Independence Hall, Legislative building in Philadelphia, United States
Independence Hall is a historical legislative building made of red brick in the center of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The structure consists of a central main section with a bell tower and two side wings that stretch along Chestnut Street.
The Continental Congress met here beginning in 1775 at what was then the Pennsylvania State House and adopted the Declaration of Independence in July 1776. Later the building served as the site of the Constitutional Convention, which drafted the American Constitution in 1787.
The name Hall comes from its original purpose as the meeting place for Pennsylvania's provincial assembly. Visitors today walk through rooms where delegates from the colonies sat at long tables to debate foundational questions about the new nation.
Visitors need timed tickets for the tour, which are given out free on the same day at the Independence Visitor Center. It is recommended to arrive early in the day, as spaces are limited and fill up quickly.
In the summer of 1787 the windows stayed shut during the sessions drafting the Constitution so that no one outside could listen in. Washington led the assembly under this stuffy secrecy while the delegates debated in the hot room.
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