Philadelphia is the largest city in the state of Pennsylvania in the United States of America. Philadelphia is a potpourri of cultures and customs, with people from virtually all parts of the world residing 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 intertwined with the history of the United States of America. Before William Penn, after whom the state of Pennsylvania was named, finally left Philadelphia, he enacted the Charter of 1701. This Charter formally declared Philadelphia a city. Initially, Philadelphia was a poverty-stricken city, 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, renovations, 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 bourgeois.
Philadelphia was noted for its flourishing textile industry and its many textile factories. 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 inroads in Britain and parts of the British Empire. During this time, various engineering and locomotive companies sprang up in Philadelphia. The rail network that runs through the state of Pennsylvania was born at this stage. With the help of the Consolidation Act of 1854, the city grew further, becoming home to African Americans, Russians, and Europeans.
The present
Currently, 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 each other by major highways and arterials, rails, secondary 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 out of the airport connect Philadelphia with many large 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 glass, granite and steel skyscrapers have proliferated in the city in the last two decades. These sit alongside Philadelphia’s stately old buildings and give the cityscape a quirky and fun charm. Philadelphia is admired by both its tourists and its inhabitants.
hot spots
Philadelphia is packed with museums, art galleries, parks, and historical sites. The museums, historical centers and parks are visited by both its citizens and tourists, as they display many ancient relics and exhibits and for their natural beauty. Masterpieces, works of art, paintings, sculptures and objets d’art are displayed in great splendor in Philadelphia’s art galleries and warehouses. The exhibits manage to capture the attention of many with the skill with which they have been made.
theater and music
Philadelphia boasts of many theaters as well. Various plays are performed in these theaters for the benefit of intellectuals and theater aficionados. 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 soirees. 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 Philadelphia. The city caters to all the needs of discerning foodies with its various concoctions. Fat submarine 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, sweetened syrup mixed with fruit; are the main foodstuffs of Philadelphia. The city is literally packed with restaurants that offer hearty and tasty dishes to their diners.
Economy, Health and Retail
Philadelphia has a booming economy. The city is full of large industries and corporate houses, which employ thousands of people. Philadelphia bustles 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 is constantly driving business. Scholarships are always on as entrepreneurs in Philly are always on the go, always trying to invest in profitable schemes.
In addition to business and the economy, which have catapulted Philadelphia into one of the world’s top destinations, the city places great importance 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 universities. They train their students thoroughly in the various specialties and branches of medicine so that when they graduate from medical school, they are excellent and trustworthy doctors 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 hospitals and for residents of the city.
Philadelphia is also home to countless stores, shops, retail chains, department stores, and shopping malls, selling every possible item a human being may need to travel from the cradle to the grave. There are many clothing stores in Philadelphia, given the city’s strength in the textile industry. Philadelphia’s various department stores and 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 reputable American university, you need to 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 other fields.
Thousands of students from around the world take their SAT or GRE, LSAT, MCAT or GMAT tests 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 seats of higher education. Universities follow rigid procedures when admitting students and awarding degrees and scholarships to ensure that those who earn degrees are truly deserving and worthy.
Philadelphia is also famous for its public and private schools, which offer an excellent education to school-going students.
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 collegiate competitions and championship games are often held in the city with much fanfare. Teams do their best to win games, trophies, and awards, while cheerleaders and fans cheer and yell to cheer on their respective teams. In Philadelphia and the rest of the US, sports and sports activities are given a great deal of importance. This is because sports have been found to be useful for team building and for generating a spirit of cooperation and camaraderie among people. Sport encourages people to bond regardless of their races, creeds, religions, and other diversities. Sport is also very good for the body and 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 thefts, robberies, mugging incidents, and murders. The number of homicide cases in Philadelphia has repeatedly swung between highs and lows in recent years, but it has never been completely absent. As the world becomes more competitive and hungry for money, Philadelphia also becomes a den of greed and corruption. But this deterioration is only partly to blame, since greed and corruption are affecting almost all the big cities in the world.
The redeeming factor is that, all said and done, Philadelphia still isn’t as corrupt as some of the other cities in the US and the world. Something about the city, perhaps its architectural beauty or the open-mindedness of its people, has helped it remain free of corruption.