About Philadelphia, Birthplace of Independence, Pennsylvania, Delaware River, City of Brotherly Love

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , “The Birthplace of Independence”, now has a population of over 1.5 million (2000 Census figures). Philadelphia is the most populated city in PA and the fifth most populous U.S. city.

William Penn founded Philadelphia along the Delaware River in 1682. In Philadelphia's early days, there were numerous villages and townships built near town that had their own incorporations and governments. In 1854, all county municipalities consolidated with the city of Philadelphia, thereby abolishing the separate cities, boroughs and townships that originally made up Philadelphia County. Today, this "City of Brotherly Love" occupies all of Philadelphia County.

Modern day Philadelphia culture continues to reflect its early American heritage. Independence National Historic Park, located in the heart of Philadelphia, is home to the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and the National Constitution Center. Independence Hall is the world-renowned site where the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence originated. The National Constitution Center is the original national museum to honor and explain the U.S. Constitution. The National Liberty Museum, located nearby, celebrates America's path to freedom and the resulting diverse society. Other historical attractions include Penn's Landing, the Betsy Ross House and One Liberty Place.

"Philly" has a great deal more to offer than historical sites and museums. This lively city also features exciting entertainment, numerous shopping opportunities and scrumptious cuisine unique to this area. Distinctly Philadelphian delicacies include cheese steak sandwiches, hoagies, Irish ice, Italian ice, scrapple, stromboli and soft pretzels. Philadelphia, known as a premier sports town, is home to a variety of college teams and ten professional teams. Pro teams include the Philadelphia Eagles, Flyers, Phillies and the 76ers. In addition, Philadelphia is proud to host six of the next seven Army / Navy football games.

Philadelphia attributes its robust economy to the financial services, food, manufacturing and refining industries. Major companies currently thriving in the Philadelphia market include Aramark, Comcast, Pep Boys and Sunoco. Philadelphia also operates its own stock exchange. The Federal Government maintains a strong presence with a division of the United States Mint and the Federal Reserve Bank located here. Philadelphia serves as a national center of law due to its abundance of law firms and its prestigious law colleges, which include University of Pennsylvania Law School and the Temple University Beasley School of Law. Philadelphia offers a myriad of additional higher learning facilities, which include Chestnut Hill College, La Salle University, Philadelphia University and Thomas Jefferson University.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania offers an abundance of academic and career options complemented by a multitude of recreational activities suitable for the whole family. Philadelphia, with its friendly people and delightful ambiance, lives up to its name, which means "the City of Brotherly Love".