clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Philadelphia Historic Preservation

Filed under:

Following in Frank’s footsteps

How a Philly couple discovered the modern architect Frank Weise through his plans

A beginner’s guide to historic preservation in Philly

See something historic? Say something. Here’s a beginner’s guide to nominating a building, structure, district, or street for historic designation.

Gif shows Schuylkill River’s dramatic transformation

It looks a lot different now than 70 years ago

The ultimate guide to 30th Street Station

Where to eat, where to wait, and what to avoid at Philadelphia’s historic transportation hub.

Filed under:

  • Map

Philly’s oldest historic buildings, mapped

Some neighborhoods are unrecognizable from five years ago, but Philly has managed to hold onto some of its oldest, most significant structures that date all the way back to the 17th century.

Filed under:

A Q&A on preservation with Docomomo’s Dan Macey

Macey tells us why we should preserve modern structures, and how to get involved.

Filed under:

  • Map

Philly’s most iconic buildings, mapped

From the Philadelphia Museum of Art to Independence Hall, these buildings are the heart and soul of this city.

Eastern State Penitentiary: Then and Now

These before-after photos show just how much (or perhaps how little) the historic penitentiary in Fairmount has changed from its beginnings in the early 1800s.

Filed under:

  • Map

Mapping Philly's historic and notable graveyards

Philadelphia is filled with certified historic cemeteries dating back to the late 1600s, and we've rounded up 16 of them right here. Some of them are neglected and downright spooky, while others have been beautifully maintained throughout history.

The lost mansions of Rittenhouse Square

While living on the Square is certainly posh today, it doesn’t mean nearly the same thing as it did in the 19th century.

Louis Kahn’s Shapiro House in Penn Valley lists for $1M

Only owned and lived in by one family

Condo development planned for site of iconic Painted Bride building

In the midst of a legal battle over the space

Will Midtown Village leave the Gayborhood behind?

As the neighborhood grows and changes, some worry about a loss of identity.

Filed under:

  • Map

Hidden gems of Independence National Historical Park

But there is a lot more to the national park than Independence Hall or the Liberty. In fact, there are 55 acres of Independence National Historical Park to explore, if you just know where to look.

Filed under:

  • Map

10 Philly landmarks designed by Paul Philippe Cret

From Rittenhouse Square to the Rodin Museum, many Philly landmarks are tied to the French architect

19-story overlay project planned behind historic Society Hill buildings

The plan includes demolishing part of the existing historic buildings

Interior pieces of Public Ledger building auctioned off for $35K

The 6th and Chestnut interior has been stripped to make way for a Wawa

Filed under:

The pioneers of Philadelphia’s modernism movement

From architects to city planners, this group of seven paved the way for a modern Philly.

Apartments, coffee shop coming to former ICE offices in Callowhill

The building was most recently used for Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices

The National apartment building opens in Old City

Inside the new space, which offers green space for visitors, retail, and apartments.

Filed under:

A beginner’s guide to Philly modernism

The architects and structures that shaped the 20th-century style—and the fate of their legacy.

View All Stories

Filed under:

Inside the fight to save a Louis Kahn relic

Kahn and partner Anne Tyng designed this home in 1950—and now its future is at stake

City outlines plan to boost historic preservation efforts following report

The report presented the city with eight main suggestions

What’s going on with South Street’s historic Royal Theater site?

OCF is delivering apartments in 2020

Frank Furness-designed South Philly church on track for demolition

It was built in 1874 and added to the register of historic places

Filed under:

  • Map

14 important African-American sites to visit in Philly

Visit the historic spaces that shaped black culture and civil rights in Philadelphia.

Filed under:

  • Map

Tracing black architect Julian Abele’s life and work in Philly

The architect, who was the first black student to graduate from the University of Pennsylvania’s design program, is behind some of the most beloved and iconic buildings in and around Philadelphia.

Louis Kahn’s former Washington Square home wants $1.6M

It’s a three-bed place

Map of Philly’s 1913 subway plan shows what public transit could have been

More routes and more stops

With more funding, developer eyes June construction date for old Family Court

Checking in with the historic renovation project

30th Street Station’s iconic flipboard will be down by Monday

It started coming down Thursday night

Filed under:

  • Map

Where Martin Luther King, Jr. left his mark in Philly

To celebrate MLK Day, we put together this map of all the places that he left his mark in and around Philly, from Girard College to a rowhouse in Camden.

Broad Street church secures historic designation

The designation was opposed by The Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Iconic Kensington milk bottle and dairy plant eyed for residential project

The project would include residential units and office space

The top Curbed Philly longreads of 2018

We delved into the history and rebirth of Philly spaces—and the people behind them

Curbed Philly’s 7 most talked-about news stories of 2018

From the most controversial to the ones that made the biggest impact

NY-based real estate group plans to revitalize SS United States

The fastest ocean liner might be leaving Philly

Elfreth’s Alley home from 1706 wants $925K

It’s one of only 32 homes on the country’s oldest street

Filed under:

  • Map

11 of Philly’s most spectacular theaters

Come for the show, stay for the glorious architecture. Here, we’ve mapped 10 historic and spectacular theaters in Philly that have withstood the test of time and continue to wow with their impressive interiors.