Christ Church, Philadelphia, Besucherguide & was in der Nähe unternehmen

Christ Church is a colonial Anglican church in the Old City district of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded in the 1690s. Its tall brick steeple once dominated the skyline, and the congregation counted several Founding Fathers among its members. Today it is one of the best places in the city to connect early American history with a good local legend.

The story behind it

The Christ Church congregation dates to 1695, and the building you see today was raised in stages through the 18th century. The steeple was added in the 1750s and made the church the tallest building in the colonies, a record it kept for decades. Philadelphia was the largest city in British North America, and this was its most visible landmark. Worshippers here included George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and other leaders of the Revolution.

The steeple also sits at the start of a famous piece of city folklore. For a long time an informal agreement kept buildings lower than the statue of William Penn on top of City Hall. When One Liberty Place rose above it in 1987, fans began to talk about the Curse of Billy Penn, blaming it for the failures of the city's sports teams. In 2007, ironworkers finishing the Comcast Center fixed a small Penn figurine to the highest beam. The Phillies won the World Series the following year, and the Eagles won their first Super Bowl in 2018. Whether you believe in the curse or not, it is a story locals love to tell.

What to look for

• The steeple rises high above the surrounding rooftops, so look up from the street and compare it with the glass towers behind it.
• The red brick Georgian exterior is plain and symmetrical, with tall arched windows that are typical of colonial church design.
• Inside, the box pews are a distinctive feature, and some are marked to show where famous worshippers sat.
• The baptismal font is linked to William Penn, who was baptized in the church it came from in England.

Tips for your visit

• Allow 20 to 30 minutes for the church itself, longer if you join a tour. Check current opening hours and whether the interior is open on the day you go.
• Soft morning light is good for photographing the brick and the steeple, and the streets are usually quieter then.
• The Christ Church Burial Ground, where Benjamin Franklin is buried, is a separate site a few blocks away at 5th and Arch Streets.
• The church is close to the Delaware waterfront, Elfreth's Alley and Independence Hall, so it fits easily into a day on foot through Old City.

See it on a quest

Philadelphia Old Town: Solve the Case brings you to Christ Church on foot as one stop of a longer route through the historic streets. The app tells you about each place as you arrive and sets a puzzle based on what is in front of you, so you look at the details rather than just walk past. One ticket covers the whole group.

Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in Old City, Philadelphia is a self-guided mystery through the same neighborhood. You reach Christ Church as part of the route, hear about it in the app, and solve a puzzle on the spot. There is no guide and no group to join, and one ticket covers the whole group.