The Pagoda

There is an old building in Southern Pennsylvania that was established in 1908 as a tourist attraction and a luxury hotel. However, in 1910, their liquor license was denied and the bank foreclosed in Reading, and William Witman never opened the $50,000 hotel, tanking his investment. The city of Reading bought the property for $1 in 1911, and the facility was opened as a tourist attraction. To this day, the Reading Pagoda has been maintained by the loving citizens of Reading, and has seen lots of different people from different walks of life, including actual Japanese monks and scholars.

Getting my inner zen on in front of the pagoda.

The pagoda sits at the top of a rather tall hill and is visited often by people in the surrounding area. I myself have gone there a good bit. Their website provides a wealth of information on the location, and it is almost always open. It is a very lux and posh facility that has seven stories of stairs, perfect for any daycation or holistay. Its proximity to the business district of Reading makes it perfect for a bleisure trip or cinetourism, and will give you an Americanized tour of Japanese culture.

I myself paid the two dollar donation to climb the stairs to the top, where I looked out to see the world. And, it was bright and beautiful.

One Example of the view from the top.

So, one day, possibly years or weeks from now, if you find yourself in South-Central Pennsylvania, come and visit the pagoda. It will be a voyage to be remembered for years to come.