large raised staircase that makes it seem as its own acropolis. It is host to 240,000 objects, and would require a whole post to discuss its collection. Most people come here for the selfies on the Rocky steps, I do admit the view of the skyline sure is worth it.

University City

Located to the west of the Schuylkill River and the downtown core, this neighborhood is host to much of the academic life in the city. Both Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania have their main campuses here, although smaller satellite campuses are spread throughout the city.

The Schuylkill River is host to a cycling trail that offers a great view of Philadelphia skyline, glass buildings poking out of the historic core.  On the west bank of the river you will find the Amtrak station, a metro stop and access to many commuter lines, including the line to the Airport. The Amtrak station has a beautiful interior, you can see it in the movie Witness (1985) starring Harrison Ford. I was a little annoyed at Amtrak as they charge you quite a sum to hold your bags. I had a few hours to kill before catching my flight and it was pouring rain outside. Not wanting to have to my backpack (along with my passport) soaked, I opted to leave them at the station. It was a good choice as the rain only intensified from that point on.

The main attraction is the University of Pennsylvania. I for one, had no idea that the institution was an Ivy League school, but by the look of the campus it makes sense to me. I bought my train ticket to the airport and trekked on in the rain to what is one of the nine universities founded before the Revolutionary War.

The institution was founded in 1749 in large part due to Benjamin Franklin. You can find his statue wandering in front of the College hall building, the oldest building on campus. It is easily identifiable by its green stone facade. You may hear that this university was founded in 1740. This is revisionist history. The date was revised to 1740 so it would appear that the University was older than Princeton. In fact the university is 5th oldest in the United States, after schools such as Harvard, William & Mary Yale, and Princeton. Wandering around the Gothic buildings on campus is a great experience, I was particularly impressed by the Irvine Auditorium, located near the quadrangle. It is a Gothic building that almost looks like a Germanic styled masonry church from afar. 

Another building that impressed me was Franklin Field. It is the NCAA’s oldest football field and also houses many other sports such as track and field. The brown masonry structure is massive and dates from 1895 but has been expanded upon even since. Oddly enough it once was the home of the Eagles NFL team and can host over 50 000 people!

Needing some cover from the rain I decided to check out the Penn Museum. Walking south from the university towards Ben Franklin Field, I sported large masonry rotunda in byzantine style. Walking past both the rotunda and the stadium I made my way to the imposing entrance-way and gardens.

The elaborate entryway gave way to an equally impressive archaeology museum. The museum has multiple halls that take you through several periods of antiquity with objects from Etruscan, Mycenaean, Greek, Roman, Egyptian periods as well as the Sumerian city states and many others civilizations including a collection from China and from Central America. One thing I had not realized is how important the Archaeology was at the University and how it contributed to some of the important finding in history, including one particular one with the British Museum at Ur and many in Greece. One thing I sound interesting was a working room, open to the public, that shows an archaeologist at work. While we walked in they had a mummy on the table and staff was performing on it. 

The Chinese collection is housed in the impressive masonry dome, the largest unsupported dome in the United States. The most interesting object in that collection was a massive crystal ball from the Qing dynasty. It was surprisingly purchased as an antique from the Wanamaker department store and then subsequantly stolen. Here is an interesting article on the subject. 

For those with lots of time in Philly, the abandoned Mount Moriah Cemetery located a few kilometers to the west is worth the look. As well, the Woodland Mansion may interest you, this federal style property sports a carriage house and a small Gothic cemetery. For nature lovers go to Bartram’s Garden, founded in 1728 it is the oldest surviving botanical gardens in the United States.

In Clark park, located in the neighbourhood of Spruce Park, just west of the university, a statue of Charles Dickens can be found. It is one of the few in existence. An irony since Dickens did not want any statues of himself and secondly because he did not have rave reviews for the city he visited twice.

Day Trips

If you are looking to get out of the city for a day or two, the city sports some great options:

Camden, NJ:

There is not much to see in Camden but for those interested in World War 2 history, you can visit the Battleship New Jersey docked along the waterfront. With access directly across the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, this is an easy visit. There is also a branch of Rutgers University located in Camden.

Valley Forge, PA:

A good day trip for history lovers, Valley Forge is where George Washington waited out the winter with his troops during the Revolutionary War.

Bethlehem, PA

A pretty old Moravian town with a industrial history, it gets spruced up for Christmas. This is a a must see attraction at anytime of year but December is simply incredible. For more information read my post on Bethlehem, PA.

Atlantic City, NJ

Just an hour and a half away from Philadelphia, this coastal gambling paradise sports beautiful beaches and a long and tempestuous history along it’s world famous boardwalk.

Food to Try

Philadelphia is know for its surprisingly diverse and thriving food scene. The Philly Cheese Steak, a local favorite is a must try. The best are on the south side but can be purchased from the many street vendors around down.

The local chain for a quick eat to check out in Philly is the Wawa. The coffee shop, originating from Pennsylvania, is their equivalent of a Tim Horton’s chain in Canada. Wawa offers good food at affordable prices.

Philly is also known for its pretzels, the cheapest place to buy them is a Pretzel factory store. They are absolutely to die for! They sell them like bagels, where you can get them by the dozen something, I found to be hilarious.

Finally Philly has great restaurants and eateries, they are all over the  place and you should have no trouble finding them!

Nightlife

What to drink:

Philadelphia is a university city, with a young population with a penchant for drinking. The local macro is Yuengling, an American lager that can be found at any bar in town. For an American macro, it’s really not too bad. Where Philadelphia really excels is the microbrewery scene, my personal favorite was the Pale Ale, from Yards Brewing although I cant say I liked their amber nearly as much. For microbrewery lovers there is much to choose from and they are quite easy to find. 

Something I had not seen before was an adult apple cider on most bar menus. Fall, is seasonal for cider, and it has never tasted so good, especially when you add in a little bourbon

Where to Go:

It is not hard to find a bar in this city and if there is an Eagles game on it is likely packed to the brim. I will outline a few suggestion but by no means is this list definitive.  

Many people recommend the independence beer gardens due to their proximity to the mall and all the heritage attraction. I personally don’t see the appeal as the beer gardens are nothing special, they are just a wood canopy. If you want walk a few blocks down to a bar called National mechanics. It is just as close to the mall but is located in an old bank, with Corinthian columns, giving it a great atmosphere. I was drawn in by the sign that said “Science on tap”.

If you are drinking in center city, you have great options. Philly is known for its rooftop bars, and center city is the place to check them out. For those looking for something a little less contemporary check out McGillin’s Olde Ale House, a local favourite! It has been open since 1860 and is considered somewhat of an institution.

Another great place to drink is the waterfront. Although it is separated from the downtown by a freeway, it has everything a drinker could want but is best enjoyed in the summer months when the patios are open. La Peg, located near the race street pier and Ben Franklin Bridge is a restaurant and micro-brew located in an old brownstone and has a large outdoor terrace. located right beside the Race street pier you have the Cherry Street Pier. This large space on the Delaware river, turns into a a large event and terrace space during the warmer months.  South of here, in Penn’s landing, the Spruce street park will have pop up bars during the summer and winter months when the space hosts various park programming.

Society Hill and many neighbourhoods in the south end host some great dining and nightlife. On the main streets you can usually find a bar or a micro-brew. There are lots of options.

In the north end you can grab a drink at the bars outside Eastern State or venture all the way to Manayunk, where hipster paradise will greet you! This district is very popular with the young professional crowd.

Sports

Philadelphia is a sports town and the people here love their teams, and I mean all their teams, they are fanatics. I strongly recommend catching an eagles game (football), a flyers game (hockey) or a Phillies game (Baseball). If you attend a baseball game be on the lookout for Philly the Fanatic, one of the most iconic/infamous mascots in all of sports history.

Films

Philadelphia is associated with the Rocky film franchise, using the iconic museum of art as its backdrop. But have you seen the rocky movies recently? They may make Philly look cool but they are god awful movies!

Here are some more films that showcase Philadelphia:

• Dawn of the Dead (1978): Although most the movies takes place at the Monroeville mall outside the city, this is considered a Philly Classic and a classic of the Zombie genre. 
• Dressed to Kill (1980): This controversial Brian DePalma classic has a great opening sequence that takes place in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This thriller borrows heavily from Hitchcock.
• Blow out (1981): Another De Palma thriller, this one takes John Travolta to Philly. In the film he is a sound-man that witnesses a political assassination perpetrated by John Lithgow. Partnering with Nancy Allen, John Travolta takes the viewer all over the city.
• Trading Places (1983): This comedy film staring Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy, centers around a rich man and a poor man “Trading Places” over a bat. Hijinks ensues.
• Witness (1985): While a majority of the film takes place outside the city in Lancaster county, the opening sequence shows off Central Station. In this movie Harrison ford must hide out with the Amish to protect the witness to a murder. Good Fun!
• Philadelphia (1993): This legal drama starring Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington charts the story of a gay man with aids and his court battle after his dismissal from work. It is one of the first Hollywood movies dealping with homophobia and features a song by Bruce Springsteen.
• Twelve Monkeys (1995): This post-apocalyptic thriller starring Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt was largely filmed in Baltimore and Philadelphia.
• National Treasure (2004): Who doesn’t want to see Nick Cage being Nick Cage. This fun and silly movie takes place in many cities but Philly is one of them!
• M. Night Shyamalan Movies: The Philadelphia native loves to cast his hometown as the backdrop to his movies. The Sixth Sense (1999) and Unbreakable (2000) are notable examples.

Extras

More Pictures of Philadelphia

More Pictures of Manayunk

More Pictures of UPenn and Drexell

Conclusion

After I finished up exploring the Penn Museum, I holed up at a university bar called the New Deck Tavern, waiting for the rain to subside a bit. While drinking, I thought to myself, if I had one more day in Philly what would I do. The answer was easy, I couldn’t fit all I wanted to do in a day. There is so much still to do I would need a few more days. Philadelphia is exhausting but worth it!