City Hall pigeons and plaza banter

Philadelphia City Hall, completed in 1901 and topped by a bronze statue of William Penn, anchors Center City and draws many visitors. The building’s ornate architecture and the large flocks of pigeons that frequent its plaza are often the subject of light-hearted local jokes about feeding pigeons or pigeons 'owning' the square. Dilworth Park and the observation deck add to the site’s prominence in tourist and local banter.