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Germantown, Philadelphia — Area Guide & Where to Stay
Germantown is a district of Philadelphia founded in 1683, known for the historic houses of Cliveden and the Johnson House Historic Site.
About Germantown
Where to stay in Germantown
Where you base yourself shapes the visit — here's the character of each area.
Germantown keeps few hotels. Most visitors base themselves in central Philadelphia and come out to Germantown for its old houses, among them Cliveden and the Johnson House Historic Site. The district rewards a slow walk.
If you would rather wake among the old streets near the Mennonite Meetinghouse and Concord School House than in the centre, a quiet stay here suits you.
About Germantown
What are the main landmarks in Germantown?
Old houses crowd Germantown. Cliveden and the Johnson House Historic Site stand among its streets, while the Vernon-Wister House and the Concord School House add to a dense run of early buildings. The Mennonite Meetinghouse recalls the district's early congregations.
Saint Michael's Evangelical Lutheran Church rises nearby.
What is the history of Germantown?
Germantown dates to 1683. The settlement founded in that year grew into one of the older quarters of Philadelphia, its early life still legible in the Johnson House Historic Site and the walls of Cliveden. Concord School House survives from that long past.
The Mennonite Meetinghouse endures too.
Where is Germantown?
Germantown lies within Philadelphia. Its streets run past Cliveden and the Johnson House Historic Site, gathering the old houses that give this district of Philadelphia its shape. The Concord School House stands among them.
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Updated July 2026