Founded by William Penn in the 17th century, Philadelphia is the first real American city and the first national capital. This is the fifth largest city in America where noble colonial buildings stand side by side with houses from glass and concrete.
Nowadays Philadelphia is being restored and in a time everything from prosperous districts united into the Central City to magnificent historic buildings will look like it was built just recently. The City Council will finally have a chance to demonstrate its high tower. The Philadelphia railway station has already been restored and now looks the way it looked during the Great Depression.
Philadelphia is known as the birthplace of the United States of America, the cradle of national freedom where in 1776 13 American colonies proclaimed independence from the British Empire.
Most tourists who come to Philadelphia start their tour around the city and its attractions with the Independence Hall where Founding Fathers of the United States gathered to debate over and adopt the Declaration of Independence. People come here to look at the country's birthplace: it all started from here, from this building.
People are attracted with the fact that the country was founded on ideas and principles of freedom and equality. That is why travelers from all over the world want to see the place where the Declaration of Freedom was "created".
Famous attractions of Philadelphia - Liberty Bell, National Constitution Center and the house where, according to the legend, Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag, attract more than three million visitors every year.
The story says that Liberty Bell rang July 8th 1776 to gather all the Philadelphians together so that they could listen to the Declaration of Independence read aloud. In 1846 a crack appeared on the bell surface which then grew from its top to its crown. This meant the bell became unusable. It was removed from the tower and placed in the Declaration Chamber. The bell is one of the main historic relics, a powerful symbol. During the severe times of the Second World War the bell helped unite Americans in their struggle with the enemy. As years passed by, it started to attract members of the protest actions. The inscription on the bell is taken from the Bible and reads "And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof...'
Every year July 4th the descendants of those who signed the Declaration of Independence visit the bell. A great amount of tourists comes to Philadelphia this day.
But it is not only its history that Philadelphia is proud of. The city has a rich cultural life, with many theatres and restaurants located on its Avenue of the Arts. Its Broad Street is the home for the Philadelphia Orchestra, Pennsylvania Ballet, the Philadelphia Opera as well as jazz studios and numerous drama and music theatres.
William Penn called Philadelphia "the City of Brotherly Love" and still it is one of the friendliest cities in the United States. The city is also famous for its culinary arts, so when coming to Philadelphia, don't miss your chance to try such delicacies as cheese beefsteaks, large sandwiches and hot pretzels.
