Jackson Square

Jackson Square is the historic public plaza at the center of the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana, bounded by St. Louis Cathedral, the Cabildo, the Presbytere, and the twin Pontalba Apartment Buildings. Originally laid out as the Place d'Armes — a military parade ground — under French colonial rule in the 1720s, the square was renamed in 1851 to honor General Andrew Jackson. The bronze equestrian statue of Jackson at the center, completed by sculptor Clark Mills in 1856, was the first equestrian statue cast in the United States and remains one of the most recognized public monuments in Louisiana. St. Louis Cathedral, occupying the central position on Chartres Street facing the square, is the oldest continuously active Roman Catholic cathedral in the United States, with the current building dating from 1850 on a site of worship established in 1727. The interior features striking painted vaulted ceilings, side chapels, and 19th-century stained glass, all freely accessible during non-Mass hours. The Cabildo, to the left of the cathedral, was the seat of the Spanish colonial government and the building where the Louisiana Purchase transfer ceremony took place in 1803; it now operates as part of the Louisiana State Museum. The Presbytere, to the right, houses a permanent Mardi Gras exhibition. The twin red-brick Pontalba Buildings along the north and south sides of the square date from 1849 to 1851 and are among the oldest apartment buildings in the United States. The square is an active hub of street life throughout the day and well into the evening. Artists display and sell original works along the iron fence surrounding the park. Tarot card readers, jazz musicians, living statues, and street performers occupy the pedestrian areas before the cathedral from mid-morning to midnight. The riverfront boardwalk (Moon Walk) runs directly behind the square, offering views of the Mississippi River and passing vessels. Café Du Monde sits directly across Decatur Street. A visit to Jackson Square takes 30 to 90 minutes, depending on whether visitors enter the cathedral, explore the museum buildings, or watch street performances.