Philadelphia City Hall

Getty Images/Fuse

City Hall

Top choice in Philadelphia

LoginSave

Completed in 1901 following 30 years of construction, City Hall takes up a whole block, and at 548ft is the world's tallest structure without a steel frame. The view from the observation area immediately beneath the 27-ton bronze statue of William Penn that crowns the tower takes in most of the city; reserve tickets as space is limited. The daily interior tour is a treat, too, and will give you a greater appreciation of this grand building.

In winter, the Rothman Ice Rink sets up in Dilworth Park on the western side of the plaza.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Carpenters' Hall, Independence National Historical Park.

    Independence National Historical Park

    0.76 MILES

    This L-shaped Philadelphia park, bound by 6th, 2nd, Walnut and Arch Sts, protects and honors the institutions that formed the foundation of the United…

  • Exterior of the Philadelphia Art Museum entrance at night. 181142415 Square, Clear Sky, Architectural Feature, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Night, Dusk, Travel locations, Sky, Art Museum, Star - Space, Building Exterior, Museum, Famous Place, Architectural Column, Architecture, Philadelphia - Pennsylvania, Outdoors, No People, Photography, Star, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, North America, Greek Culture, Neo-Classical, Column, Built Structure, USA

    Philadelphia Museum of Art

    1.32 MILES

    The premier cultural institution in Philadelphia, this epic art museum would stand out even without Rocky's famous antics on the east steps. Every visitor…

  • The Barnes Foundation Art Museum facade, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

    Barnes Foundation

    0.72 MILES

    Since 2012, Dr Albert C Barnes' eye-popping collection of artworks – predominantly focused on French masterpieces from the late 19th and early 20th…

  • Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 276721013 america, usa, park, blue, travel, landmark, sky, pennsylvania, vintage, carriage, old, hall, philadelphia, building, american, historic, tower, national, united, states, independence, clock

    Independence Hall

    0.77 MILES

    The 'birthplace of American government', this modest, early 18th-century Georgian building is where delegates from the 13 colonies met to approve the…

  • NOVEMBER 18, 2016: customers shopping at the Reading Terminal Market. 1143691526 aisle, america, american, attraction, city, crowd, cuisine, culinary, culture, customers, deli, destination, famous, food, grocery, hall, historic, historical, indoors, inside, landmark, market, marketplace, pa, pennsylvania, people, philadelphia, philly, place, reading, sandwiches, scene, scenery, scenic, shop, sightseeing, snacks, stalls, states, store, street, terminal, tourist, traditional, travel, united, urban, usa, vendor, view

    Reading Terminal Market

    0.24 MILES

    Getting the balance just right between food shopping hub and dining destination, Reading Terminal Market opened way back in 1893 and it's been a…

  • The Egyptian Hall at the Masonic Temple in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

    Masonic Temple

    0.09 MILES

    Although the fortress-like exterior of this 1873 building is pretty impressive, it's the spectacular interiors – which took a further 15 years to complete…

  • Museum of the American Revolution

    Museum of the American Revolution

    0.98 MILES

    This impressive, multimedia-rich museum will have you virtually participating in the American Revolution; interactive dioramas and 3-D experiences take…

  • Rail Park

    Rail Park

    0.56 MILES

    The old Reading Viaduct is the location of the first phase of this ambitious project to reuse 3 miles of decommissioned rail lines between Fairmount Park…

View more attractions

Nearby Philadelphia attractions

2. Dilworth Park

0.06 MILES

On the west side of City Hall this compact public area includes the Rothman Ice Rink in winter, which is replaced by a fountain with dancing water spouts…

3. Masonic Temple

0.09 MILES

Although the fortress-like exterior of this 1873 building is pretty impressive, it's the spectacular interiors – which took a further 15 years to complete…

4. Clothespin

0.09 MILES

Pay attention and you'll soon see that Claes Oldenburg's oversized Corten steel sculpture is substantially more stylised than a run-of-the-mill peg you…

5. JFK Plaza

0.15 MILES

Taking its nickname from Robert Indiana's LOVE sculpture, this public space was revamped in 2018 during which the iconic sculpture, a city landmark, also…

6. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

0.19 MILES

This prestigious arts school, founded in 1805, occupies two buildings including a masterwork of Victorian Gothic architecture designed by Frank Furness…

7. Center / Architecture + Design

0.19 MILES

Run by the American Institute of Architects, there's an exhibition space here with regularly changing exhibits about local architecture projects. Check…

8. Paint Torch

0.2 MILES

This 51ft fiberglass paintbrush with an accompanying giant blob of paint is a 2011 work by Claes Oldenburg. At night the orange paint-coated bristles of…