City Hall

The Philadelphia City Hall was completed in 1901 after 30 years of construction.  During its construction, the original architectural style had gone out of fashion, electric lighting had replaced gas, and steel frame construction replaced heavy masonry.  This explains the love-hate attitude successive city governments have shown towards it. City Hall is the largest municipal building in the United States and exceeds the Capitol in Washington. The tower was intended to be the tallest in the world, but the Eiffel Tower and the Washington Monument surpassed it prior to completion. Tours inside City Hall are given Monday through Friday at 12:30 pm and begin at the Tour Information Center. The tours last approximately 1.5 hrs to 2 hrs.   The cost as of 2009 is $10 for adults.