Louis Armstrong Park and Congo Square

Louis Armstrong Park, at 701 North Rampart Street in the Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana, is a landscaped city park that includes Congo Square, one of the most significant sites in American music history. During the 1700s and early 1800s, enslaved and free people of African descent gathered at Congo Square on Sundays to drum, dance, trade and sing, practices that are widely regarded as foundational to jazz and other American musical forms. The park, named for the New Orleans native Louis Armstrong, opened in 1980 and is entered through a tall, illuminated arch near Rampart Street. Visitors see lagoons, footbridges, sculptures, a statue of Louis Armstrong and a bandstand area, along with Congo Square marked by a circular design in the pavement. The park also contains the Mahalia Jackson Theater of the Performing Arts nearby and the historic Perseverance Hall. It is a quiet, reflective place for most of the week, and visitors typically spend about 45 minutes. Sunday afternoons, when drum circles and community gatherings occur, are the liveliest, and the park hosts festivals and events throughout the year, including free music events and Congo Square Rhythms Festival. Admission is free, and the park is open daily from about 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, though hours can vary, and visitors should confirm at nola.gov. Because the park is somewhat isolated, visiting during daylight hours and traveling in groups is advised. For photographs, the entrance arch and the statue of Armstrong are the classic shots. The park is a short walk from the French Quarter across Rampart Street, and the Rampart-St. Claude streetcar stops nearby. Combine it with St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, the Tremé neighborhood and the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, which offers ranger programs on the city's music history.