The birthplace of American democracy — where the Declaration of Independence was signed, the Constitution was written, the Liberty Bell cracked, and a cheesesteak sandwich became an international icon through sheer force of seriousness
Philadelphia (1.6 million; metro 6.2 million) is the sixth-largest city in the US and the most historically significant in America — within a six-block area of Old City, the Declaration of Independence was signed (1776), the Constitution was drafted (1787), and the nation's first capital operated from 1790 to 1800. The Philadelphia Museum of Art (1928), home to one of the world's great Impressionist and Early Modern collections, became globally famous from a different direction: Sylvester Stallone's Rocky (1976) transformed the museum's 72 steps into a pilgrimage site, and the bronze Rocky st…
Philadelphia (from Greek, 'City of Brotherly Love') was founded in 1682 by William Penn as a planned Quaker city, designed on a grid that would later influence the planning of Washington DC, Chicago, and hundreds of American cities. It was the largest city in British North America before the Revolution and served as the national capital from 1790 to 1800 (while Washington DC was under construction). The First Continental Congress (1774) and Second Continental Congress (1775–1781) both met in Philadelphia; the Declaration of Independence was adopted and signed in the Pennsylvania State House (…