Philadelphia is the largest city in the state of Pennsylvania in the United States of America. Philadelphia is a potpourri of cultures and customs, as people from virtually every part of the world reside in the city. Philadelphia is a microcosm of the entire United States of America, as its citizens belong to different races, communities, religions, and ethnicities.
Last
The history of Philadelphia is inextricably interwoven with the history of the United States of America. Before William Penn, after whom the state of Pennsylvania was named, finally abandoned Philadelphia, he enacted the Charter of 1701. This Charter formally declared Philadelphia a city. Initially, Philadelphia was a city mired in poverty, but gradually through trade and commerce, the city’s inhabitants began to become prosperous. Benjamin Franklin, a well-known Philadelphian who lived in the mid-18th century, initiated and spearheaded the city’s development on many fronts, including infrastructure, reforms, and living conditions. Under his command, many industries began their commercial operations and, automatically, there was a positive influence on the living conditions of the bourgeoisie.
Philadelphia was noted for its flourishing textile industry and its many textile mills. However, the city underwent a major transformation during the 1800s and 1900s when it came under the sway of the Industrial Revolution which had already made significant strides in Britain and parts of the British Empire. During this time, several engineering and locomotive companies sprung up in Philadelphia. The railway network that crosses the state of Pennsylvania was born at this stage. With the help of the Consolidation Act of 1854, the city grew further and became home to African Americans, Russians, and Europeans.
The present
Today, Philadelphia is a very well-developed city and is home to many centers of higher education. Its unique culture and environment attract many immigrants and tourists. All parts of Philadelphia are well connected to one another by major highways and arterials, rails, feeder lanes, and railroads. Philadelphia is connected to its suburbs, other US cities, and the world by highways and airports, respectively. Philadelphia International Airport is one of the largest airports in the United States. Flights operating from the airport connect Philadelphia with many major global cities.
architectural splendor
The entire city of Philadelphia is an architectural splendor. The city is dotted with imposing buildings sporting Georgian, Victorian and Greek architectural styles. If you are a tourist in Philadelphia, you will find that the city is simply a joy to behold. Philadelphia is also a city of contrasts. Several skyscrapers made of glass, granite and steel have proliferated in the city in the last two decades. These are located next to the old and stately buildings of Philadelphia and give the urban landscape a fun and quirky charm. Philadelphia is admired by both its tourists and its inhabitants.
hot spots
Philadelphia is packed with museums, art galleries, parks, and historic sites. The museums, historical centers and parks are visited by its citizens and tourists alike, as they exhibit many relics and ancient exhibits and for their natural beauty. Masterpieces, works of art, paintings, sculptures and objets d’art are on display in great splendor in Philadelphia’s art warehouses and galleries. The exhibits manage to capture the attention of many with the skill with which they have been put together.
theater and music
Philadelphia boasts of many theaters as well. In these theaters various plays are performed for the benefit of intellectuals and theater fans. Philadelphia also has a lot to contribute in the field of music. There are several musical ensembles and musicians in Philadelphia who regularly perform in orchestras and soirées. Philadelphia musicians play both classical and modern music. The choirs sing songs like folk, oldies and pop. Hip-hop, rap, and rock music have also flourished in the city.
What to eat?
If you have a good appetite and enough money, fly to Philly. The city caters to all the needs of discerning foodies with its various concoctions. Fat sub sandwiches filled with layers of pork, tomato, lettuce, cheese and other delicious ingredients; cheese steaks, which are sandwiches containing cheese and steak; pretzels, the Pennsylvania staple diet; cakes; and Italian ice, a dessert consisting of a thickened and sweetened syrup mixed with fruit; are the main food products of Philadelphia. The city is literally full of restaurants that offer hearty and tasty dishes to their guests.
Economy, Health and Retail
Philadelphia has a booming economy. The city is full of large industries and corporate houses, employing thousands of people. Philadelphia is bustling with activity in the corporate sector. Its people are extremely busy with their jobs and professions from morning to night. The offices and business and commerce centers of the city never sleep. Philadelphia is always trying to expand its business prospects. The Philadelphia Stock Exchange constantly drives business. Scholarships are always on as entrepreneurs in Philadelphia are always on the go, always trying to invest in profitable schemes.
In addition to business and economics, which have catapulted Philadelphia to become one of the world’s top destinations, the city places a premium on healthcare. Philadelphia is home to countless state-of-the-art hospitals and medical schools. Most of the medical schools are part of the city’s universities. They train their students thoroughly in the various specialties and branches of medicine so that when they graduate from medical school, they will be excellent and trustworthy physicians and surgeons. The various hospitals in Philadelphia take very good care of their patients so that everyone gets well soon. Countless pharmaceutical companies are located in Philadelphia. Their presence is an added plus for the hospitals and for the residents of the city.
Philadelphia is also home to countless stores, shops, retail chains, department stores, and malls, selling every possible item a human being could possibly need to journey from cradle to grave. There are many clothing stores in Philadelphia, given the city’s strength in the textile industry. Philadelphia’s various department stores and shopping malls are spread over many square miles and are attractively decorated to look appealing to today’s consumer. Parking lots are attached to malls so shoppers can have a healthy shopping experience. You can shop till you drop at Philadelphia’s many stores.
Education
If you are a student seeking admission to a renowned American university, you must apply to the various colleges and universities in Philadelphia. The University of Pennsylvania, Temple University, and Drexel University are the main universities in the city. The city boasts of many other colleges and universities that are located just outside of Philadelphia. These colleges and universities, along with those located within the city, offer comprehensive bachelor’s and master’s degree courses in the humanities, languages, sciences, medicine, law, management, and in other fields.
Thousands of students from around the world take their SAT or GRE, LSAT, MCAT or GMAT exams to secure places as undergraduate or graduate students at Philadelphia’s many prestigious universities. The numerous universities also award scholarships and fellowships to serve the research students and scholars so that they can pursue academic studies to their hearts content in these higher education seats. Universities observe rigid procedures when admitting students and awarding degrees and scholarships to ensure that those who obtain degrees are truly meritorious and worthy of them.
Philadelphia is also famous for its public and private schools, which offer an excellent education to students who go to school.
Sports
Philadelphia is also a sports city. The city participates in sports activities and games such as hockey, baseball, soccer, basketball, cycling, cricket, relay races, boating, sprinting, and marathons. Each school and college in Philadelphia has its own teams for each sport. Inter and intra school and college competitions and championship matches are often held in the city with much fanfare. Teams go to great lengths to win games, trophies, and awards, while cheerleaders and fans cheer and shout to cheer on their respective teams. In Philadelphia and the rest of the US, sports and sporting activities are very important. This is because sports have been found to be useful for team building and for generating a spirit of cooperation and camaraderie between people. Sport encourages people to bond regardless of their races, creeds, religions, and other diversities. Sport is also very good for the body and the mind.
The other face
Philadelphia is not entirely honest or a utopian city. There are some skeletons in Philly’s closet that the city is very ashamed of. These skeletons take the form of pickpocketing, robbery, hold-up incidents, and murder. The number of homicide cases in Philadelphia has repeatedly oscillated between highs and lows in recent years, but it has never been entirely absent. As the world becomes more competitive and hungry for money, Philadelphia also becomes a den of greed and corruption. But the blame for this deterioration is only partial, since greed and corruption are affecting almost all the great cities of the world.
The redeeming factor is that, all said and done, Philadelphia is still not as corrupt as some of the other cities in the US and the world. Something in the city, perhaps its architectural beauty or the open-mindedness of its people, has helped it remain free of corruption.