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The elevator motor whirs as dusty scenes glide past the glass door. You catch glimpses of things you’d imagine would be inside a clock tower from the 19th century: bricks, arched windows and a smattering of tools.
Just as you begin to think about how old this elevator is, the doors open and you step out onto a 360-degree observation deck — the only one in Philadelphia offering panoramic views of the city.
You’re in Philadelphia’s City Hall, home to 88 million bricks, 250 sculptures, 14.5 acres of floor space and one of Philly’s most iconic pieces of art: the 37-foot-tall statue of city founder William Penn.
Clocking in at 548 feet, City Hall was the tallest habitable structure in the world until 1908, and it remained the tallest building in Philadelphia until 1987 (a little more on that later). It’s still the largest municipal building in the United States today.
But numbers really don’t do this massive building justice. Built in the eclectic Second Empire style, City Hall’s beauty lies not in its size but in the intricate details awaiting discovery around nearly every corner — and a view that can’t be beat.
City Hall can (and should) be admired from the outside (which isn’t that hard to do, considering that William Penn and the building’s iconic clock can be seen from many spots throughout the city).
— Photo by Elevated Angles for Visit Philadelphia
But history buffs, architecture fans, folks who love a good story and anyone interested in a jaw-dropping skyline view (so, everyone?) should find time to hop on a guided tour of one of Philly’s most iconic buildings. Here’s how.
City Hall Tower Tours
Offered both as part of the guided building tours (see below) and as a standalone option, the City Hall Tower Tour takes you to a glass-enclosed observation deck 548 feet above street level — and just a few feet below the massive bronze statue of William Penn.
— Photo by M. Edlow for the Independence Visitor Center Corporation
The ascent is a bit of a rustic experience, with four visitors at a time joining an operator inside a small 100-year-old elevator to reach the top.
The payoff is more than worth it as you take in rare 360-degree views of Philadelphia from William Penn’s perspective.
Pro tip: After admiring the city view, be sure to look up through openings in the ceiling to examine details of the iconic statue up close.
City Hall Building Tours
In addition to the tower tours, the guided City Hall Building Tour offers a more comprehensive look at City Hall.
As you stroll around the exterior perimeter of the building and through the center courtyard, tour guides offer insights and anecdotes about the history of the building, from its prolonged 30-year construction (1871 to 1901) to a gentlemen’s agreement among developers that kept William Penn as the tallest point in the city’s skyline until 1987.
(An ensuing Philly sports curse was reversed when a William Penn statuette was placed atop the Comcast Center in 2007.)
As you listen to your guide, keep a lookout for some of the 250 sculptures designed by Alexander Milne Calder.
— Photo by M. Edlow for Philadelphia Visitor Center Corporation
Inside the building, you’ll explore the grandest of over 700 rooms. Stops on the tour include the ornate City Council Caucus Room, where council members publicly debate and vote on bills, and the lavish Mayor’s Reception Room, which is lined with portraits of the previous mayors of the city.
Heads up: The building still serves as the official seat of Philly’s government, so expect a quick trip through a security checkpoint as you enter the building and keep an eye out for busy staffers.
In his original 1682 design for the city, William Penn planned five public squares, setting aside Centre Square for public buildings.
But it took 200 years before the square was used for that purpose.
The first City Hall was located at 2nd and Market streets, then moved to 5th and Chestnut streets when the Independence Hall complex was built.
Architect John McArthur Jr. supervised the construction of the present-day City Hall on Centre Square, which began in 1871 and took more than 30 years to complete.
The building’s exterior is covered with intricate sculptures representing the seasons and continents, allegorical figures, animals and masks.
All of the sculptures — including the 27-ton statue of William Penn atop the tower — were designed by Alexander Milne Calder, grandfather of Philadelphia inventor and Calder Gardens namesake, Alexander Calder.
Both the City Hall Tower Tours and the City Hall Building Tours depart from the City Hall Visitor Center.
For more information on hours of operation and to purchase tickets, click the button below.
Self-Guided Tour
Can’t hop on a guided tour? No problem.
Philly’s Association for Public Art has an excellent self-guided tour featuring more than a dozen key works of art on and around City Hall.
A Quest for Parity: The Octavius V. Catto Memorial — Photo by A. Rogers for the Association for Public Art
Click the button below to learn more about the self-guided tour of City Hall.
Dilworth Park
Speaking of “around City Hall,” Dilworth Park — located on the building’s west side — is well worth a visit any time of year.
City Hall’s fantastic front yard has a retro-themed roller rink and tree-lined fountains (splashing encouraged) in warm weather and an ice skating rink with a ski chalet vibe in winter.
Rothman Roller Rink — Photo courtesy Center City District
Also on-site: year-round pop-up concerts, fitness events, festivals, a cozy cafe and great access to public transit.
Click the button below for more info on Dilworth Park.
The Visit Philly Overnight Package — booked more than 190,000 times since 2001 — comes with free hotel parking (worth up to $100 in Center City Philadelphia) and overnight hotel accommodations.
The can’t-miss experiences in the first World Heritage City in the United States …
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