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Photo: Payton Chung from DC, USA, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Liberty Bell once rang out public announcements from above the Pennsylvania state house (now Independence Hall). It became a public symbol of freedom when it toured the country after the Civil War to help mend political and social divisions. Returning to Philadelphia in 1915, it is now housed in the Liberty Bell Center where visitors can get an up close look at the 2000-pound bell and its mysterious crack. Admission to the Liberty Bell is free, so expect extraordinarily long lines during typical tourist hours (during the day on weekdays especially).
The Liberty Bell, previously called the State House Bell or Old State House Bell, is an iconic symbol of American independence, located in Philadelphia. It was first called the Liberty Bell by members of the American abolitionist movement, who used it as a symbol. Originally placed in the steeple of the Pennsylvania State House, the Liberty Bell today is located across the street from Independence Hall in the Liberty Bell Center in Independence National Historical Park.
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This smaller building to the right of Independence Hall is where the U.S. Congress met from 1790-1800 when Philadelphia served as the nation's capital. The Bill of Rights was ratified here, and it was the site of George Washington's second inauguration. A tour of the interior is a must, since much of the furniture and decoration is original.
The centerpiece of the park and one of the most important buildings of the Revolutionary period. Built as the Pennsylvania State House, this is where the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, and where the U.S. Constitution was drafted in 1787, among other momentous historical events. The Independence Hall is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visitors to the park are encouraged to take a tour of the interior of the building, which is furnished with period pieces, including the exact desk and chair the Declaration of Independence was signed. Timed tour tickets must be reserved in advance online or at the Visitor's Center in order to enter. Tickets reserved online have a $1.50 processing fee, but are free at the Visitor's Center.
Near Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, the National Museum of American Jewish History is dedicated to chronicling the American Jewish experience.
The Second Bank was chartered in 1816, five years after the First Bank lost its charter. Founded a block away in the same building the First Bank was in (see above), it soon relocated to its permanent home. Its charter expired in 1836 and wasn't renewed; it then functioned as an ordinary bank until it went bankrupt in 1841. The building then served as the Philadelphia Custom House from 1845-1935; nowadays it houses a portrait gallery (the People of Independence exhibit) containing artwork depicting various colonial and federal leaders.
This national park, covering several blocks of Old City Philadelphia, includes some of Philadelphia's most famous historic sites, including Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Benjamin Franklin's house and grave, and the house in which the Declaration of Independence was written. The park also includes a modern interactive museum, the National Constitution Center. The Independence Visitor's Center, where you must buy tickets to see Independence Hall, offers a wealth of information on historical sites and other attractions in the area. Costumed interpreters at the Visitor's Center are a great source of entertainment for children. The National Park Service provides a helpful map of the historical sites in the park.