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Tower city center tours.
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Visit Tower City Center
This tourist precinct is situated in Downtown Cleveland , a place that has so much on offer! Progressive Field, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Cleveland Browns Stadium are other popular sightseeing opportunities not far away when you've had your fill of Tower City Center.
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Tours & day trips.
Guided Walking Tour: Downtown Highlights
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West Side Market Food Tour
Ohio City Neighborhood Food Tour of Cleveland
Unique Scavenger Hunt Experience in Cleveland by Wacky Walks
Adventurous Scavenger Hunt in Cleveland by Operation City Quest
Downtown Cleveland Public Art Walking Tour
Adventure & outdoor.
3 Hours E-Bike Rental in Cleveland
CLE Mini Bus Group Tour
Cuyahoga Valley National Park: Audio Tour Guide
Cuyahoga Valley National Park Audio Tour Guide
Attractions.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Admission in Cleveland
Skip the Line: Cleveland History Center Admission Ticket
The Escape Game: Epic 60-Minute Adventures at Crocker Park
Reviews of tower city center.
Cleveland Film Festival is the best!!
This is clearly an important part of downtown Cleveland. I will say that the mall itself has a kind of strange, post-apocalyptic feeling about it, particularly in the parking garage. Was approached inside by someone asking for money but knowing that Cleveland has a large housing insecure population, I understand this. The environment did kind of put me on edge but the mall is in a convenient location and has a decent food court.
Popular places to visit
Terminal tower.
Visit the observation deck for unbeatable views of Cleveland or enjoy dining, family entertainment and shopping in the Tower City Mall.
Soldiers and Sailors Monument
Pay tribute to Cuyahoga County’s Civil War heroes with a visit to this impressive monument in Cleveland’s city center.
Old Stone Church
The oldest building in Cleveland’s town center features impressive stained glass windows, a towering steeple and fascinating history.
Cleveland Arcade
You can find out about the history of Cleveland with a trip to Cleveland Arcade. Attend a sporting event or simply enjoy the top-notch restaurants while you're in the area.
East 4th Street
During your visit to Cleveland, you can browse for the perfect souvenirs at East 4th Street. Attend a sporting event or simply enjoy the top-notch restaurants while you're in the area.
Cleveland Public Library
After visiting Cleveland Public Library, make a plan to see the other sights and activities in Cleveland. Amble around this family-friendly area's lakeside and enjoy its top-notch restaurants.
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Tower City Center
Over 75 specialty shops, six restaurants, 10-screen theater & 2 Hotels. Access to Progressive Field and Quicken Loans Arena through our connected walkway. Bus parking available. RTA connections to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
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Jaw-dropping views, hidden history: a visit to philly’s city hall, america’s largest municipal building is an architectural marvel that's worth exploring all the way to the top....
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Location & Contact:
- 1400 John F. Kennedy Boulevard Philadelphia, PA 19107
- 267-514-4757
- Visit Website
The elevator motor whirs as dusty scenes glide past the glass door. You catch glimpses of things you’d imagine would be inside a clock tower from the 19th century: plenty of bricks, arched windows and a smattering of tools.
Just as you begin to think about how old this elevator is, the doors open and you step out onto a 360-degree observation deck — the only one in Philadelphia offering panoramic views of the city.
You’re in Philadelphia’s City Hall , home to 88 million bricks, 250 sculptures, 14.5 acres of floor space and one of Philly’s most iconic pieces of art: the 37-foot-tall statue of city founder William Penn.
Clocking in at 548 feet, City Hall was the tallest habitable structure in the world until 1908, and it remained the tallest building in Philadelphia until 1986 (a little more on that later). It’s still the largest municipal building in the United States today.
But numbers really don’t do this massive building justice. Built in the eclectic Second Empire style, City Hall’s beauty lies not in its size, but in the intricate details awaiting discovery around nearly every corner — and a view that can’t be beat.
The Experience
City Hall can (and should) be admired from the outside (which isn’t that hard to do, considering that William Penn and the building’s iconic clock can be seen from many spots throughout the city).
A view of City Hall from North Broad Street — Photo by M. Edlow for Visit Philadelphia
But history buffs, architecture fans, folks who love a good story and anyone interested in a jaw-dropping skyline view (so, everyone?) should find time to hop on a guided tour of one of Philly’s most iconic buildings. Here’s how.
City Hall Tower Tours
Offered both as part of the interior and exterior tour (see below) and as a standalone option, the City Hall Tower Tour takes you to a glass-enclosed observation deck 500 feet above street level — and just a few feet below the massive bronze statue of William Penn.
— Photo by M. Edlow for the Independence Visitor Center Corporation
The ascent is a bit of a rustic experience, with four visitors at a time joining an operator inside a small, 100-year-old elevator to reach the top.
The payoff is more than worth it as you take in rare, 360-degree views of Philadelphia from William Penn’s perspective.
Pro tip: After admiring the city view, be sure to look up through openings in the ceiling to examine details of the iconic statue up close.
Interior & Exterior Tours
In addition to the tower tours, guided tours offer a more comprehensive look at City Hall.
As you stroll around the perimeter of the building and through the center courtyard, tour guides offer insights and anecdotes about the history of the building, from its prolonged 30-year construction (1871 to 1901) to a gentlemen’s agreement among developers that kept William Penn as the tallest point in the city’s skyline until 1986.
(An ensuing Philly sports curse was reversed when a miniature William Penn statuette was placed atop the Comcast Center in 2007.)
As you listen, keep your eyes peeled and look up to examine some of the 250 sculptures designed by Alexander Milne Calder.
— Photo by M. Edlow for Philadelphia Visitor Center Corporation
Inside the building, you’ll explore the grandest of its more than 700 rooms. Stops on the tour include the ornate City Council Caucus Room where council members publicly debate and vote on bills — and the lavish Mayor’s Reception Room, which is lined with portraits of the previous mayors in the city’s history.
The tour ends with a trip to the top of the City Hall Tower, where you’ll experience sweeping, 360-degree views of the city from an enclosed observation deck.
Heads up: The building still serves as the official seat of Philly’s government, so expect a quick trip through a security checkpoint as you enter the building, and keep an eye out for busy staffers.
The History
In his original 1682 design for the city, William Penn planned five public squares, setting aside the Center Square for public buildings.
But it took 200 years before the square was used for that purpose.
The first City Hall was located at 2nd and Market streets, then moved to 5th and Chestnut streets when the Independence Hall complex was built.
Architect John McArthur, Jr. supervised the construction of the present-day City Hall on Center Square, which began in 1871 and took more than 30 years to complete.
The building’s exterior is covered with intricate sculptures representing the seasons and continents, as well as allegorical figures, animals and masks.
All of the sculptures were designed by Alexander Milne Calder, including the 27-ton statue of William Penn atop the tower.
Admission & Info
Both the City Hall Tower Tours and the Interior and Exterior Tour depart from the City Hall Visitor Center.
For more information on hours of operation and to purchase tickets, click the button below.
Things to Do Nearby
Self-Guided Tour
Can’t hop on a guided tour? No problem.
Philly’s Association for Public Art has an excellent self-guided tour featuring more than a dozen key artworks on and around City Hall.
A Quest for Parity: The Octavius V. Catto Memorial — Photo by A. Rogers for the Association for Public Art
Click the button below to learn more about the self-guided tour.
Dilworth Park
Speaking of around City Hall, Dilworth Park — located on the building’s west side — is well worth a visit any time of year.
City Hall’s fantastic front yard has a retro-themed roller rink and tree-lined fountains (splashing encouraged) in warm weather, and an ice-skating rink with a ski chalet vibe in winter.
Fountains at Dilworth Park — Photo by M. Fischetti for Visit Philadelphia
Also on-site: year-round pop-up concerts, fitness events, festivals, a cozy cafe and great access to public transit.
Click the button below for more about Dilworth Park.
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The Perfect Hotel Package for an Easy Philly Escape
The Visit Philly Overnight Package — booked more than 190,000 times since 2001 — comes with free hotel parking (worth up to $100 in Center City Philadelphia), overnight hotel accommodations and choose-your-own-adventure perks.
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City Hall Tower Tour
See the city from William Penn's point of view! The City Hall Tower Tour offers a panoramic view of Philadelphia's landscape from 548 feet above ground. Ascend to the top of the historic building via elevator to enjoy a spectacular view of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and city skyline from the city’s highest open-air observation deck.
Tours depart from the City Hall Visitor Center.
1 Penn Square Philadelphia , PA 19107 United States
Directions...
City Hall Visitor Center
City Hall Interior & Exterior Tour with Tower Tour
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Riverside Tower Tours
Experience the beauty and history of The Riverside Church – and enjoy the amazing views – during our awe-inspiring Tower Tours.
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Opened in 1930 and modeled after the 13th Century gothic cathedral in Chartres, France, The Riverside Church overlooks the Hudson River, Grant’s Tomb, Columbia University, and West Harlem. As the tallest church tower in North America, Riverside features spectacular 360-degree views and the 74-bell Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Carillon, with one of the largest tuned bell in the world at 20-tons. In contrast, the smallest bell weighs a mere 10 pounds.
Inside the Nave worship sanctuary, the strivings and aspirations of humanity, both religious and secular, shine through carvings, engravings, stained glass, and other iconography. Our pulpit has long been a forum for important civic and spiritual leaders, including Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, President Clinton, the Dalai Lama, and countless others.
Take Our Awe-Inspiring Tower Tour
Step inside the tallest steeple in North America and see New York City like never before. Our Tower Tour covers a brief Riverside history and the Nave sanctuary before embarking to the outdoor penthouse gallery at the top of the tower offering 360-degree views of the city, with viewings of the carillon and bells on the way up.
Attendees must be in good physical condition to climb up and down approximately six flights of stairs. Max of 10 attendees; children must be 12 or older. Signed waivers required of all attendees.
Schedule: Twice daily Wednesday-Saturday at 11:00 AM, and 2:00 PM. A special Sunday tour at 3:00 PM is also available, oftentimes featuring a live carillon performance!
Duration: Approximately 60 minutes
Cost: $20 per person Wednesday-Saturday / $25 per person on Sundays
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