Rittenhouse Square: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Summary

The most  inviting of William Penn's original five public squares, Rittenhouse Square brings together all of Center City Philadelphia's southwest quadrant, a vibrant neighborhood of shops, offices, homes, schools, hotels, and cultural institutions. This mixture of uses and the surrounding buildings provides a constant source of people who use the square throughout the day and evening.

Designated Area

The Square is bounded by Walnut Street to the north, 18th Street to the east, South Rittenhouse Street to the south, and West Rittenhouse Street to the west in southwestern corner of Philadelphia's Center City.

Rittenhouse Square's central location and mixture of uses provide a constant stream of pedestrian traffic throughout the day and evening. Photo courtesy of Brian T. Wenrich.

Planning Excellence

The most  inviting of William Penn's original five public squares, Rittenhouse Square brings together  all of Center City Philadelphia's southwest quadrant, a vibrant neighborhood of shops, offices, homes, schools, hotels, and cultural institutions. This mixture of uses and the surrounding buildings provides a constant source of people who use the square throughout the day and evening.

This ever-present activity and the reasons for it led Jane Jacobs, the famous urbanist and author of The Death and Life of Great American Cities, to call Rittenhouse Square "the perfect neighborhood."

The square dates back to William Penn's original 1681 plan for Philadelphia, although if Penn were alive today he would hardly recognize the space. Originally used as an animal pasture, the area blossomed in the later half of the 19th century into a fashionable backyard for wealthy Philadelphians living nearby in Victorian mansions.

 In 1913, a group of private citizens commissioned architect Paul Cret to transform the still relatively nondescript square into something more inspiring. Cret's solution was a Beaux-Arts design with diagonal crosswalks that cut across the broad stretches of grass, and a circular path in the middle that links all crosswalks, giving the square a maze-like quality that makes it appear much larger than its six acres. Separating the square from the surrounding four busy streets is an ornate iron fence.

Rittenhouse Square has survived as a green oasis for more than 300 years because of the engaged citizenry that has pride in "Philadelphia's living room." Over the years, private citizens have grouped together to protect the square from encroachment from grazing animals, intruding parking garage plans, and overshadowing buildings. The community is committed to keeping Rittenhouse Square a beautiful, comfortable, and appealing place for Philadelphians and visitors from the around the world.

Patrons young and old enjoy a bevy of street musicians who use Rittenhouse Square as their stage. Photo courtesy of Brian T. Wenrich.

Defining Characteristics, Features

Legacy of a Devoted Community

  • Local residents first protected the public square in 1816 (then called Southwest Square), when private citizens loaned the city $800 to till and sod grounds and build a fence to keep out grazing animals
  • By late 1800s area surrounding Square considered city's most fashionable neighborhood; wealthy citizens build Victorian mansions, many of which now  adaptively reused as cultural institutions; eclectic mix of brick, stone and terra cotta buildings face Square
  • Citizens organized Center City Residents Association (1947) to petition and successfully defeat proposal to build parking garage beneath square
  • During 1950s five full time gardeners tended the square; Today, the Friends of Rittenhouse Square provide funding for one of the two full-time employees dedicated to the square
  • Philadelphia Historical Commission designated Rittenhouse Square neighborhood a local historic district in 1995; commission approves any alterations to square or buildings facing onto the square. Special Controls  Ordinance for the Center City Commercial Area was added to zoning code (1981)
  • Both Rittenhouse Square and Rittenhouse Square District added to the National Register of Historic Places (1981)

Anchors Vibrant Neighborhood

  • At the heart of a lively mixed-use neighborhood, Rittenhouse Square is constantly alive with exercisers, workers, the elderly, schoolchildren, parents, students, dog-walkers, loungers, and performers
  • Popular weekday lunch spot; more than  2,250 pedestrians pass through one of the square's four grand entrances each hour during lunchtime
  • Sounds of students practicing at the Curtis Institute of Music, located just east of the square, are often heard; the Philadelphia City Institute, a free library, is nearby on West Rittenhouse Street
  • The neighborhood includes housing that ranges from small row homes to high-rise condominiums and apartments, making it a dense and diverse residential area
  • Square's northern border, along Walnut Street, considered Philadelphia's premier shopping district

Inviting Community Space

  • A reflecting pool, flower beds, and trees, including sycamore, horse chestnut, maple, elms and oaks, promote relaxing atmosphere
  • Square provides ceremonial place for annual community festivals, including  Flower Market (established 1914) and Juried Fine Art Show (established 1932)
  • Square easily accessible to pedestrians, cyclists and visitors coming via Port Authority Transit Corporation (PATCO) high-speed line; Broad Street subway; Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) subway-surface trolley line; four SEPTA bus routes
  • Square has several sculptures including "Billy," a bronze goat statue in the southwest corner — a favorite spot for children to play

Rittenhouse Square is a public 'living room' for Philadelphians and visitors. Gorgeous landscaping, ornamental features, and benches create a prime location for congregation and relaxation. Photo courtesy of Brian T. Wenrich.