Architectural Walking Tours
AROUND WASHINGTON SQUAREWalk around one of William Penn's original planned public parks. Learn how this square served as a burial ground for over 1,200 Revolutionary War soldiers, then as a potter's field before receiving its present name in 1825. See The Athenaeum, the first Italian Renaissance building in the US, and learn how the Square became home to the publishing industry in the early 20th century. Today, many of the former office buildings are being transformed into residences as Washington Square serves as an important gateway to the nearby residential Society Hill neighborhood.
ART DECO
This popular early 20th century style, synonymous with the Jazz Age, has been
described as having one foot in the past and one foot in the future. Its sleek
appearance foretells the debut of Modernism while its use of Mayan and Aztec
motifs echoes the past. Among Philadelphia's outstanding examples featured
on this walk is the flamboyant WCAU Building on the 1600 block of Chestnut
Street, now home to the Art Institute of Philadelphia.
AVENUE OF THE ARTS
Although William Penn envisioned a grand civic boulevard for Broad Street, he
would be dazzled by today's "Avenue of the Arts" with its rich assortment
of building styles and functions. Marvel at the ornate Frank Furness-designed
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, celebrating Victorian eclecticism at
its best. Gaze upward to the dramatic glass canopy of the Kimmel Center,
designed by Rafael Vinoly, and in between see grand late Victorian and Beaux
Arts commercial buildings. See how Penn's late 17th century vision lives on.
BEAUX ARTS PHILADELPHIA
Explore outstanding examples of late 19th century and early 20th century architecture
influenced by the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. From monumental structures
along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway to equally grand but more intimate residences
in Rittenhouse Square, see why Philadelphia is often described as the "Paris
of the US."
BEN FRANKLIN’S
PHILADELPHIA
Celebrate the 300th anniversary of this most famous "adopted" Philadelphian's
birth by following in his footsteps through colonial Philadelphia, beginning
at the site of his home and print shop, Franklin Court, creatively commemorated
by Venturi and Rauch with John Milner Associates in 1976. Explore the other
significant sites of the birthplace of our nation and learn how American architecture,
too, was born here. Discover some of the earliest style-conscious public buildings:
Georgian, Federal and Greek Revival. Then learn about the recent new projects
that have transformed Independence Mall.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN PARKWAY
This grand boulevard, named after Philadelphia's most famous citizen, is Philadelphia's
early 20th century contribution to this nation's City Beautiful Movement
and connects the downtown to Fairmount Park, fulfilling William Penn's vision
of a "greene countrie towne." View the grand neoclassical structures
that house this city's cultural, educational and commercial institutions
and hear about plans for the new home of the renowned Barnes Foundation on
Philadelphia's version of the Champs de L'Elysees.
CHESTNUT
HILL
Take a leisurely stroll through this bucolic "Garden City" neighborhood,
a suburban setting within the city limits. Learn how the Pennsylvania Railroad
extension to this area, spearheaded by Henry Howard Houston in the 1880s, created
this style-conscious development and later, with his son-in-law, George Woodward,
continued it into the1920s. Explore this haven of late Victorian, Arts & Crafts,
English Cotswalds and Modern residences and see how it emerged as a desirable
and complete neighborhood.
CITY
HALL TO CITY HALL
Where else but Philadelphia can you view three centuries of American architecture
along a single street on just one tour? The tour begins at Independence National
Historical Park in front of the Old City Hall, which housed the Supreme Court
when Philadelphia was the capital of the nation. The tour concludes at City Hall
on William Penn's original Center Square, once the tallest building in the world.
In between, the astounding variety of Philadelphia’s 19th century and early
20th century commercial architecture is revealed.
CITY
HALL & CENTER SQUARE
Explore the exterior of the most magnificent example of French Second Empire
architecture in the U.S., Philadelphia City Hall, the largest municipal building in the country
and the tallest masonry bearing wall structure in the world. Its monumental design celebrates
Philadelphia's industrial reputation as "The Workshop of the World" and
its location provides this city with a strong "sense of center." Circling
around City Hall, you will experience a wide array of late 19th century and early
20th century commercial buildings and learn about Philadelphia's transformation
into a modern, post-World War II commercial city for the 20th & 21st centuries. (Please note: this tour does not include the interior of City Hall)
CLASSICAL
PHILADELPHIA
Discover the Philadelphia known as "The Athens of America" in the early
19th century. Hear about some of this country's greatest neo-classical architects
and learn why they turned to ancient Greece for inspiration in designing buildings
for the new American democracy. Significant highlights include the Second Bank
of the US and the Merchant's Exchange, both designed by architect William Strickland.
CONSHOHOCKEN (MONTGOMERY COUNTY)
Conshohocken became a major industrial site, thanks to its location
along the Schuylkill River. Some of the earliest well-known industries were
Alan Wood Steel and Lee Tire. See how this town is currently undergoing revitalization
as a corporate center with development of its riverfront while many of its
great Victorian homes that line the adjacent streets are being restored.
DIAMOND STREET HISTORIC DISTRICT
The Philadelphia Historical Commission describes Diamond Street from Broad Street to Van Pelt Street as the most intact grand avenue of speculative Victorian townhouses in North Philadelphia. Developed in the last quarter of the 19th century, the street itself was planned as the grandest east-west avenue in North Philadelphia, then experiencing explosive growth as the streetcar system was extended. Among the architectural gems on this tour are exuberant houses by Willis Hale and the Church of the Advocate, recognized as the finest example of French Gothic Revival architecture in the city. A Historic District since 1986, this neighborhood has suffered decline, but is now the focus of rehabilitation and redevelopment.
DOYLESTOWN (BUCKS COUNTY)
This tour begins in the county seat of Bucks County's "Cultural District" at
the James A. Michener Art Museum that is ingeniously housed in what was the
Bucks County Jail, built in 1885. See the castle-like Mercer Museum and stroll
quaint residential streets, lined with French Second Empire and Queen Anne
Revivals before ending in the vibrant town center that attracts New York and
Philadelphia tourists alike.
EAST FALLS
Tour this early mill town, once known as Falls of Schuylkill. Its residences,
from worker rowhouses to grand, early 20th century mansions, trace the history
of this picturesque neighborhood just minutes away from Center City. As a
commuter suburb within the city, East Falls is also known as the former home
of Grace Kelly.
FAIRMOUNT PARK BICYCLE TOUR
Bring your bicycle for a two-hour tour exploring the history, art and architecture of Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. Starting at Lloyd Hall on historic Boathouse Row, you will next visit the Water Works and nearby Lemon Hill Estate where the park began as a drinking water protection plan. The tour continues along Kelly Drive to see pieces of the extensive outdoor art collection that comprises the park's "museum without walls." The tour crosses the Falls Bridge and returns along MLK Drive in West Park where the history of the Centennial District will be explored. Participants must wear a helmet, have city cycling experience and a bicycle in good working order.
FISHTOWN
Situated to the northeast of Center City, Fishtown figured prominently in Philadelphia's
great industrial age of the late 19th/early 20th century when it was developed
to house many of the workers who were employed by the major industries that
built factories in this part of the city. Discover how Fishtown's residences
are going through restoration as it becomes a sought after location in which
to live.
FRANKFORD
Discover beautiful Victorian residences, churches, and public buildings in
this historic neighborhood that developed along an old Native American trail.
See the commercial revitalization efforts of today's Frankford Avenue. Learn
about Frankford's early history that predates Philadelphia and how it figured
prominently in this city's colonial past. Experience its tremendous growth
during the city's industrial era, housing factory owners on one side of the
Avenue and factory workers on the other side.
GILDED AGE PHILADELPHIA
Experience Philadelphia in the Gilded Age when wealthy industrialists turned
to architecture to express money and power. See the opulent Bellevue Stratford
Hotel, now a mixed-use office building and luxury hotel; the Ritz Carlton Hotel,
originally the Girard Trust Bank; and the acclaimed PSFS Building, now the
Loews Hotel. Learn how all three have been architecturally maintained and transformed
into new uses.
GIRARD AVENUE FROM BROAD STREET TO FOUNDER'S HALL
Explore some of Philadelphia's best examples of 19th century architecture and
a neighborhood where many nouveau riche captains of industry lived. Enjoy
gloriously eclectic residential and commercial rows, the grand Church of
the Gesu, and finish up at Founder's Hall at Girard College, one of the greatest
expressions of Greek Revival architecture in the US.
GIRARD ESTATE
Trace the history of this South Philadelphia neighborhood from its origin as
a colonial farm to the early 20th century planned development of "Ideal
City Homes." See outstanding examples of Bungalow, Colonial Revival
and Spanish Revival residential styles.
HADDON HEIGHTS HIKE (CAMDEN COUNTY)
Recently named a "Classic Town" by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning
Commission, settlement at Haddon Heights dates from 1699. This introduction
to the history of Haddon Heights consists of a brisk two mile walk around Camden
County Park to learn about the early settlement near the Delaware River. On
the tour are four early 18th c. colonial homes and the remains of the mill
race and fulling mill built by John Glover before 1776.
HISTORIC HADDONFIELD (CAMDEN COUNTY)
Enjoy the charms of historic Main Street USA and the tree-lined streets of
elegant homes. Learn how this New Jersey suburb grew from Native American
trails into a Quaker community whose 18th century structures still grace
the town.
HISTORIC NORTH CENTRAL DELAWARE WATERFRONT
Walk along the city's original Delaware waterfront from Market to Spring Garden Streets to hear about “the good, the bad and the ugly” along this storied route. This tour provides a wistful and sometimes amusing look at what remains of what used to be one of the most important areas of the city. Learn how Delaware Avenue was transformed from a craggy footpath to the broad Columbus Boulevard that is there today. Both historic and contemporary issues of land use, maritime activity, transportation, urban planning, manufacturing, urban archeology, and historic preservation will be discussed.
HADDONFIELD VICTORIAN SUBURB (CAMDEN COUNTY)
Learn how the railroad route from Camden to Atlantic City, opened in 1854,
transformed the earlier colonial Haddonfield into a Victorian commuter suburb.
Explore its rich Victorian heritage and hear about its current preservation
efforts.
JEWISH PHILADELPHIA IN COLONIAL TIMES
Explore the city's Judaic heritage and learn about its importance in the growth
and architectural development of Philadelphia. Hear about Nathan Levy's connection
to the Liberty Bell and the Jewish connection to Christ Church.
JEWISH IMMIGRANT PHILADELPHIA
Relive the Philadelphia experience of Eastern European Jews who settled along
South Street in the late 19th century. Explore their humble synagogues and
homes and learn about their thriving marketplaces that became prominent businesses.
LANSDOWNE (DELAWARE COUNTY)
Step back in time to a leafy suburban town of Victorian grace. Only two miles
from the skyscrapers of Center City, Lansdowne boasts two National Historic
Districts: Lansdowne Park and the Albertson Subdivision, both remarkable
collections of late 19th c. domestic architecture largely in the picturesque
Queen Anne style with Tudor Revival, Arts and Crafts and Colonial Revival
examples as well. The tour begins at the Lansdowne Train Station designed
by Frank Furness and includes the Art Deco Lansdowne Theatre and the Gothic
Revival St. John's Episcopal Church.
LEWIS & CLARK IN PHILADELPHIA
Follow in the footsteps of these important early American explorers where their
historic trek began 200 years ago and learn about the buildings and institutions,
past and present, that lined this early phase of their route.
LITTLEST
STREETS EAST OF BROAD
Stroll a charming labyrinth of streets west of Washington Square, a village-like
setting right in the heart of Center City, developed in the mid 19th century.
Experience an intimate "hierarchy of streets" where the larger
style-conscious houses are on the main streets, the smaller scale houses
built for the aspiring middle class are on the middle-sized streets, and
what was worker housing is on the smallest alleys. See Philadelphia as a "livable" city
at its best.
LITTLEST STREETS FITLER SQUARE
Experience yet another intimate neighborhood within Center City, just southwest
of Rittenhouse Square west of Broad Street. Learn about the early Irish settlers
and other immigrants who first settled here and about their industrial ties
to the nearby Schuylkill River.
Explore the
neighborhood named for one of William Penn’s original city squares,
MANAYUNK
Often referred to as the "Manchester of America," learn about this
former mill town's industrial development along the Schuylkill River canal
that was opened in 1825, connecting Philadelphia to the interior coal regions
of Pennsylvania. See examples of early immigrant housing then stroll along
Main Street's late 19th century commercial buildings and enjoy the fruits of
its recent renaissance.
MEDIA (DELAWARE COUNTY)
Media was planned in the 1850s as the seat of Delaware County. Discover architecture
dating from the Federal era, see lavish Victorian homes and enjoy the beautifully
restored Beaux Arts/Art Deco Media Theater before experiencing the renaissance
of its commercial district.
MERION (MONTGOMERY COUNTY)
Explore suburban Merion Station, one of several communities developed along
the storied Main Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad. View magnificent estates,
grand houses and a spectacular botanical park.
NARBERTH (MONTGOMERY COUNTY)
Discover the quintessential American small town. Enjoy its bustling town center
and stroll quaint quiet streets of Victorian homes nestled among 20th century
bungalows, cottages and twins. See why this Main Line community has become
so desirable for young families seeking a suburban location with an urban
feel.
NORRISTOWN (MONTGOMERY COUNTY)
Norristown is the oldest of the four suburban county seats, tracing its history
to 1784. Learn about this borough's industrial and commercial development
and how it reflects the impact of the country's transportation movements:
canals, railroads, trolleys and highways. See the historic Montgomery County
Courthouse that has evolved architecturally from the 1850s to the present.
NORTH PHILADELPHIA
Once home to the city's great late 19th century and early 20th century industrialists,
this neighborhood has become the center of African American intellectual
life in Philadelphia. See some of the original houses and churches and learn
how Temple University has committed itself to life in this community.
NORTHERN LIBERTIES
William Penn stipulated that 10,000 acres north of the original city become "liberty
lands." Once home to many of the city's breweries, this funky, culturally
diverse neighborhood today is the home of many artists and writers. See the
old and the new and make note of the many little neighborhood eateries along
the way.
OLD CITY
Explore colonial Philadelphia and walk some of its original streets. See famous
Elfreth's Alley, the oldest continuously occupied street in the US, and experience
the walking/mercantile city, as well as a later generation of Victorian structures.
Learn how this area remained the center of Philadelphia's commercial, retail
and governmental activities until the city finally moved "westward" to
Center Square in the mid/late 19th century.
OLD CITY SACRED SITES
Through architecture, learn how religion affected 18th century society on this
tour of the city's oldest religious structures: from the simple design of
the Arch Street Friends Meeting House built in 1804 to the exquisite Georgian-style
Christ Church built 1727-1741.
PHOENIXVILLE (CHESTER COUNTY)
Phoenixville, today a beautifully restored residential community, has the largest
number of historically certified buildings in Chester County. In its earlier
days, it was an important center of industry and transportation along the
Schuylkill River. Discover its charm and learn about recent revitalization
efforts.
THE POST INDUSTRIAL CITY: CALLOWHILL ST. FROM BROAD TO THE DELAWARE
RIVER
Explore the little known post-industrial landscape of downtown Philadelphia.
This 1.5-mile tour focuses on a three-block-wide swath of the city along Callowhill
and Willow Streets from Broad Street to the Delaware River. Numerous interesting
warehouses, bridges, and other structures will be seen along the way, including
the abandoned Reading Railroad Viaduct, Reading Railroad's Terminal Commerce
Building, the abandoned Willow Street Steam Generation Plant, and the Callowhill
Industrial District. This will be a strenuous 2-hour trek over some gritty
streets, complete with some uneven Belgian blocks, abandoned railroad tracks,
and even a set of 300 year old steps.
THE POST INDUSTRIAL CITY: CALLOWHILL WEST DISTRICT
This 1.5-mile tour
focuses on a four-block-wide swath of the city between Vine and Spring Garden
Streets from 20th St. to Broad. The considerable history of this part of the
city going back to the early 1700s will be discussed. Learn how this
neighborhood—a country estate in the early 18th century -- played an important
part in the Yellow Fever epidemic of 1793 and later became the center of
American locomotive production, as well as home of the third Philadelphia Mint,
The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Community College of Philadelphia. Major
national figures who lived and worked here include William Penn, Andrew Hamilton
(the original "Philadelphia Lawyer"), President John Adams,
merchant/mariner/millionaire Stephen Girard, plus industrialists Matthias
Baldwin, William Sellers & Asa Whitney. Numerous aspects of the industrial
infrastructure, including bridges and abandoned railroad facilities, will be
seen along the way.
POWELTON
The small neighborhood of Powelton Village in West Philadelphia has great stories to tell. Settled by Welsh Quakers in 1682, the village was named for the 18th century estate of Samuel Powel, the mayor of Philadelphia during the Revolution. This tour features an eclectic variety of mid- to late 19th c. houses and mansions of this early “street car suburb.” Among the designers are some of Philadelphia's foremost late 19th Century architects, including Wilson Eyre, Willis Hale and the Wilson Brothers. The neighborhood also includes innovative 21st century student housing by Erdy McHenry Architecture for Drexel University.
QUEEN VILLAGE
Explore this worker's neighborhood and be amazed by its history because it
predates William Penn. Queen Village was developed in the 1630s, first as
a Dutch settlement, later becoming home to a large influx of Swedish settlers.
Visit one of the few remaining 17th century structures in Philadelphia today,
Gloria Dei Church.
RITTENHOUSE
SQUARE EAST
Philadelphia's most fashionable address was developed in the late 19th and early
20th centuries. Enjoy today's ambiance and compare the grand homes designed for
the robber barons to the understated, elegant residences on Delancey Street.
RITTENHOUSE SQUARE SACRED SITES
Visit outstanding examples of religious architecture in the Romanesque Revival
and Gothic Revival styles in the Rittenhouse Square area and trace the city's
development west of Broad Street from the mid 19th century through the Gilded
Age era.
RITTENHOUSE SQUARE WEST
Contrast the many generations of high-rise apartment building architecture
on the Square - representing every decade of the 20th century - with the
smaller scale of the grand houses on nearby streets while walking past some
of Philadelphia's most fashionable brownstones.
SKYSCRAPERS OLD & NEW
Penn Center, one of the country's most acclaimed examples of 20th century,
post World War II urban renewal, is a lasting legacy of Edmund Bacon and
the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. Learn how this world-famous city
planner based this commercial development complex on William Penn's vision
that Market Street would be a commercial thoroughfare and see two generations
of commercial architecture: Modern & Post-Modern.
SOCIETY HILL SACRED SITES
Because of its Quaker origins, Philadelphia has long been hospitable to worshipers
of many faiths. See history come to life when visiting reclusive St. Joseph's
Roman Catholic Church, classical Old Pine Street Presbyterian Church, Romanesque
Revival Mother Bethel Church, Georgian St. Peter's Church, and Gothic Revival
St. Mary's Church.
SOCIETY HILL
STROLL
Society Hill received its name from the "Free Society of Traders" who
were granted a strip of land in this area by William Penn in 1683. Take a leisurely
walk through this country's largest, intact collection of original colonial and
post-colonial residential architecture. Learn about this neighborhood's mid 20th
century renewal efforts and its contribution to establishing Philadelphia as
a "livable" city.
SOUTH OF SOUTH
This rowhouse neighborhood includes variety of modest houses alongside several
magnificent 19th c. churches. See the house, now a museum, where famed contralto
Marian Anderson lived across the street from Union Baptist Church where she
sang as a child. Learn how the splendid Greek Revival Naval Home, a National
Historic Landmark by Philadelphia architect William Strickland, became part
of a residential development. See surprising St. Alban's Place, an important
setting for the film The Sixth Sense.
SPRING GARDEN
Stroll through this early city suburb, developed in the late 19th century,
that was home to merchants, workers and even prisoners. Enjoy a diversity
of exuberant late Victorian homes and view the world-renowned Eastern State
Penitentiary, built in the 1820s and studied by penal experts from Asia and
Europe at that time.
SPRUCE HILL
VICTORIANA
Walk tree-lined streets graced with homes that are crowned with Italianate towers
and Queen Anne Revival gables. Hear how public transportation encouraged development
of this West Philadelphia neighborhood as a streetcar suburb.
TACONY
This city neighborhood was conceived and developed into a utopian manufacturing
community by saw-maker Henry Disston. Hear how this company town contributed
greatly to Philadelphia's reputation as "The Workshop of the World," an
industrial center well into the 20th century, and learn more about Disston's
plan for this neighborhood that included a wide range of past and present
housing types, churches, department stores, banks, a movie theater and music
hall.
TERRA COTTA ORNAMENT
Terra Cotta - "baked earth" - is one of the oldest ornamental building
materials. Since the 19th century, many Philadelphia buildings have been adorned
with terra cotta. See extraordinary examples such as the polychrome Art Deco
Metropolitan Building and One East Penn Square. Look at up at the elaborately
textured Crozer Building and hear about the technology used to make and preserve
terra cotta.
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
Stroll the campus of one of the country's most prestigious Ivy League schools.
See old and new buildings designed by such notable American architects as
Trumbauer, Cope & Stewardson, Furness, Kahn, and Venturi Scott Brown.
Hear about campus planning and the neighborhood's revitalization and enjoy
the University's award-winning landscape.
UNDERGROUND PHILADELPHIA: SUBWAYS, RAILWAYS & STATIONS
Explore Center City's extensive transit system and its three main stations.
Start at 30th Street Station and proceed via modern trolley (tokens provided)
to Suburban Station. See downtown's underground concourse system and The
Gallery before ending at Market East Station. Along the way, become acquainted
with the Market Street subway line, the Subway-Surface lines, the Broad Street
subway line, the Commuter Rail Tunnel and its regional rail lines, and the
former Reading Terminal, now the main entrance to the Pennsylvania Convention
Center. (The tour includes climbing stairs.)
UP AND OVER THE BEN FRANKLIN BRIDGE
You’ve crossed it by car or viewed it from afar; now experience this magnificent bridge from a whole new perspective! Walk from Philadelphia to Camden with our guide to learn about the history and construction of what was once the longest suspension bridge in the world. Look down on the mighty Delaware River between Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Get acquainted with the past, present and future of waterfront development on both sides of the river. At the end of the tour, walk through the Rutgers-Camden campus for a return trip to Center City on the PATCO Hi-Speedline (included in price).
VICTORIAN GERMANTOWN
This city neighborhood, dating to colonial times, underwent industrial development with the arrival of the Philadelphia, Germantown & Norristown Railroad in 1832 and this development continued rapidly with the arrival of the Pennsylvania Railroad in the 1880s. Learn more about this transportation impact and see some of Philadelphia's finest examples of Victorian eclecticism.
VICTORIAN PHILADELPHIA
WEST OF BROAD
Take in the total experience of Philadelphia during the magnificent Gilded Age
era. Begin at The Bellevue, opened in 1910 as Philadelphia's premier hotel, the
Bellevue Stratford. Learn about cultural, financial, commercial and civic institutions
and private clubs, religious structures and the grand urban town houses and mansions
in which wealthy Philadelphians lived during these opulent times.
VICTORIAN
WASHINGTON SQUARE WEST
Many of Philadelphia's most beautiful townhouses are located along Spruce and
Locust Streets in this Center City neighborhood east of Broad Street. Marvel
at the Gothic Revival windows, Queen Anne Revival turrets, balconies, bays, garlands
and gables designed by many prominent Philadelphia architects.
WEST CHESTER (CHESTER COUNTY)
It may be a small town but it has "grand classicism." This charming,
well-preserved county seat in the heart of beautiful Chester County boasts
a wonderful array of classical architecture, designed by such important early
Philadelphia architects as William Strickland and Thomas U. Walter.
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