Philadelphia City Hall, Philadelphia, PA:
Looking up at the top of Central Tower of Philadelphia City Hall (Circa 2013), located at 1 Penn Square. It has been the world’s tallest masonry building since at least the 1953 collapse of the pinnacle of the Mole Antonelliana in Turin. Its weight is borne by granite and brick walls up to 22 feet thick. The principal exterior materials are limestone, granite, and marble. At 548 ft (167 m), including the statue of city founder William Penn atop it, it was the tallest habitable building in the world from 1894 to 1908. “We all become great explorers during our first few days in a new city, or a new love affair.” -Mignon McLaughlin