Rittenhouse Square

When the weather is nice, it can be difficult to find a bench during lunchtime in Rittenhouse Square. Despite the crowds that fill the pretty tree-lined park in the swankiest part of town, it remains a peaceful respite from the bustle of the city.

A convenient break from the skyscrapers and upscale shops just outside, the square is filled with suits on lunch break, families, dogs, artists, and musicians. Rittenhouse was called Southwest Square until 1825 when it was renamed for famous Philadelphia [1] astronomer and clockmaker David Rittenhouse (1732–1796), descendant of William Rittenhouse of paper-mill fame.

Architect Paul Cret, also responsible for the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and many of its buildings, designed the entrances, the central plaza, stone railings, the pool, and the fountain in 1913.

If you can’t snag a bench, there is always space to sit along the walls surrounding the center fountain—great for people-watching.