Philadelphia is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, located in the northeastern United States between New York and Washington DC. Philadelphia has a population of 1,526,000 in the municipality (Philadelphia City) and 6,000,000 in its metropolitan area (PMSA Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington). It is the fifth most populous municipality in the United States (after New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston) and the sixth largest city in the country. A major historical, cultural and artistic center in the United States, Philadelphia is also a major industrial port on the Delaware River that flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
Founded in 1682, it was in the eighteenth century the most populated city of the thirteen colonies before becoming for a time the capital of the United States and nourishing for a few decades the financial and political rivalry between New York and Philadelphia, before being eclipsed by its rival and then losing its status of capital to Washington. A city of art In Philadephy, art is king, and not only in museums! Of course the city has many museums, starting with the sumptuous Philadelphia Museum of Art or the Rodin Museum. But one of the most breathtaking places is in the suburbs of Philly.
It is the Barnes Foundation (Barnes Foundation) which houses an impressionist and post-impressionist collection that is unique in the world! You can admire magnificent paintings signed Renoir or Matisse. In Philly, art is also invited in the street! Thanks to an artistic and social programme created in 1984, nearly 3,500 murals can be seen on the city walls. These "murals" are scattered in every neighbourhood, from the most chic to the most popular, and sometimes have impressive dimensions!
A city steeped in history Founded in 1682, Philadelphia was once the capital of the United States (from 1790 to 1800), before being eclipsed by its rival New York City and losing its capital status to Washington. The "City of Fraternal Love" prides itself on being the cradle of American Independence and the Constitution. There are many colonial monuments (Congress Hall, Independence Hall, Old City Hall, Carpenters' Hall, Library Hall) that are concentrated in Independence National Historical Park. It also has one of the oldest city centers in the United States, with typical houses and cobblestone alleys.
The Barnes Foundation is without hesitation the jewel of Philadelphia! Albert C. Barnes (1872-1951) was a pharmacist who made his fortune and collected an incredible collection of art. Today estimated at 25 million dollars, it counts no less than 181 Renoir, 69 Cézanne, 59 Matisse, 46 Picasso... It is the largest private collection of impressionist paintings in the world... It reopened in May 2012 in brand new premises. In its old walls, the collection was cramped and had to be reserved months in advance to have the chance to enter.
With these new buildings, the capacity has increased from 60,000 visitors a year to 220,000. The presentation of the works is quite original. Not at all according to the authors or the chronology, but exactly as Barnes had decided at the time: according to the colours, themes and sizes of the paintings. Portraits, still lifes and landscapes are shown opposite each other in such a way that they are symmetrical. The first impression may seem a little overwhelmed and overloaded, but in fact it's quite fascinating to discover so many exceptional works with a single glance. Kind of like breaking and entering in a real Ali Baba cave...
Other places to discover include the following: The second empire-style town hall, with William Penn's statue at the top of its tower. the Masonic temple Logan Square and its many institutions: the Cathedral of Saints-Pierre-et-Paul (1864), the Benjamin Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences and the Free Library. Macy's store located in the historic Wanamaker Building on Market Street. Benjamin Franklin's Museum of Inventions to find out everything about the inventor of the lightning conductor. Note: with its two rivers, parks and skyline, Philadephie is a very photogenic city.
The directors were not mistaken and many films have been shot in the city, including Rocky, Philadelphia and more recently Happiness Therapy. The city of cheesesteak So, cheesesteak is Philly's specialty! The trick that all the travelers who have been there recommend to taste! And me in turn... So not necessarily for the gastronomic qualities of the dish in question, but rather for the experience of such an American tradition... Cheesesteak is simply a sandwich of minced meat, with cheese and onion... But beware, you must not miss the ritual of ordering! (read below) At Pat's King of Steaks, the tail at the counter stretches to the sidewalk. And you must have prepared what you want before arriving at the cashier, because it is out of the question to slow down the pace of service!
While waiting in line, you have time to read the sign with all the instructions to "order a cheesesteak": 1/ say whether or not you want onions, i. e."wit" (with onions, in Philly, you say wit and not with...) or "wit-out" (without onions); 2/choose your type of cheese (roughly more or less plastic McDo-type cheese...); 3/ Prepare your change because you don't have to hang out at the checkout... Finally, you can sit quietly on the metal tables to "taste" your huge cheesesteak well deserved! Ketchup-mayonnaise-mustard seasonings are available at will. And enjoy the lively atmosphere of the terrace, frequented by Italo-Americans of the district. Have a good afternoon's walk in Philadelphia to eliminate all that! Other institutions where cheesesteak can be tasted include Geno's Steaks (pound opposite Pat's King) and Jim's Steak.
