Architectural Highlights

St. Louis Cathedral

St. Louis Cathedral is among the tallest and most imposing structures in the French Quarter. As well as one of the most recognizable. As the mother church of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, St. Louis Cathedral has a long and interesting history. It is the oldest continuously active Roman Catholic Cathedral in the United States, originally built in 1727 and dedicated to King Louis IX of France, “The Crusading King” who was later canonized by the Church. The original St. Louis Cathedral burned during the great fire of 1794 and was rebuilt. The present structure was completed in the 1850s.

In September 1987 the cathedral witnessed the historic visit of Pope John Paul II and the plaza directly in front of the church was renamed in the pope’s honor. Shortly afterward the status of the Cathedral was upgraded to a Basilica.

The Pontalba Apartments

On either side of the square are the Pontalba Apartments built by the Baroness Michaela Pontalba in the 1850's. They are the oldest apartment buildings in the United States. The Baroness is a colorful figure in New Orleans history. She is the daughter of Don Andres de Almonaster y Roxas, who is buried under the floor of the St. Louis Cathedral. Michaela survived an attempted murder by her father-in-law in Paris 1834. She returned to New Orleans 1848 to find the old Creole families were moving to Esplanade Avenue. Seeking to restore this area of the French Quarter, she built her grand row houses, and convinced city officials to renovate the Square, and surrounding buildings to resemble the great public squares in Europe.

The Old Ursuline Convent

The Old Ursuline Convent is the oldest building in the Mississippi Valley and the only building of the original colony still standing. Authorized by King Louis XV of France in 1745, it was originally built for the Sisters of Ursula, who had settled in New Orleans in 1727. The Ursuline nuns conducted a school to educate the daughters of wealthy Creoles. One notable alumna was the Baroness de Pontalba. The nuns also educated Indian and African-American girls in special classes. In that era, a nun, Sister Francis Xavier, became the first woman pharmacist in the New World.

Louisiana Superdome

Completed in 1975, the spaceship-shaped Louisiana Superdome has been described as the largest domed structure in the world. Located near the French Quarter of New Orleans, the Louisiana Superdome sheltered thousands from the wrath of Hurricane Katrina. The storm damaged the distinctive domed roof.

The Cabildo

The Cabildo was the seat of colonial government in New Orleans, and is now a museum. The Cabildo as it appears today was built between 1795-99 as the home of the Spanish municipal government in New Orleans, and the mansard roof was later added, in French style. The building took its name from the governing body who met there — the "Illustrious Cabildo," or city council. The Cabildo was the site of the Louisiana Purchase transfer ceremonies in 1803, and continued to be used by the New Orleans city council until the mid 1850