Lubert Plaza, Philadelphia, Guida per visitatori e cosa fare nei dintorni

Lubert Plaza is the address at 1001 Locust Street in the Washington Square West neighbourhood of Philadelphia. It is a residential corner of the city, a few blocks from Washington Square, one of the five original squares laid out in the city's founding plan. The area is worth a slow walk because of what lies under the park nearby.

The story behind it

Washington Square was planned as one of Philadelphia's five original public squares, but for much of its early life it served as a potter's field, a burial ground for people the city had no other place for. During the Revolutionary War, many soldiers who died in captivity were buried here, mostly in unmarked graves.

The square took in more of the dead during the yellow fever epidemic of 1793, which killed roughly 5,000 people, about a tenth of the city's population. President Washington, Congress and much of the federal government left the city that summer. The square later became a public park, and the graves remain beneath the lawns and paths. Today the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier of the American Revolution, with its eternal flame, marks the site.

What to look for

• The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier of the American Revolution in Washington Square, where an eternal flame honours the soldiers buried in the ground around it.
• The layout of the square itself, a planned green space set into the street grid, which shows how Philadelphia was designed from the start.
• The mature trees and shaded benches in the park, which make a calm contrast with the history underfoot.
• The residential blocks along Locust Street, where the everyday life of Washington Square West plays out around much older stories.

Tips for your visit

• Lubert Plaza is a residential address, so treat it as a stop on a walk and not a sight to go inside. Respect the people who live there.
• Washington Square is an open public park, so you can walk through it at your own pace. Allow 15 to 20 minutes to look around.
• Morning and late afternoon are pleasant for strolling, when the light is softer and the paths are quieter.
• Pair the visit with a wander through the surrounding streets of Washington Square West, which are easy to cover on foot.

See it on a quest

Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in Washington Square West, Philadelphia is a good way to see this part of the city. You reach Locust Street and the area around it on foot as one stop of a longer route, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle based on what is in front of you. There is no guide and no group to join, and you can start whenever you like. It is a paid quest, and one ticket covers the whole group.