Five Public Squares

The Five Public Squares are open spaces incorporated into William Penn's original 1682 plan for Philadelphia, designed to provide public green space, light, and air within the city's grid layout. Penn placed one square at the center of his plan—Centre Square, now occupied by Philadelphia City Hall—and four others near the corners: Northeast Square (now Franklin Square), Northwest Square (now Logan Square), Southeast Square (now Washington Square), and Southwest Square (now Rittenhouse Square). Penn intended these squares to remain open forever, serving as commons for public use and preventing the kind of overcrowded, fire-prone development that characterized European cities. After more than three centuries, four of the five squares remain public parks, fulfilling Penn's vision of a "greene countrie towne" even as the city has grown far beyond his original boundaries.

Penn's Vision

William Penn's inclusion of public squares in his city plan reflected both practical concerns and idealistic vision. Having witnessed the Great Fire of London in 1666, which destroyed much of the crowded medieval city, Penn sought to create urban spaces that would resist fire and promote health. Open squares would serve as firebreaks, preventing flames from spreading across entire neighborhoods. They would also provide fresh air and sunlight in a city that Penn hoped would remain spacious, with each house standing in the middle of its lot surrounded by gardens. The squares represented Penn's belief that public amenities should be accessible to all citizens, not reserved for the wealthy—a democratic impulse rooted in his Quaker faith.

Thomas Holme, Penn's surveyor, positioned the squares strategically within the grid. Centre Square occupied the intersection of Broad Street and High Street (now Market Street), marking the geometric and symbolic center of the city. Penn intended this square to eventually host important public buildings, though development proceeded slowly and the square remained largely open for its first two centuries. The four corner squares were distributed to ensure that residents throughout the city had convenient access to public open space. Each square measured approximately eight acres in Penn's original plan, though later development has altered their sizes and configurations.

Centre Square (City Hall)

Centre Square occupied the most prominent location in Penn's plan, at the crossing of the city's two principal streets. For nearly two centuries, the square remained open public land, used for various purposes including a water works that supplied the growing city. The Fairmount Water Works, completed in 1815, stood on Centre Square before being relocated to Fairmount in the 1820s. The construction of Philadelphia City Hall, begun in 1871 and completed in 1901, transformed Centre Square from open green space into the site of one of the largest municipal buildings in the world. This development represented a significant departure from Penn's vision, though City Hall's public function maintains the square's role as a civic gathering place.

City Hall's placement on Centre Square was controversial at the time, with some arguing that Penn's intention for the squares to remain open should be honored. Proponents countered that a grand civic building at the center of the city was consistent with Penn's vision of the square as a public space, even if not literally open parkland. The debate reflected ongoing tensions in Philadelphia between preservation of Penn's legacy and adaptation to the needs of a modern city. City Hall's construction ultimately transformed the area, making the intersection of Broad and Market Streets the symbolic center of Philadelphia in a way that an empty square might never have achieved.

Rittenhouse Square

Rittenhouse Square, in the southwestern quadrant of Penn's plan, is today the most fashionable of Philadelphia's original squares. Named in 1825 for David Rittenhouse, the noted Philadelphia astronomer and patriot, the square was originally known simply as Southwest Square. For its first century, Rittenhouse Square was a neglected open space on the western edge of developed Philadelphia, used primarily for livestock grazing and occasional public gatherings. Development of the surrounding streets began in earnest after the Civil War, and by the late 19th century Rittenhouse Square had become the center of Philadelphia's wealthiest residential neighborhood.

Today Rittenhouse Square is one of Philadelphia's premier public spaces, surrounded by high-rise apartment buildings, luxury hotels, and upscale restaurants. The square itself features formal landscaping, a central fountain and pool, and abundant seating that attracts office workers, tourists, and residents throughout the year. The Rittenhouse Square area has become synonymous with affluent Center City living, and addresses near the square command premium prices. Seasonal events, including an art show and holiday tree lighting, draw crowds to the square, maintaining its function as a public gathering place even as the surrounding neighborhood has become increasingly exclusive.

Washington Square

Washington Square, originally Southeast Square, occupies a location with somber historical significance. During the Revolutionary War, the square served as a burial ground for soldiers who died in nearby military hospitals and prisoner-of-war camps. Estimates suggest that thousands of American and British soldiers lie buried beneath the square, making it one of the largest mass graves of Revolutionary War dead. The square was renamed for George Washington after his death in 1799, and a memorial to the Unknown Soldier of the American Revolution was dedicated in 1954, honoring the soldiers interred on the site.

Washington Square has undergone several redesigns since the colonial period. The current layout, dating to the mid-20th century renovation that added the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, features formal paths, a central monument, and shade trees that make the square a pleasant retreat from surrounding streets. The square is bounded by historic buildings including the Athenaeum of Philadelphia and Independence Hall lies just blocks to the east. The neighborhood surrounding Washington Square—known as Washington Square West or "Wash West"—is one of Center City's most diverse residential areas, home to a mix of longtime residents and newcomers attracted by proximity to Center City amenities.

Logan Square

Logan Square, originally Northwest Square, was renamed in 1825 for James Logan, William Penn's secretary and one of colonial Pennsylvania's most important figures. The square's character was dramatically transformed in the early 20th century when it became part of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the grand boulevard connecting City Hall to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The redesign, influenced by the City Beautiful movement and the plan of Paris's Champs-Élysées, converted the square from a traditional park into a traffic circle centered on the Swann Memorial Fountain (also known as the Fountain of the Three Rivers), completed in 1924. The fountain, designed by Alexander Stirling Calder, features bronze figures representing the Delaware, Schuylkill, and Wissahickon waterways.

Logan Square today functions as a monumental civic space rather than the pastoral green that Penn envisioned. Traffic circles around the fountain, and the surrounding area includes some of the city's most important cultural institutions, including the Free Library of Philadelphia, the Franklin Institute, and the Academy of Natural Sciences. The Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, the largest Catholic church in Pennsylvania, stands on the square's edge. Though the square's character has changed dramatically from Penn's original conception, it remains public space accessible to all, and the Swann Fountain has become one of Philadelphia's most recognizable landmarks.

Franklin Square

Franklin Square, originally Northeast Square, was renamed for Benjamin Franklin in 1825. For much of its history, Franklin Square was the most neglected of the five squares, located in a part of Center City that declined during the mid-20th century as residents and businesses moved elsewhere. The square fell into disrepair, becoming an underutilized space that many Philadelphians avoided. This changed dramatically in 2006 when a major renovation transformed Franklin Square into a family-oriented destination featuring a miniature golf course (with holes themed to Philadelphia landmarks), a carousel, and improved landscaping.

The renovated Franklin Square has become one of the more successful public space revivals in Philadelphia. The miniature golf course and carousel attract families, while the SquareBurger restaurant (operated by celebrity chef Stephen Starr) draws visitors seeking casual dining. The square hosts seasonal events including a holiday festival with a light show. Franklin Square's revival has contributed to the broader revitalization of the Callowhill and Chinatown-adjacent areas, demonstrating how thoughtful investment in public spaces can catalyze neighborhood improvement. Penn's vision of squares as community gathering places finds contemporary expression in Franklin Square's role as a destination for recreation and relaxation.

Legacy

The Five Public Squares remain among William Penn's most important legacies to Philadelphia. Though Centre Square was built over with City Hall, the other four squares continue to provide public green space in the heart of a dense urban environment. The squares have adapted to changing needs over the centuries—from livestock commons to fashionable parks to memorial spaces to family recreation areas—while maintaining their fundamental function as public land accessible to all. Penn's decision to incorporate open space into his city plan was visionary, anticipating by more than a century the park movements that would transform American cities in the 19th and 20th centuries.

The squares' survival testifies to the enduring power of Penn's original vision. Development pressure in Center City has been intense for more than a century, and the squares represent extremely valuable real estate that might otherwise have been built upon. That they remain public parks reflects both legal protections and civic commitment to preserving Penn's legacy. Philadelphia's five squares stand as reminders that cities can be designed with human needs in mind—for light, air, recreation, and community gathering—and that such spaces, once established, can endure across centuries of change.

See Also

• William Penn
• Philadelphia's Grid Plan
• Thomas Holme
• Rittenhouse Square
• Logan Square
• Philadelphia City Hall