Philadelphia: Reflections on Liberty

When I was in Philadelphia, I walked around marveling at the fact that the real Independence Hall was still standing. You can see it from a distance below.

I had no idea that I could visit the original Independence Hall, the birthplace of our country. I thought that the building, built between 1732 and 1756, was lost to time and development. When I came out of the underground parking structure, walked through the Visitors Center and came upon this expansive lawn leading up to the Independence Hall, I stopped in my tracks. Wait...what?

I thought Epcot Center and the cartoon depiction in Schoolhouse Rock (around marker 1:14) was all that we had left of this historic landmark. Clearly my high school did not take a field trip to Philadelphia. I was thrilled that I could walk inside the building where our founding fathers defined our country.

This is Congress Hall, inside Independence Hall, where Congress met between 1790-1800.

Also housed in this building is the Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chamber (above), where the highest court in the colonies would meet. My other post about the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall is here.

This is my favorite image from our visit to Philadelphia. The glass wall looks into the Liberty Bell on display. You can see people in line admiring it. Reflecting in the glass is Independence Hall, which is directly behind where I was standing. The second reflection, which I am still puzzled as to how it appeared, is of the American flag on a flagpole outside Independence Hall, blowing in the wind. I call this image, "Reflections on Liberty."