Philadelphia City Hall

Introduction

Philadelphia City Hall stands at the city's central square and is one of the largest municipal buildings in the United States, designed by architect John McArthur Jr. and built from 1871 to 1901 in the Second Empire style. The brick-and-stone structure's central tower rises 167 meters, making it the world's tallest building when completed and holding that title until 1908. A 11-meter bronze statue of William Penn crowns the tower facing northeast; legend held that a curse prevented any Philadelphia building from rising above Penn's hat, leaving the city without skyscrapers for decades. City Hall sits at the intersection of Market Street east-west and Broad Street north-south, the geographic and political heart of Philadelphia. The ornate interior houses City Council chambers, the mayor's office and a public courtyard. The tower observation deck once offered panoramic views of Philadelphia and Independence Hall in the distance. The building is a monument to Philadelphia's 19th-century industrial peak and a masterpiece of American civic architecture.

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