{"id":4684,"date":"2015-01-19T09:00:55","date_gmt":"2015-01-19T14:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/?p=4684"},"modified":"2015-02-13T08:35:28","modified_gmt":"2015-02-13T13:35:28","slug":"great-american-cities-philadelphia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/great-american-cities-philadelphia\/","title":{"rendered":"Great American Cities – Philadelphia"},"content":{"rendered":"

After visiting the Big Apple<\/a>, it’s time to head to one of America’s most historic cities. This is the place where the Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 – Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

\"Philadelphia\"<\/a>

A map of Philly from Wikitravel.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Name<\/strong>: Way back in 1681, William Penn was given a large amount of land\u00a0from King Charles II for what would become the Pennsylvania colony. Even though he was given to go-ahead from the British royalty, Penn still bought the land from a native Lenape chief, whom he became friends with. He decided to name the city Philadelphia, meaning “brotherly love” in Greek (philos<\/em> – love\/friendship + adelphos<\/em> – brother).<\/p>\n

\"Down<\/a>

Down by the Delaware River.<\/p><\/div>\n

Location<\/strong>: The state of Pennsylvania is located in the northeastern United States, and you’ll find Philadelphia in the southeast corner of the state. It’s located on the Delaware River, and crossing this river brings you into New Jersey. The state of Delaware is also nearby.<\/p>\n

\"Skyline<\/a>

Skyline of Philadelphia<\/p><\/div>\n

Nicknames<\/strong>: Not surprisingly, the most famous nickname for Philadelphia comes from the original meaning – “The City of Brotherly Love.” The name is also commonly shortened to simply “Philly.” Other nicknames include ” The Quaker City,” “The Cradle of Liberty,” and “The Birthplace of America” – all historical references.<\/p>\n

\"Birthplace<\/a>

Birthplace of America<\/p><\/div>\n

Year Founded<\/strong>: Philadelphia was founded on October 27, 1682. As mentioned above, William Penn founded the city with land given to him from the King. Charles II owed Penn’s father a debt, and this was how he repaid it. Penn and other Quakers seeking religious freedom founded the city as a place where anyone could worship freely.<\/p>\n

\"One<\/a>

One of America’s most important cities.<\/p><\/div>\n

Population<\/strong>: Just over 1.5 million people live in Philly, making it the 5th most populous city in the USA. It’s a very diverse city and home to people of many ethnic backgrounds. Philly has the third-largest African American population in the country, as well as the second-largest Irish, Italian, and Puerto Rican populations.<\/p>\n

Transportation<\/strong>: Since it’s a major city, you can get into Philly just about any way – plane, train, bus, or car. As far as American cities go, Philadelphia has some of the best public transportation in the country. You can get around the City of Brotherly Love on the commuter rail, subway, bus, trolley, or taxi. It’s also one of America’s most walkable cities, so get some exercise and save some money.<\/p>\n

Famous Places<\/strong>: As one of the country’s oldest and most important cities, there’s no shortage of historical places in Philly. Perhaps the most famous sight in the city is Independence National Historical Park. It has even been nicknamed “America’s most historic square mile.” Here, you can see Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, two of the most famous symbols of the country.<\/p>\n

\"Come<\/a>

Come to Philly for the crack.<\/p><\/div>\n

Another must-see\u00a0is the Philadelphia Museum of Art, a building forever immortalized by the film “Rocky” where the main character – a boxer played by Sylvester Stallone – runs up the stairs during his training. It’s a huge museum, so you could easily spend the whole day here taking in all of the artwork.<\/p>\n

\"Climb<\/a>

Climb the stairs like Rocky.<\/p><\/div>\n

That’s only the beginning, though – in Philly you can also visit the zoo, plenty of parks, many more museums, and more historical sites than you could count.<\/p>\n

Culture<\/strong>: Philadelphia is a without a doubt a very cultural city. Just look at the many different types of museums you can visit there – art, history, science, and more. There’s a lot more art to be found in the city, including one of the country’s oldest artists’ clubs and plenty of galleries. Philly\u00a0is also home to the more public art than any other American city.<\/p>\n

\"Art<\/a>

Art is everywhere in Philly.<\/p><\/div>\n

Music is also an important part of Philadelphia’s culture, from in the 70s to rock and rap and in the 80s and 90s. Some famous acts from Philly include: The Roots, Patti Labelle, Boyz II Men, Hall & Oates, and even Will Smith (back when he was the Fresh Prince).<\/p>\n