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Liberty Bell Review

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Liberty Bell

Address: 6th and Chestnut Sts., Historic Area, Philadelphia, PA | Map It
Phone: 215/965-2305
www.nps.gov/inde/liberty-bell.html

Category: Public Art (Mural/Sculpture/Statue)
Location: Historic District

Write a review | Avg. member rating: 5.0/5

Fodor's Review:

The bell fulfilled the biblical words of its inscription when it rang to "proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof," beckoning Philadelphians to the State House yard to hear the first reading of the Declaration of Independence. Ordered in 1751 and originally cast in England, the bell cracked during testing and was recast in Philadelphia by Pass and Stow two years later. To keep it from falling into British hands during the Revolution—they would have melted it down for ammunition—the bell was spirited away by horse and wagon to Allentown, 60 mi to the north. The bell is the subject of much legend; one story says it cracked when tolled at the funeral of Chief Justice John Marshall in 1835. Actually, the bell cracked slowly over a period of years. It was repaired but cracked again in 1846 and was then forever silenced. It was called the State House Bell until the 1830s, when a group of abolitionists adopted it as a symbol of freedom and renamed it the Liberty Bell.

After more than 200 years inside Independence Hall, the bell was moved to a glass-enclosed pavilion for the 1976 Bicentennial, which for many seemed an incongruous setting for such a historic object. In mid-2003, the bell once again moved to another glass-enclosed pavilion with redbrick accents. This time, great care was taken to improve access to the bell and the view of its former home at Independence Hall, which is seen against the backdrop of the sky—rather than 20th-century buildings. The Liberty Bell complex houses a bell chamber, an interpretive exhibit area with historic displays and memorabilia, and a covered area for waiting in line.

Cost: Free
Open: Daily 9-5

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Member Reviews and Ratings

Reviewed by bachslunch from US on 10/19/08
An icon of the US, and a must-see. More interesting in person than one might imagine, with a certain worn majesty to it. It's also free and no ticket is required.