Americans consider Independence Hall to be the birthplace of the United States of America. Was here Supreme Court USA, Philadelphia City Hall, but above all, it is known as the site of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The Palace of Independence is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Myths and facts

Construction began in 1732 and was designed by Edmund Woolley, one of the first American architects from , and Andrew Hamilton, a famous lawyer from , nicknamed the "Lawyer of Philadelphia" for his successful defense of freedom of the press in America.

The 41 meter high Georgian building was completed twenty years later. Since then it has undergone many changes, but after restoration in 1948 it was restored to its original appearance from 1753.

Independence Hall housed the Pennsylvania state legislature. It became the main meeting place of the Second Continental Congress from 1775 to 1783 and the site of the stormy proceedings of the Constitutional Convention chaired by George Washington. Today, Independence Hall is part of Independence National Historical Park and is open to the public.

What to see

Adjacent to the main structure are two buildings: the old City Council building to the east and Congress Hall to the west. In front of the entrance is a statue of Washington, erected in 1869 with funds raised by Philadelphia residents.

Independence Hall also contains a Washington chair with a rising sun carved on the back and a silver inkwell that was used to sign the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. The interior has been restored to its original appearance from the time these documents were signed.

You can climb the stairs to the tower, from where you can see Independence Square. The Liberty Bell was originally located here. Now the original bell with a crack is on display in the adjacent pavilion. And on the tower there is a Century Bell, cast for the centenary of the declaration of independence.

Other US attractions: , . Mormon Temples: and

Design and architecture| USA

One of the most famous buildings Philadelphia's undisputed home is Independence Hall, located in the heart of Independence National Historical Park. This is an important historical and architectural monument and one of Philadelphia's most popular attractions. Independence Hall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the years 1775-1783, Independence Hall was the meeting place of the Second Continental Congress and it was here that the Declaration of Independence, uniting the colonies, was approved on July 4, 1776 North America who declared their independence from Great Britain. Once approved, the Declaration was ceremoniously read to the general public in the square in front of Independence Hall, which is today known as Independence Square. In 1787, Independence Hall was the site of the so-called Philadelphia Convention, as a result of which the fundamental law of the new state, the US Constitution, was developed and signed. Independence Hall was commissioned by the colonial legislature of Pennsylvania in 1732-1753. The design of the original Georgian structure, consisting of a central building with a bell tower and two side wings, was designed by Edmund Woolley and Andreu Hamilton. The original spire was destroyed in 1781, but a new, more complex one was designed by William Strickland and added in 1828. During this period the side wings were replaced by larger structures, but these were demolished in 1898 to restore the building to its original appearance. The interior was restored in the mid-20th century, and in 1973 a replica of the clock created by the famous American watchmaker Thomas Stretch, which adorned Independence Hall from 1753 to 1830, was installed on the building. The famous Liberty Bell, which once convened city residents to read the Declaration of Independence, can today be seen in the Liberty Bell Center located next to Independence Hall.



During a recent trip to the USA, I was able to visit beautiful city Philadelphia and see one of the most symbolic places for Americans - the famous Independence Hall (Independence Hall). "We discussed, agreed and signed here" Declaration of Independence" 1776 and then the Constitution of 1787 are two very important documents in American history.

The historical significance of the building did not go unnoticed by citizens.

The building dates back to old colonial times (though not long before the American Revolution). It was built in 1732-1753, when Pennsylvania was still a British colony. The building was intended for the colonial administration. It must be said that this building is part of the old historic quarter of Philadelphia, where there are a lot of old houses made of red-brown brick, built in the Georgian style.

A huge bell tower with a clock rises above the building

It was on this bell tower that the now famous " ". "On July 4, 1776, Congress solemnly approved the Declaration of Independence. A new state emerged - the United States. Although there was not enough gunpowder, fireworks thundered and bells rang " (Yakovlev N.N. George Washington ). This is not entirely true. The great bell in the bell tower of Independence Hall rang first, but this did not happen until July 8th, when " Declaration"read out publicly. Many years later" "became a symbol of American abolitionists. Now it is in a separate museum, not far from this building.

On the other side of the bell tower there is also a very beautiful extension with a clock (clocks were very popular in the 18th century)

Independence Hall has two additions - the old City Hall and Congress Hall.

Inside Independence Hall

Two important events took place here political history USA:

Proclamation of the "Declaration of Independence" of 1776

Signing of the US Constitution of 1787

Thanks to its external beauty and historical significance, Independence Hall and its surroundings became a kind of center of Philadelphia in the 19th century (and even now are such).

Independence Hall during the American Civil War

Today this place looks like this:

Independence Hall is rightfully considered the place where the modern United States was created. Here the main documents of the country were signed and discussed - the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution, which contain universal democratic principles. In the 70-80s. In the 18th century, it was used for the Congress of Deputies of the thirteen British colonies in North America. Today the building is part of the US Historical Park and is an object World Heritage UNESCO.

Independence Hall was built by a joint project of Edmund Woolley and Andrew Hamilton, and the work was financed by the state government. Construction continued for more than 20 years, and in 1753, Independence Hall was taken over by the Pennsylvania authorities. At the time, it was the most ambitious public building in all the thirteen colonies. Since then, it has been reconstructed and changed several times, but after the restoration carried out in the 50s. 20th century under the leadership of the Service national parks, the building acquired its historical appearance. By the way, the Independence Hall is well known even to those who have never been to the United States, since it is the one depicted on the back of the $100 bill.

Independence Hall is a two-story brick building topped by a bell tower with a wooden spire. The Liberty Bell once hung here, but it was removed in 1976 and is now replaced by the Centennial Bell, cast for the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Adjacent to the main building are two more historical buildings: the old city hall building with east side, and the congress hall from the west. In front of the entrance is a monument to George Washington, erected with money raised by Philadelphia residents.

In the 70-80s. In the 18th century, meetings of deputies of the British colonies of North America were held within the walls of Independence Hall. In July 1776, at one of the meetings, the Declaration of Independence of the United States from Great Britain was adopted. And eleven years later, the second fundamental document in the history of the country, the US Constitution, was developed and signed here.

Among the particularly valuable exhibits remaining here from the time of the Congress are the inkwell, with the ink from which these fateful documents were signed, and George Washington's chair.

Independence Hall is currently owned by the City of Philadelphia and managed by the National Park Service as part of the National historical center independence. The 1948 law that created the National Park is intended to preserve historic sites, so including Independence Hall in the National Park System gives it the highest possible level of protection.

As efforts were made to secure the building in the 1990s, new fire detection and suppression systems were installed, and other enhanced safety measures were implemented in the early 2000s. Independence Hall is open to visitors 365 days a year.

Google panoramas of Independence Hall

Designed in Georgian style by Edmund Woolley and Andrew Hamilton, the building was built by Woolley between 1732 and 1753. The building was originally intended for the Pennsylvania government.

Independence Hall is built of red brick. The highest point of the building rises 41 meters above the ground. There are 2 more buildings adjacent to the building: the old city council building to the east and the Congress Hall to the west.

Liberty Bell

The bell tower of Independence Hall was the original site of the. Currently, the bell tower houses the Centennial Bell. Centennial Bell), created in 1876 on the centenary of the declaration of independence. The Liberty Bell is on display to the public in one of the adjacent pavilions.

In 1976, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, while visiting Philadelphia, presented as a gift to the American people a replica of the Century Bell, manufactured by the same factory as the original bell. It is now installed in the bell tower near Independence Hall.

Historical events ===

Work of the Second Continental Congress and the Declaration of Independence

===Work of the Second Continental Congress and the Declaration of Independence

From 1775 to 1783, Independence Hall was the main meeting place for the Second Continental Congress, drawn from representatives from each of the thirteen colonies. The Declaration of Independence was adopted here on July 4, 1776, and then read to the public in what is now known as Independence Square. This document united the North American colonies and declared their independence from Great Britain. This event is celebrated on July 4th as Independence Day.

On June 14, 1775, at Independence Hall, delegates to the Continental Congress elected George Washington as commander of the Continental Army. On July 26, Benjamin Franklin was elected Postmaster General.