Editing Philadelphias Grid Plan (section)

== The Five Squares ==

Central to Penn's vision were the [[Five Public Squares|five public squares]] that punctuated his grid. Centre Square, at the intersection of Broad and Market Streets, was the largest and most important, intended as the civic heart of the city. The four corner squares—originally named simply Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, and Southwest—were distributed near the edges of the plan to ensure that all residents had access to public open space. Penn intended these squares to remain open forever, providing light, air, and recreation for the city's inhabitants. Three of the four corner squares were later renamed to honor prominent Philadelphians: Rittenhouse Square (for astronomer David Rittenhouse), Washington Square (for George Washington), and Logan Square (for James Logan, Penn's secretary). Franklin Square retained its directional name until being renamed for Benjamin Franklin.<ref name="reps"/>

The squares have evolved significantly from Penn's original conception. Centre Square was occupied by Philadelphia City Hall beginning in 1871, eliminating the open space Penn had envisioned. The corner squares have been redesigned multiple times, transforming from simple greens into more elaborate parks with fountains, sculptures, and formal landscaping. [[Rittenhouse Square]], in particular, has become one of the city's premier public spaces, surrounded by high-rise apartment buildings and serving as the social center of its fashionable neighborhood. Despite these changes, the squares continue to fulfill Penn's basic intention of providing public green space within the urban fabric, and their locations at the intersections of major streets remain as he planned them.<ref name="gallery"/>