Philadelphia, County seat in Pennsylvania, United States
Philadelphia extends across 142 square miles (367 square kilometers) with streets organized in a grid pattern between the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers in eastern Pennsylvania.
William Penn founded the settlement in 1682 to provide refuge for religious minorities. The Continental Congress met here and adopted the Declaration of Independence in 1776, establishing the city as a center for revolutionary activity.
The city houses 17 universities, multiple theaters, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which contains over 240,000 objects spanning two millennia of creative achievement.
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority operates trains, buses, and trolleys connecting neighborhoods and suburbs with downtown. Major airports include Philadelphia International Airport, located 11 miles (18 kilometers) southwest of the center, with rail connections available.
The city contains more than 4,000 exterior murals as part of the Mural Arts Program, constituting the largest collection of public art in North America and transforming neighborhoods through community engagement.
Location: Philadelphia County
Inception: 1682
Founders: William Penn
Elevation above the sea: 12 m
Shares border with: Upper Darby Township, Millbourne, Yeadon, Darby, Colwyn, Darby Township, Folcroft, Tinicum Township, West Deptford Township, National Park, Westville, Gloucester City, Camden, Pennsauken Township, Palmyra, Riverton, Cinnaminson Township, Delran Township, Delanco Township, Bensalem Township, Lower Southampton Township, Lower Moreland Township, Abington Township, Rockledge, Cheltenham Township, Springfield Township, Whitemarsh Township, Lower Merion Township, Haverford Township
Website: https://phila.gov
GPS coordinates: 39.95272,-75.16353
Latest update: November 28, 2025 13:38
This list presents the 50 most populous cities in the United States according to the official estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau as of July 2024. These metropolitan areas showcase the country's diversity in economic, cultural, and geographic aspects. From New York with 8.48 million residents, a global hub of finance and media, to Los Angeles, the center of cinema, through Chicago with its notable architecture, Houston with its space industry, and Philadelphia, the city that founded American independence, each destination has its own identity. San Antonio preserves traces of the colonial era around the Alamo, while Phoenix is experiencing rapid growth in the Arizona desert. These large American cities, spread from Texas to California and from Florida to Illinois, offer a comprehensive view of the country's urban realities. Together, they host several tens of millions of inhabitants and are the main drivers of the national economy, each developing specialties from the energy sector to new technologies, maritime trade, and medical research.
Philadelphia contains major sites from the American founding era alongside diverse museums and urban architecture. The Old City holds Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, while Independence National Historical Park encompasses several 18th-century buildings. Elfreth's Alley preserves colonial-era rowhouses, and Eastern State Penitentiary documents the history of incarceration. The city maintains significant art collections including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Barnes Foundation and the Rodin Museum. The Franklin Institute focuses on science education, while the Academy of Natural Sciences presents natural history displays. The Museum of the American Revolution complements the historic sites downtown. Beyond the center lies Valley Forge National Historical Park, where Washington's army encamped during the winter of 1777-78. Reading Terminal Market has offered regional produce and food stalls since 1893. Fairmount Park extends along the Schuylkill River and includes Shofuso Japanese House and Garden. Additional destinations include the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site and Philadelphia's Magic Gardens with its mosaic artwork. One Liberty Observation Deck provides views across the cityscape, while the Rocky Statue outside the art museum references the film series.
Liberty Bell
1.2 km
SS United States
4.5 km
USS New Jersey
3 km
Lincoln Financial Field
5.8 km
Eastern State Penitentiary
1.9 km
First Bank of the United States
1.6 km
Rocky Steps
2 km
Independence Hall
1.2 km
Lynnewood Hall
13.8 km
Philadelphia City Hall
62 m
Second Bank of the United States
1.4 km
Philadelphia Museum of Art
2.1 km
John F. Kennedy Stadium
5.8 km
Barnes Foundation
1.2 km
30th Street Station
1.6 km
Franklin Field
2.3 km
Wanamaker’s
166 m
Mütter Museum
1.1 km
Comcast Technology Center
608 m
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
7.1 km
Franklin Institute
1 km
Benjamin Franklin Bridge
2.5 km
Whitemarsh Hall
16 km
Rittenhouse Square
799 m
President's House
1.2 km
The University of the Arts
762 m
Philadelphia Mint
1.4 km
Fairmount Park
2.9 kmReviews
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