Built in a thirty year period following the Civil War, Philadelphia’s City Hall was designed in the architectural style known as Second Empire due to its Second French Empire era elements, which was also known as Napolean lll style. But you can call it Creepy Building style for short:
City Hall was designed to be the tallest building in the world! But since it took thirty years to complete, other buildings had already surpassed its height before it was finished!
The building is topped with a 37-foot statue of the city’s founder, William Penn, which was designed by Alexander Milne Calder. But you can call him The Sculptor Who Was Hated By The Architect for short.
In fact, the architect who designed City Hall hated the sculptor to such a degree, that instead of pointing William Penn and his 27 tons of bronze toward the preordained sunny South, the architect stuck him atop the building with his back to the city.
This doesn’t seem too bad a punishment when viewing William Penn from certain angles:
But when viewed from other angles:
The many relief sculptures that line the building’s tower are thought to represent historical, allegorical, and mythological figures symbolizing wisdom, virtues, and vices:
But the strangest thing about Philadelphia’s City Hall was in 1980 when a Giant Girl Scout hung a poster on this building and it appeared on an album cover:
The architect who designed city hall also designed the church in Media, across Baltimore pike, behind Trader Joe’s.
Bald Bill, that would be Media Presbyterian. I didn’t know that! And what a great story, Bossy. And you know that Calder’s son designed the Logan Circle fountain, and of course you know that his grandson is the Alexander Calder who made all the mobiles. What a family.
–>Congrats!
I never saw the view of Billys penis before!!!!!!
What??? Details on that album cover please. Thanks for the post. We miss you.
Here in Nebraska, we proudly call our state capitol building the “penis of the prairie.” Google it… it’s worth it for a laugh!
Also from Nebraska but knew it as penis of the plains 🙂
I remember that outfit. And the sash, and all of the badges one worked so hard to get. And had to sew on (because Mom didn’t sew) which would then fall off. I have never looked at Will from that direction, so have managed to miss that particular view. Now I will not rest until I see it “live.”
Also from Nebraska. Had no idea it was called either Penis of the Prairie or Penis of the Plains. I am dying laughing now!
LOVED the history lesson, Bossy!!! Each paragraph power packed with cool facts that I didn’t know, and ended in Beru Revue Lore!!! Nicely done !!!! 🙂
Talk about burying the lead!
That’s a sweet story!