Second Bank of the United States

The Second Bank of the United States is a bank building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that now functions as a portrait gallery within Independence National Historical Park. The structure spans the entire street frontage with eight Doric columns crafted from blue marble, while the interior contains a central banking hall with side chambers and a second floor for administrative spaces.

The federal institution was established in 1816 to stabilize finances after the War of 1812 and received its charter for twenty years. When President Andrew Jackson vetoed the recharter bill in 1832, operations ended in 1836 and the structure was later adapted for other purposes.

The term Second Bank refers to it being the nation's second attempt at establishing a central bank following the closure of the First Bank in 1811. This historical naming remains part of Philadelphia's financial district vocabulary even though the building now serves as a public gallery space.

Access is through 420 Chestnut Street with free entry on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays during park hours. The gallery occupies the ground floor and is wheelchair accessible, with most paintings arranged in well-lit rooms around the former banking hall.

Architect William Strickland used the Parthenon in Athens as a direct model, creating one of the earliest examples of Greek Revival in American architecture. The structure influenced subsequent bank designs across the country as its classical form became associated with financial stability.

Location: Philadelphia

Inception: 1824

Architects: William Strickland

Architectural style: Greek Revival architecture

Address: Chestnut Street

Website: https://nps.gov/inde/learn/historyculture/places-secondbank.htm

GPS coordinates: 39.94861,-75.14833

Latest update: December 12, 2025 21:40