Fun Facts About Philly

Find here the interesting things about Philly, the City of Brotherly Love. It is home to the oldest zoo and oldest outdoor market in the United States.

How well do you know the city of Philadelphia? Aside from being the City of Brotherly Love and its nickname to be the Cradle of Liberty, what do you know about Philly? From a city with mixed cultures, different races and a long history of prominence in the evolution of a country that is now the United States of America, Philadelphia is a wealth of facts and trivia, both well and little known.

Here are some interesting things to know about this city and its traditions.

First, it is rude not to try Philly's Cheese Steak. It's Philly's most famous food. The Rocky Balboa fans will be delighted to imitate their idol by pacing up and down the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and pose beside his bronze statue.

Philadelphia is said to be haunted, and ghost tours are a huge tourist attraction. The oldest zoo in the US is the Philadelphia city zoo.

Philadelphia was once the capital of the United States and the Congress Hall was where the US Congress convened in that brief period. The oldest outdoor market in all of the United States is the Italian Market in Philly.

Another interesting trivia is that The Declaration of Independence was first read at the Independence Square. It bears the penmanship of Thomas Jefferson himself. It is reminiscent of the days the 13 colonies finally broke off with Great Britain.

The United States' first stock exchange was in Philadelphia, as well as the first ever bank in US soil. Philadelphia has contributed more than 600 lives in the Vietnam War. The Walnut Street Theater, the longest running theater in the US, was once owned by John Wilkes Booth's brother Edwin.

Logan Square was the site of many public executions. It was named after James Logan. Another trivia is that the The National Constitution Center lets guests sign in as the president of the United States, whether they happen to be Barrack Obama or not.

Albert Einstein and Marie Curie, along with Philly's Ben Franklin, were all members of Philadelphia's Philosophical Hall. Philadelphia has the most number of public art pieces among all US cities.

Fairmont Park with over 8,000 acres is the largest city park in the US. The famous Liberty Bell in Philadelphia weighs about 2,000 pounds. Philly has 83 radio stations and 14 TV stations.

Worshippers at Christ Church included three famous men in US history, namely Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. Al Capone, the famous Italian-American Chicago-based organized crime boss and famous Alcatraz prisoner, was once held at the Eastern States Penitentiary.

Christ Church cemetery is the burial site of five signatories to the Declaration of Independence. Betsy Ross fashioned the first ever American flag off of a house at 239 Arch Street.

On August 6, 1903, 12 people died and 232 were injured when the stadium at a game between Phillies vs Boston Braves at the Baker Bowl collapsed under the collective weight of fans who rushed to the top stands to investigate a brawl.

There are definitely a lot more fun facts and trivia about Philly that could entertain and fascinate you. But for a truly fun and pleasant Philly experience, you've got to visit. There is nothing more exciting than living the trivia or seeing and feeling it at close range.