A Summer Holiday Trip to Philadelphia: The City of Public Art #BlogchatterBlogHop

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The summer of 2023 was immensely memorable for me as I spent four months in Pennsylvania with my family. Summers in the East are beautiful, with flowers blooming all around. We lived in a cosy house in Fountain Hill, a small town near Lehigh University. One summer day, we decided to take a day trip to Philadelphia. Luckily, one of my husband's colleagues' students also accompanied us on the trip.


We took the bus from Fountain Hill Bus Station directly to Philadelphia, and the journey lasted one and a half hours. Philadelphia is a large city, providing a much-needed escape from our small-town home. Once we arrived at the bus station, we walked toward Philadelphia's City Hall. It is an incredible example of architecture, constructed with 88 million bricks, white marble, and limestone. It spans a whopping 14.5 acres of space and houses 250 pieces of stunning sculptures. 


The most stunning piece of sculpture is the huge statue of the city's founder, William Penn, a 37-foot-tall black marvel. 

                                                           philadelphiaencyclopedia.com

Then it was our turn to check the famous Quest for Parity. It is a memorial of Octavius V Catto, a civil rights activist, whose voice rose for the oppressed African Americans. The outstanding statue, unveiled in 2017, is a slanting sculpture, very unique in its presentation. 


Although it was May, the weather was pleasant and the sun was not that high. (Don't be misled by my sunglasses) We came across a statue that got me curious. It was that of George Washington showing his work apron to Benjamin Franklin, in Washington Square, both depicting the Founding Fathers.



A recreation of Robert Indiana's Love Sculpture is located near City Hall, facing the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. This stunning, red-themed sculpture is perfect for family and couple photos. How could we miss the opportunity to capture such a memorable moment?


Then we headed to Independence Hall, a place for America's historical evolution, the Declaration of Independence, as well as the Constitution, a civic building of great importance. 


We walked the entire day, which was tiring but worthwhile, as we witnessed the wonderful display of public art throughout the city—a reflection of its importance in American history.



This post is a part of Blogchatter Blog Hop


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