HISTORY
IN THE SPIRIT OF PHILADELPHIA
The heart of America and a home to a Princess, Philadelphia is among the most important cultural and intellectual centers in the world. Be it architecture, literature or art, the city offers a dazzling mix of the classical and the contemporary mixed with a burgeoning, inventive food scene. Philadelphia sits at the cusp, arms wide open, of a great renaissance period.
And the heart of the heart lies squarely in Rittenhouse. A Penn & Holme-designed original, part of a quintuple of important squares in the city, Rittenhouse Square Park is home for the accomplished, the innovative and the powerful.
A Rich Past
Philadelphia has played a crucial role in American history, serving as the home of the Continental Congress and the nation's capital in the 18th century. The city has remained one of America's most powerful urban centers through the years, preserving the outstanding architecture, stunning city parks, and esteemed cultural institutions that sprouted during Philadelphia's early years.
The city is among the most important architecturally, with a strong Beaux Arts influence represented best by the work of Paul Philippe Cret. Educated in the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, he later headed the prestigious Department of Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania and was responsible for the Rodin Museum at the Philadelphia Museum of Art as well as the redesign of Rittenhouse Square Park. A stroll through the city reveals a number of unique architectural moments be it from Cret or those who studied or worked with him.
A Bright Future
Rittenhouse Square is the epicenter of modern Philadelphia, with streets of regal row houses stretching south and west of the lush green space and the shimmering skyscrapers of Center City extending to the north and east. Shops, restaurants and bars dot the area surrounding the square, fostering a lively and inviting aura day and night.
