615 Pere Antoine Alley
New Orleans, LA 70116
29.957811,-90.06352
Without a doubt, the single most
widely seen building in New Orleans is the St. Louis Cathedral. Well, unless
you are a member of the Who-Dat Nation, then your answer would be the
Superdome! One glimpse of this beautiful church and you automatically know what
city you are looking at. If standing on the roof of the cathedral was possible,
one would have an incredible view. Without having to move a muscle, you could
see the Cabildo, Presbytere, Jackson Square, Jackson Monument, the Mississippi
River, Muriel's, the Place d'Armes Hotel and the Pontalba Building! With the
French Quarter as the heart of New Orleans, the St. Louis Cathedral would serve
as the blood, spreading its Catholic heritage throughout every facet of the
neighborhood. With any settlement, the first structure, other than the basic
homes, is normally a church. As old as the city itself, so are the roots of the
Cathedral.
751 Chartres St.
New Orleans, LA 70116
29.958131,-90.063434
Located between the St. Louis
Cathedral, Muriel’s and the Place d’Armes Hotel, sits a building that is a
mirror image of the previously mentioned Cabildo. The Presbytere was purposely
built to mimic the older Cabildo and is also currently operated as a museum.
While the Cabildo may focus on military relics, the Presbytere features
exhibits such as Mardi Gras memorabilia and depictions of some of the city’s
most devastating storms.
Construction of the Spanish Colonial
structure began in 1791 and was known as Casa
Curial, or the Ecclesiastical House. The building was designed by Gilberto
Guillemard, a French architect and was intended to serve as the rectory for the
St. Louis Cathedral. By 1813, the second floor was added, although the
Presbytere was never used for its intended purpose. The building was then used
for several commercial purposes until the 1830’s, when it was used as a
courthouse. By 1911, the ownership was transferred to the State of Louisiana to
use the Presbytere as the present-day museum.
701 Chartres St.
New Orleans, LA 70130
29.957564,-90.063751
Strolling through Jackson Square and
your attention is immediately drawn to the famous St. Louis Cathedral. Walking
nearby to admire the intrauterine architecture, you can't help but notice the
two large buildings that sit to the left and right of the cathedral. The
building to the right is the Presbytere, which we will get to later. The other
older and more significant building is the historical Cabildo.
The present Cabildo was built in
1795 to house the legislative and administrative council which ruled Spanish
Louisiana. Two earlier government buildings sat on this spot and had been
destroyed during both fires in 1788 and 1794. The Cabildo was designed by
Gilberto Guillemard, who also would design the St. Louis Cathedral and the
Presbytere. The building took the name of the council for whose use it was
built and continued as the seat of the government of Louisiana for the eight
remaining years of Spanish rule. During the brief period of French rule, the
building was given the French variant of its name, Maison de Ville.
