Rittenhouse Square

Rittenhouse Square
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Rittenhouse Square in October 2010
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Location	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Coordinates	39°56′58″N 75°10′19″W / 39.9495°N 75.1719°W / 39.9495; -75.1719
Built	1683
Architect	Thomas Holme and Paul Philippe Cret
MPS	Four Public Squares of Philadelphia TR
NRHP reference No.	81000557[1]
Added to NRHP	September 14, 1981

Rittenhouse Square is a neighborhood, including a public park, in Center City Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Rittenhouse Square often specifically refers to the park, while the neighborhood as a whole is referred to simply as Rittenhouse. The park is one of the five original open-space parks planned by William Penn and his surveyor Thomas Holme during the late 17th century.

Together with Fitler Square, the Rittenhouse neighborhood and the square comprise the Rittenhouse–Fitler Historic District.

Rittenhouse Square Park is maintained by the non-profit group The Friends of Rittenhouse Square.^[2] The square cuts off 19th Street at Walnut Street and also at a half-block above Manning Street. Its boundaries are 18th Street to the east, Walnut Street to the north, and Rittenhouse Square West, a north–south boundary street, and Rittenhouse Square South, an east–west boundary street, making the park approximately two short blocks on each side. Locust Street borders Rittenhouse Square to both its east and west in the middle of the square.