Historic Sacred Places of Philadelphia · Default Product

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Philadelphia is a walkable city where the modern visitor encounters historic architecture at every turn. In fact, no other American city is so richly endowed with historic buildings as Philadelphia—some dating back to the seventeenth century. In addition to obvious national treasures like Independence Hall, there are thousands of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century homes that continue to shelter and comfort Philadelphians as they have for centuries. Less well known are the hundreds of sacred places—colonial and Victorian Protestant and Catholic churches, Quaker meeting houses, and Jewish synagogues—that enrich every neighborhood. Replete with symbolism and often architecturally impressive, these sacred places await discovery in the pages of this handsome book. The rich diversity of Philadelphia's sacred places owes its existence to William Penn's guarantee of religious toleration to the many religious denominations attracted to his "holy experiment." They are a metaphor for the modern American pluralistic society that is itself a legacy from Penn. Philadelphia's historic sacred places also reflect how these different congregations chose to celebrate their belief in God through the c

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