World City Guide

Key Attractions

French Quarter
Also known as the Vieux Carré (Old Square), the French Quarter covers a grid of some 98 square blocks stretching back from Decatur Street, which runs parallel to the Mississippi River. Dating from 1718, it is one of the oldest districts in the country, with superb 18th- and 19th-century architecture. Apart from the Ursuline Convent, which dates from 1745, the early French buildings were destroyed in two devastating fires in 1788 and 1794. The handsome buildings erected after this time, with their arches, fanlights and filigreed wrought-iron balconies, are actually Spanish in character. The focal point of the French Quarter is Jackson Square, arguably the loveliest square in America, with its Louis XIV-style garden landscaping and the symmetry of the stately buildings flanking the square – the Pontalba Buildings, St Louis Cathedral, the Cabildo and Presbytère (see below). Artists, tarot card readers, mimes and tourists make for a lively scene.

The other famous spot in the French Quarter is just north of Jackson Square – Bourbon Street, famous for its jazz clubs, bars and novelty shops. Other highlights to look out for in the French Quarter include historic tavern Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop and Madame John’s Legacy, a house with unique West Indian architecture and early Creole-colonial home design, dating from 1788.

Between Decatur Street and North Rampart Street (north to south) and between Canal Street and Esplanade Avenue (east to west).

Old Ursuline Convent
1100 Chartres Street
Tel: (504) 529 3040.
Opening hours: Tours Tues-Fri 1000, 1100, 1300, 1400, 1500; Sat and Sun 1115, 1300, 1400.
Admission charge.

Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop
941 Bourbon Street
Tel: (504) 523 0066.
Opening hours: Daily 1100-close.
Free admission.

Madame John’s Legacy
632 Dumaine Street
Tel: (504) 568 6968.
Website: http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/site/madam.htm
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0900-1700.
Admission charge.

Cabildo
Built between 1795 and 1799, this handsome building takes its name from the Spanish council, or cabildo, which met here in colonial times. It is a fine example of the Spanish colonial style and its wrought-iron balcony railing is arguably the most outstanding work from that period in the city. In 1803, in a room called the Sala Capitular on the second floor, France signed the Louisiana Purchase, which ceded a huge territory west of the Mississippi, including New Orleans, to the United States. Today, the Cabildo houses a museum of Louisiana history. Among the exhibits are the colony’s founding stone and Napoleon Bonaparte’s death mask.

701 Chartres Street, Jackson Square
Tel: (504) 568 6968.
Website: http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/site/cabex.htm
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0900-1700.
Admission charge.

1850 House
Set in one of the Pontalba Buildings (the twin rows of mid-19th-century brick townhouses lining opposite sides of Jackson Square), the 1850 House has been restored to depict a typical New Orleans residence of that era. It comprises a central court and rooms on three storeys, which are filled with authentic period furnishings. Of particular note are the decorative cast-iron railings, which superseded the traditional hand-worked wrought iron of the French Quarter. Look for the letters A and P in the design, the initials of Madame Micaela Almonester de Pontalba, the wealthy heiress who erected the Pontalba Buildings and made other improvements around Jackson Square.

523 St Ann Street
Tel: (504) 568 6968.
Website: http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/site/1850ex.htm
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0900-1700.
Admission charge.

St Louis Cathedral
The simple yet elegant façade of St Louis Cathedral is a focal point of Jackson Square. Named after the former king of France, this is the oldest cathedral in the United States. It is the third church built on this site; the first was destroyed by a hurricane in 1722 and the second by a fire in 1788. The present building, dedicated as a cathedral in 1794, was extensively remodelled in 1849-51 to the specifications of architect, JNB de Pouilly. When Pope Paul VI visited in 1964, he designated it a minor basilica.

615 Père Antoine Alley
Tel: (504) 525 9585.
Website: www.saintlouiscathedral.org
Opening hours: Tours Mon-Sat 0900-1700, Sun 1300-1700.
Free admission.

Presbytère
Designed in 1791 as a rectory for the priests of St Louis Cathedral, the Presbytère was finally completed in 1813. By then, New Orleans had become part of the United States and the church rented the building to the city for use as a courthouse; it was then sold to the city in 1853. Today, the landmark property houses a dazzling collection of Mardi Gras memorabilia, from masks and costumes to videos and interactive displays about the history of the event. There are also exhibits of local art and decorative arts.

751 Chartres Street
Tel: (504) 568 6968.
Website: http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/site/presbex.htm
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0900-1700.
Admission charge.

Hermann-Grima House
Built in 1831, for Samuel Hermann, a wealthy merchant, and later sold to attorney Felix Grima, this Federal-style house is among the best examples of American architecture in the Vieux Carré. The highlight is the Creole kitchen, where cooking demonstrations take place over the open hearth, all day on Thursdays from October to May. There are also period rooms and a restored stable.

820 St Louis Street
Tel: (504) 525 5661.
Website: www.hgghh.org
Opening hours: Tours daily at 1000, 1100, 1200, 1330, 1430 and 1530.
Admission charge.

Old US Mint
Completed in 1835, the Old US Mint manufactured Confederate money during the Civil War and continued to mint US coins until 1909. Its thick walls also served as a prison when Union troops captured the city. Today, as part of the Louisiana State Museum, it houses the excellent New Orleans Jazz Collection, which features music, artefacts and instruments, such as Louis Armstrong’s first trumpet. Also here are the archives of the Louisiana Historical Center.

400 Esplanade Avenue
Tel: (504) 568 6968.
Website: http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/site/mintex.htm
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0900-1700.
Admission charge.

French Market
Running for several blocks along Decatur and North Peters Streets, the French Market is one of the most colourful spots in the city. It dates back to colonial times, when a Native American trading post operated here, and was a busy open-air market during the Spanish and French eras. Renovated buildings, such as the Butchers’ Market (1813), now house cafés, shops and offices, while street performers give the outdoor areas a festive feel. The large covered sheds, built in 1936 as a public works project, house the Farmers’ Market, where fresh produce is sold, and the Flea Market, with an assortment of clothes, jewellery, hot sauces and other New Orleans souvenirs.

Along Decatur and North Peters Streets
Tel: (504) 522 2621.
Website: www.frenchmarket.org
Opening hours: Daily 0800-1830.
Free admission.

Garden District
Stretching from St Charles Avenue to Magazine Street and between Louisiana and Jackson Avenues, the Garden District is an elegant National Historic District of antebellum homes. Originally a separate city called Lafayette, which was annexed by New Orleans in 1852, the Garden District was first laid out in the 1820s and was settled by wealthy American businessmen. The handsome Greek Revival mansions are still private residences and are not open to the public. But a daytime stroll through this district of leafy streets and impressive architecture is very rewarding. One of the grandest homes is the Robinson House, 1415 Third Street, which resembles an Italian villa and was possibly the first house in the city to have indoor plumbing. Author Anne Rice’s home, Rosegate, is at the corner of First Street and Chestnut Street. In the centre of the Garden District is the Lafayette Cemetery with its ornate vaults and tombs, which featured in the film Interview with the Vampire (1994). It is best visited as part of a group on a walking tour (see Tours of the City).

St Charles Avenue to Magazine Street and between Louisiana and Jackson avenues
Website: http://gardendistrict.neworleans.com
Free admission.

Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
The country’s largest collection of jellyfish and sharks as well as sea horses, penguins, otters and a multitude of other sea creatures inhabit this foremost water world. Each of its four major exhibit areas (the Amazon Rainforest, the Mississippi River, the Gulf Coast and the Caribbean Reef) feature animals and fish native to that particular area. Many exhibits allow visitors to interact with creatures such as nurse sharks and turtles or to watch and learn about animals like penguins during their feeding times. Just outside, there is a fine view of the Mississippi at Woldenberg Riverfront Park which surrounds the facility.

1 Canal Street
Tel: (504) 581 4629 or (800) 774 7394.
Website: www.auduboninstitute.org/aoa/index.php
Opening hours: Sun-Thurs 0930-1800; Fri-Sat 0930-1900.
Admission charge.

Audubon Park and Zoo
Covering some 160 hectares (400 acres) and harbouring more than 4,000 oak trees, Audubon Park is one of the largest city parks in the country. It was designed by John Charles Olmsted (nephew of Fredrick Law Olmsted, the man who designed New York’s Central Park) and named after the painter and ornithologist John James Audubon. Apart from the walking and biking trails, play areas, picnic spots, riding stables, tennis courts and golf course, the highlight of the park is the Audubon Zoo, one of the nation’s best. Among its zoological exhibits are sections devoted to the Louisiana Swamp (visitors should not miss alligator feeding time) and a tree house for viewing monkeys close up. A cruise boat leaves Audubon Landing for an 11km (7-mile) river ride to the French Quarter and Canal Street, daily at 1100, 1300, 1500 and 1700.

6500 Magazine Street
Tel: (504) 581 4629 or (866) 487 2966.
Website: www.auduboninstitute.org
Opening hours: Park open from dawn to dusk; zoo open daily 0930-1700 (winter); Mon-Fri 0930-1700, Sat-Sun 0930-1800 (summer).
Admission charge (zoo), park free.

New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA)
This excellent museum is situated near the lake off Esplanade Avenue in City Park. Major travelling exhibitions and rotating exhibits from the museum’s large art collection are displayed on the ground floor. Highlights of the permanent exhibits on the upper two floors include the pre-Columbian collection, Native American art, the Asian wing, American and European paintings, and one of the largest glass collections in the country. There is also an attractive sculpture garden.

1 Collins Diboll Circle, City Park
Tel: (504) 488 2631.
Website: www.noma.org
Opening hours: Tues-Wed, Fri-Sun 1000-1700; Thurs 1230-2030.
Admission charge.

The National D-Day Museum
Celebrating the accomplishments of the one million Americans who participated, the museum gives a fascinating political and economic overview of the build-up and mobilization of the Allied Forces’ 17 different amphibious invasions during World War II’s D-Days. Crammed with maps, filmed narrations, artefacts and photographs, it puts a face on the war. Exhibits include the Home Front, Planning for D-Day, the D-Day Beaches and D-Day Invasions of the Pacific. Guides who speak French, Spanish and German are available. The museum will soon be expanded for research and other pertinent World War II events.

945 Magazine Street
Tel: (504) 527 6012.
Website: www.ddaymuseum.org
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1700.
Admission charge.