Independence Hall

The red-brick hall where the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution were adopted; a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The building is a fine example of Georgian architecture, a style known for its balanced, symmetrical shape and brick walls trimmed with stone. A bell tower and white steeple rise from the middle. The ideas written down here about freedom and democracy went on to influence lawmakers around the world, and in 1979 Independence Hall became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the centrepiece of Independence National Historical Park.

What happened here

The Pennsylvania lawmakers lent their Assembly Room to the Second Continental Congress, which met here from 1775 to 1781. In this room, in June 1775, George Washington was chosen to lead the new Continental Army. On 4 July 1776 the delegates adopted the Declaration of Independence, announcing that the 13 colonies were breaking away from Britain. In the summer of 1787, from May to September, the Constitutional Convention met in the same room and wrote the US Constitution, the plan for the country's government that is still used today.

The building and its bell

The State House was designed by Edmund Woolley and Andrew Hamilton and built a little at a time, as money became available. The first wooden steeple was the original home of the Liberty Bell. By the 1770s that steeple had rotted, and it was taken down in 1781; a new steeple was added in 1828. Today the Liberty Bell is displayed in its own building nearby, and the tip of the steeple stands about 51 metres above the ground.

Visiting today

Independence Hall is cared for by the National Park Service as part of Independence National Historical Park, created in 1948 together with Congress Hall, the Liberty Bell and other historic buildings. It stands on Independence Square next to Congress Hall and Old City Hall. Inside, visitors can see the Assembly Room, the heart of the building. The park also tells other stories from the building's long life, such as the Articles of Confederation taking effect here in 1781. Because so many people visit, entry includes security screening.

On the globe

The model shows the red-brick hall with its white bell tower and steeple in Philadelphia. Zoom in to see the tall tower rising from the middle of the long brick building.