Philadelphia

Driving Downtown Neighborhoods - Chinatown - Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA - Episode 4. Starting Point: https://goo.gl/maps/PZvHA59ZENP2 . Neighborhood: https://goo.gl/maps/8jJYccsa8B12 . Philadelphia Chinatown (Simplified Chinese: 费城华埠, Traditional Chinese: 費城華埠, Pinyin: Fèichéng Huábù) is a predominantly Asian American neighborhood in Center City Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation (PCDC, T: 費城華埠發展會, S: 费城华埠发展会, P: Fèichéng Huábù Fāzhǎn Huì) supports the area. Landmarks The Chinatown Friendship Gate at 10th and Arch Street is a symbol of cultural exchange and friendship between Philadelphia and its Chinese sister city of Tianjin. Launched by the Port Agreement signed in Tianjin, China, on November 11, 1982, the Gate was commissioned by the Department of Commerce and the Department of Public Property. It was completed in the winter of 1983-84 and dedicated on January 31, 1984. The Gate is the first authentic Chinese Gate built in America by artisans from China.[11] Weighing about 88 tons and standing 40 feet high, the Gate has bright colors and elaborate designs that reflect early Chinese imperial construction. It has themes of mythical creatures and graphic patterns typical of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. A procession of mythical animals is featured on tiles. The phoenix is meant to ensure good luck. The dragon, said to have the magical power of retaining water in its mouth, is intended to protect the structure of the Gate and the community from fire. The four traditional Chinese characters on both sides of the Gate are, "費城華埠" (Fèichéng huá bù), which means Philadelphia Chinatown. The Gate was repainted in 2008 with the help of Tianjin artisans using ancient techniques and traditional materials and funded by the City of Philadelphia and the help of Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation.[12] The Gate was rededicated on November 19, 2008. Philadelphia Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the fifth-most populous in the United States, with an estimated population in 2014 of 1,560,297. Based on the similar shifts underway the nation's economy in the late 1960s Philadelphia experienced a loss of manufacturing companies and jobs to lower taxed regions of the USA and often overseas.[citation needed] As a result, the economic base of Philadelphia, which had historically been manufacturing, declined significantly. In addition, consolidation in several American industries (retailing, financial services and health care in particular) reduced the number of companies headquartered in Philadelphia. The economic impact of these changes would reduce Philadelphia's tax base and the resources of local government. Philadelphia struggled through a long period of adjustment to these economic changes, coupled with significant demographic change as wealthier residents moved into the nearby suburbs and more immigrants moved into the city. The city in fact approached bankruptcy in the late 1980s.[12][13] Revitalization began in the late 1990s, with gentrification turning around many neighborhoods and reversing its decades-long trend of population loss. The area's many universities and colleges make Philadelphia a top international study destination, as the city has evolved into an educational and economic hub.[14][15] With a gross domestic product of $388 billion, Philadelphia ranks ninth among world cities and fourth in the nation.[16] Philadelphia is the center of economic activity in Pennsylvania and is home to seven Fortune 1000 companies. The Philadelphia skyline is growing, with several nationally prominent skyscrapers.[17] The city is known for its arts, culture, and history, attracting over 39 million domestic tourists in 2013.[18] Philadelphia has more outdoor sculptures and murals than any other American city,[19] and Fairmount Park is the largest landscaped urban park in the world.[20] The 67 National Historic Landmarks in the city helped account for the $10 billion generated by tourism.[18] Philadelphia is the birthplace of the United States Marine Corps,[21][22] and is also the home of many U.S. firsts, including the first library (1731),[23] first hospital (1751)[23] and medical school (1765),[24] first Capitol (1777),[23] first stock exchange (1790),[23] first zoo (1874),[25] and first business school (1881).[26] Philadelphia is the only World Heritage City in the United States. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinatown,_Philadelphia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g60795-Activities-Philadelphia_Pennsylvania.html http://www.visitphilly.com/music-art/philadelphia/the-china-gate/#sm.0000y8pdyuflrdy9qpl2b6pcakb2a

• published: 25 Aug 2016
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