Running tour · Philadelphia

Society Hill to South Street

2.3 mi run

Open in Stride Stories

The stories on this route

1. Washington Square

   Look at the bronze Washington, the long limestone wall behind him, and the eternal flame. This is the Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier, designed in the 1950s. Under the statue, a marble sarcophagus holds a soldier exhumed from this square.

2. Pennsylvania Hospital

   Look at the long brick building, and find the East Wing at the 8th Street end. That's where this story starts.

3. Mother Bethel AME Church

   Look at the granite front, the tower, and the stained glass from Heidelberg, Germany. This is Mother Bethel, the oldest African Methodist congregation in the country.

4. Head House Square

   Look at the Head House, with its cupola and clock. Behind it, the long open shed on brick pillars runs toward Lombard Street.

5. Philadelphia's Magic Gardens

   Look at these walls: mirror shards, kitchen tiles, bottles, bike wheels, china plates. Look closer and you'll find words, poetry, and the names of artists who inspired the man who made it.

6. Italian Market

   Look at the awnings over the sidewalk and the stands lining the curb. Officially, this is the South 9th Street Curb Market. Everyone calls it the Italian Market.

Stories researched October 2026 · every fact checked against a source