The Philadelphia cheesesteak is generally credited as being invented in 1930 by brothers Pat and Harry Olivieri in South Philadelphia. The original sandwich was a steak sandwich, not yet a cheesesteak. Cheese was added in the late 1940s.
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia was the FIRST children’s hospital in the U.S. and has been the setting for many dramatic medical firsts.
The famous scene from the movie “Rocky” where Sylvester Stallone runs up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art has become a must-do for tourists. The steps have been nicknamed the “Rocky Steps,” and visitors often recreate the iconic run and pose at the top.
Mural Capital: Philadelphia has the most public art of any U.S. city. Thanks to the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, there are over 4,000 vibrant murals across neighborhoods, turning the city into a massive open-air gallery.
Reading Terminal Market — The market is the longest running farmer’s market in the nation. Vendors sell everything from fish to vegetables, chocolate, flowers, and cheese. The Terminal Market is indoors and open all year round.
Walnut Street Theatre — The theatre is the oldest currently running theatre in the English speaking world. Most people believe it is in London, but it is actually in Philadelphia.
Larger than Central Park, Fairmount Park is the nation’s largest landscaped city park with more than 8,900 acres and 100 miles of jogging trails.
A Not-So-Mistaken Typo: The word “Pennsylvania” on the Liberty Bell is spelled “Pensylvania.” This was not a typo; it was spelling in the 18th century. If the bell still rang, it would be an E flat. a standard, acceptable
The Eastern State Penitentiary, opened in 1829, had central heating, running water and flush toilets before the White House! The prison was once home to Al Capone.
Philadelphia City Hall is the largest freestanding masonry building in the world, meaning it was built entirely without steel or iron framing. It took 30 years to build.
Elfreth’s Alley: This historic street dates back to 1703 and is America’s oldest continually inhabited residential street.
The world’s FIRST computer, a giant computer named ENIAC, was developed over 50 years ago at the University of Pennsylvania. It was 150 feet in width and had 20 banks of flashing lights.
Kennett Square, a Philly suburb, is the mushroom capital of the world. It produces about 25% of the nation’s entire mushroom crop.
America’s first zoo — The Philadelphia Zoo is the oldest zoo in America. It was chartered in 1859 and raised public and private funds to create the non-profit.
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