Liberty Bell, Historical bell in Independence Mall, Philadelphia, United States
The Liberty Bell is a large bronze object displayed inside a modern glass pavilion near Independence Hall in central Philadelphia. It rests on a low platform, allowing visitors to walk around and see the vertical crack running through its body from several angles.
The object was cast in London in 1751 to mark the 50th anniversary of Pennsylvania's charter and originally hung in the tower of the Pennsylvania State House. The crack developed sometime in the early 1800s, eventually silencing it and turning it into a permanent symbol rather than a working instrument.
Visitors gather daily around the viewing area, taking photographs and often pausing quietly before moving on to nearby sites related to early government. School groups regularly pass through, listening to rangers who explain how the object became a rallying point during later movements for civil rights and social change.
Entry to the pavilion is free and most visitors spend around 15 to 20 minutes inside, walking through the exhibit area and the main chamber. Lines can form during summer months and on weekends, so arriving early in the morning or later in the afternoon often means shorter waits.
An inscription from the Book of Leviticus runs around the top, proclaiming liberty throughout the land, though it was originally intended for Pennsylvania's charter rather than independence. The name itself only emerged in the 1830s when abolitionists adopted the object as a metaphor for their movement.
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