Independence Hall is a historic civic building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States were debated and adopted by the Founding Fathers of the United States. The building, which is the centerpiece of Independence National Historical Park, was designated a World Heritage Site in 1979. It is an example of American Georgian architecture, which is characterized by symmetry, classical proportions, and exposed brick with stone masonry accents.

Independence Hall, which was initially called Pennsylvania State House, was completed in 1753. It was the first capitol of the colonial era Province of Pennsylvania and, even then, was seen as "the greatest ornament in the town". The building became a symbol of liberty, democracy, and the founding of the United States. During the American Revolutionary War, the Second Continental Congress convened in Independence Hall from 1775 to 1781. They founded the Continental Army inside Independence Hall on June 14, 1775, and the Declaration of Independence was adopted there on July 4, 1776. From May 25 to September 17, 1787, Independence Hall hosted the Constitutional Convention, where the U.S. Constitution was debated, drafted, and ratified. In 1915, former U.S. president William Howard Taft presided over a convention at Independence Hall, where the League to Enforce Peace was formed.

The National Park, of which Independence Hall is a part, surrounds it and acts as a buffer zone between the building and the modern urban fabric. Independence Hall is being protected by security screening building entrance. The most significant pressures on the authenticity of the property relate to the large number of visitors, the degradation of the building due to air pollution and acid rain, and commercial development in the vicinity.

Both the Declaration of Independence, 1776, and the Constitution of the United States, 1787, were discussed, adopted, and signed at this building which as a result became a symbol of freedom and democracy and a very important step in the American history that later had significant impacts on lawmakers, political thinkers and governmental charters around the world. This fact gave the building a direct association with events and ideas of outstanding universal significance fulfilling the criterion (vi) and designating it into a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

The site is managed, as a part of Independence National Historical Park, at a national level by the National Park Service Organic Act of 1916, which united the individual national parks' management and aims for the preservation of historic sites for public enjoyment and education for future generations.

The 1948 law, by President Harry S. Truman, created the Independence National Historical Park consisting of the Independence Hall, Congress Hall, the Liberty Bell, and other historic buildings important for the nation. This inclusion increased the protection level and the World Heritage Status of Independence Hall to the highest level as the National Park system is maintained by the federal government.

The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 provides a framework for the preservation of historic properties and encourages federal agencies to consider the effects of their undertakings on historic sites. "Access at all reasonable times to all public portions of the property," and that "no changes or alterations should be made in...its buildings and grounds... except by mutual agreement between the Secretary of the Interior and the [City of Philadelphia]..."

The comprehensive General Management Plan for Independence National Historical Park, developed by the National Park Service, addresses interpretation, visitor management, conservation efforts, carrying capacity issues, and the maintenance of the site's historical integrity. They organize the balance between public access and the protection of the building's physical and historical resources.