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“Cathedral of College Basketball”
Home of the NCAA Men's basketball team, the Penn Quakers. Also called the Cathedral of College Basketball for its history, architecture and tradition, it's been the site of many important moments in college basketball. Penn men's and women's basketball games, volleyball and wrestling matches are played at the historic Palestra, the most storied gymnasium in the history of collegiate athletics. The Palestra has hosted more games and more visiting teams than any other facility. Located on the University of Pennsylvania campus, The Palestra was given its name by Greek professor Dr. William N. Bates, who felt the name logical because in ancient Greece, young men would compete in a variety of events in a rectangular enclosure attached to the gymnasium to the view of all who would come -- a Palestra. The name was widely accepted by the organizing committee for it fit the specifications: authenticity, dignity, descriptive, and novel. So, in 1927, The Palestra was opened.
Palestra sounds like something from the mind of Big Pharma but in my humble opinion, there's not a better place to watch basketball than the claustrophobic confines of The Palestra located on the... Read more
A true old school venue! Still holds the old class charm but has some renovations to spiffy it up. The bathrooms deff need expanded when crowds are big. Overall it's a great historic venue Read more
So much history here which made it a bucket list item to see for me. Loved the easy access and friendliness of anyone who came in contact. We went on a Tuesday afternoon and stepped right out onto... Read more
The Palestra
Hours
- Mon - Fri: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
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Parking
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Pets Allowed
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Restrooms
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Wifi
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Wheelchair Accessible
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Credit Cards Accepted
Parking
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