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Philadelphia Essential Info

Overview

Philadelphia, located in Southeastern Pennsylvania, in the Mid-Atlantic region, is the fifth most-populous city in the United States. Often referred to as "Philly," the city is coterminous with Philadelphia County. Philadelphia sits adjacent to the New Jersey and Delaware borders, and as such, its metropolitan area encompasses counties in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.

Philadelphia, once the capital of the United States, plays an exemplary role in the history and life of the nation. Its colonial legacy and architecture are almost unrivaled and its universities, museums, companies and laboratories are world class. The city has also become an increasingly important cultural and artistic center as well in the past few decades. As Philadelphia rebounds from its mid-20th century decline, the city is now seen as a model for sustainable urban growth and a surprisingly affordable haven for those seeking the best of urban American life without the expense or pretense of other neighboring East Coast cities.

Description is available from Wikitravel under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 license. A list of contributors is available at the original article.

Basics

Best Time To Go

Apr-Oct

Current Time

Current Weather

48 °F

Mostly Clear

Fun Facts

  1. Benjamin Franklin founded the nation's first library, The Library Company of Philadelphia, in 1731.
  2. Brothers Pat and Harry Olivieri reputedly invented the cheesesteak in 1930 in Philadelphia, though it didn't originally include cheese.
  3. 1 out of every 6 doctors in the U.S. receives medical training in Philadelphia.
  4. You can see pieces of Einstein's brain, a malignant tumor removed from President Grover Cleveland, a piece of John Wilkes Booth's thorax, a 9-foot long human colon, and a corpse that turned into soap at The Mütter Museum in Phiadelphia.
  5. Philadelphia's nicknames include Philly, The City of Brotherly Love, The Birthplace of America, The City that Loves You Back, The City of Neighborhoods, The Quaker City, and The Cradle of Liberty.

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