Philadelphia is one of the largest cities in the United States, home to many historical sites and the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Philadelphia houses citizens of a wide range of cultures, beliefs, and lifestyles, and the city is known for its diverse population. While Philadelphia may be home to endless stories, it is well known for a few key facts. Learn what Philadelphia is most famous for, and how the rest of the country and the world knows the City of Brotherly Love! 

One of the things Philly is most famous for is its rich history! Philadelphia was where the Declaration of Independence was signed, and it served as the unofficial first capital of the United States during the Revolutionary War against Great Britain. The Liberty Bell resides in Philadelphia, along with the Betsy Ross House, the National Constitution Center, the Museum of the American Revolution, and many more historical landmarks and museums. Many tourists and educational tours come to Philadelphia for its major role in American history.

The Philly cheesesteak is one of the city’s biggest claims to fame. Across the country, restaurants offer a “Philly cheesesteak”, but anyone from Philadelphia will tell you that you can’t get an authentic one outside of the city. Philly cheesesteaks are known for their thinly sliced meat, top-tier Philadelphia-made bread, cheese, and the option for your sandwich “ wit or witout ” fried onions. Cheesesteak shops all over Philly contend for the “Best Cheesesteak” title, but the most famous contenders include Pat’s Steaks, Geno’s, Dalessandro’s, and Jim’s Steaks. 

Some will call them violent, others call them passionate. Philadelphia sports fans get a bad reputation around the world for a few unseemly episodes. All the way back in 1968, Eagles fans famously pelted snowballs at the halftime show Santa. In 1999, when J.D. Drew refused to sign with the Phillies, the fans threw Duracell batteries at him during his next appearance in the city. Philadelphia sports fans have had a few other incidents involving booing players, cheering for injuries, and fighting. Despite some bad incidents, the stigma against Philly sports fans is mostly blown out of proportion. 

The city of Philadelphia is a mecca for art, and one shining example is the Philadelphia Mural Arts project. Philly has over 2000 outdoor murals adorning the walls of the city. It has been called the “Mural Capital of the US”. The restoration initiative by Mural Arts Philadelphia is the nation’s largest public art initiative, creating anywhere from 60 to 100 new public arts projects each year. 

Philadelphia is famous for so many things, so we’ll give you a few more fun facts about Philly: 

Philadelphia is a city of firsts: it is home to the nation’s first zoo, the first daily newspaper, the first hospital, and the first medical school. 

Philadelphia’s Walnut Street Theatre is the oldest continuously running English-speaking theatre in not just the country, but the whole world. 

Philadelphia is home to the most Impressionist paintings in the country, second only to Paris world-wide. 

Philadelphia’s Italian Market is the world’s oldest and largest outdoor market, and has remained the same for over 100 years.