United States · Pennsylvania · Philadelphia
Old City, Philadelphia — Area Guide & Where to Stay
Old City is the historic heart of Philadelphia, the colonial-era quarter around Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, in Pennsylvania.
About Old City
Where to stay in Old City
Where you base yourself shapes the visit — here's the character of each area.
Old City is the obvious base for a first visit to Philadelphia. You wake within walking distance of Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and the Museum of the American Revolution, with the Independence Seaport Museum and USS Becuna moored at the waterfront a few blocks east. The quarter fills at weekends around its galleries and old brick warehouses.
Stay here to put the founding-era sights at your doorstep and skip the commute. It suits history-minded travelers above all.
About Old City
What are the main landmarks in Old City?
Old City holds the founding landmarks of the United States. Independence Hall anchors Independence National Historical Park, with the Liberty Bell displayed across the street and the National Constitution Center closing the green to the north, all within a few blocks. Carpenters' Hall, Christ Church, and the Betsy Ross House fill the surrounding streets, while the Museum of the American Revolution and the Free Quaker Meetinghouse add to the cluster.
Few districts anywhere carry so much. This is Philadelphia's oldest ground.
What is the history of Old City?
Old City is the oldest quarter of Philadelphia, the ground where the colonial town first took shape. Its founding-era heritage still stands in place: Independence Hall, Carpenters' Hall, Christ Church, and the Free Quaker Meetinghouse all survive within a few blocks of one another. Gloria Dei, known as the Old Swedes' Church, belongs to the same fabric.
Layers accumulated here. The result is a dense survival of early-American building in the heart of Philadelphia.
Where is Old City?
Old City takes in the old riverfront blocks of central Philadelphia, gathered around Independence National Historical Park, in the state of Pennsylvania.
Good for
More areas in Philadelphia
Updated July 2026