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Philadelphia, also sometimes called Philly, is a big city on the Delaware River in the northeastern state of Pennsylvania. It has about 1.5 million people, estimates from the United States Census¹ Bureau show.

William Penn, an Englishman and member of the Christian² group known as Quakers, founded Pennsylvania in the sixteen eighties. He also designed the city. Penn chose the name Philadelphia - a term he interpreted to mean "city of brotherly love" in Greek.

Philadelphia is famous for holding an important place in American history. It served as the nation's capital from 1785 to 1790. Earlier, it was the capital of the American colonies during most of the Revolutionary War against Britain.

Philadelphia became the central meeting place for the "Founding Fathers" who created the United States government. The buildings where they worked can be seen today in an area called the Old City, or Independence National Historical Park.

The main building is Independence Hall. That was where colonial leaders declared independence and later debated the creation of a government.

The National Park Service says more than 2.6 million people visited Independence National Historical Park last year.

Close to the park is the National Liberty Museum. It holds a collection of more than ninety paintings and sculptures. They represent the idea that liberty is a freedom that is easily violated.

Several blocks away lies the National Constitution Center. This privately³ operated nonprofit museum opened its doors in Philadelphia on July 4, 2003. It was created to increase public recognition of the Constitution, its history, and its importance today. Visitors are presented with the idea that the most important part of American constitutional democracy is the individual citizen.

Rich with tradition, Philadelphia offers plenty for visitors who are less concerned about history and more concerned about their stomachs. There are many food choices for hungry visitors. Reading Terminal Market, for example, is one of the nation's largest public markets.

At Reading Terminal Market, visitors can find all kinds of foods -- including, of course, Philly cheesesteak. The city is known for these sandwiches. They are made of thin pieces of meat covered with cheese. A cheesesteak is offered with onions and other toppings and served on a long roll.

And where might a visitor find the best Philly cheesesteak? That question is the subject of much debate.

Words in This Story

interpret – v. to explain or tell the meaning of something

sculpture – n. a three-dimensional work of art (such as a statue)

museum – n. a building in which interesting and valuable things (as works of art or historical or scientific objects) are collected and shown to the public

sandwich – n. one or more slices of bread or a roll with a filling or spread