New Orleans - Jackson Square

The Cabildo, to the left of the cathedral, was built in 1795 as the residence of the Spanish governor. It is noteworthy both historic building and the collection it contains. The first town council met here in 1799 and the Louisiana Purchase was agreed here in 1803. It was also at one time the Louisiana Supreme Court .This building now houses the Louisiana State Museum and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A damaging fire in the late 1980s led to a major restoration project, with the facility reopening in 1994.

Today the Cabildo displays the Louisiana State Museum's collections of material on the history of the town and the region. In particular the museum focuses on the people Louisiana and the many ethnic groups which make up the population today.

On the north side of Jackson Square is the St Louis Cathedral (RC), a landmark structure in New Orleans. It was built in 1794 on the site of two earlier churches and is known for being the United States' oldest cathedral in continuous use. Pope John Paul II visited the cathedral in 1987.

The church was built through contributions from Don Andres Almonester de Roxas, a Frenchman who spent money from his fortune to rebuild New Orleans after the second great fire. Today visitors can take a tour of the cathedral, offered by the Catholic Cultural Heritage Center. If you don't have time for a full tour stop by Jackson Square to take a walk by the building. At the entrance to the cathedral is the gift shop.

At the north-west corner of the square is the Petit Theatre (1797). Adjoining is the attractive Petit salon.

The Petit Theatre is one of the leading community theatres in the US.

To the north-east is the Presbytere (1817), originally the presbytery, which later housed the Supreme Court of Louisiana and is now occupied by a section of the Louisiana State Museum.

The Presbytere was originally called the Casa Curial (Ecclesiastical House) and was named since it was built on the site of the residence, or presbytere, of the Capuchin monks. The building now houses the Louisiana Portrait Gallery and an exhibit called "Mardi Gras: It's Carnival Time in Louisiana."