An amazing treasure awaits visitors to Philadelphia. City Hall is the largest municipal building in the United States, and it is an architectural marvel, both inside and out. Guided tours are offered to learn about the building’s history and visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of Philadelphia from the open-air observation deck, 548 feet above the ground.
The fascinating exterior is covered with intricate sculptures representing the seasons and continents, as well as allegorical figures, heads and masks. All of the sculptures were designed by Alexander Milne Calder, including the well-known 27-ton statue of William Penn atop the tower. The enormous city hall is still the tallest and largest masonry building in the world. Since no steel frame was used, the walls at the first floor are up to 22ft thick to support all the weight from the floors above. The eight floors, each about 16ft high, have the appearance of just three floors from the outside.
Musicians are frequently found in the historic courtyard, sharing beautiful melodies. This panoramic view shows all four sides of the courtyard.
Here are a few of our favorite images from our visits to City Hall. If you go, be sure to go to the top of the spiral staircase to photograph the view looking down.
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