The Heart of City Life
Jackson Square in Front of St. Louis Cathedral
From the beginnings of New Orleans the general area of what is now known as Jackson Square was the center of New Orleans life. It’s closeness to the Mississippi River Port, the church and the government buildings made it the hub of local shipping and commerce.
Jackson Square area functioned as a hub of city of life throughout the rule of the French, the Spanish, then again the French and even after the American rule took over after the Louisiana purchase.
How It Became Jackson Square
After the Battle of New Orleans in 1814, the Baroness Pantalba financed the redesign of the area and lobbied for a more beautiful public square. The square was named in honor of Andrew Jackson, the hero of the battle of New Orleans for which one of three statues are in honor of. The square itself is surrounded by a beautiful iron gate. On the inside you’ll find many beautiful flowers and plants with pathways and benches all for observers to enjoy the splendor of the square.
Jackson Square is surrounded by Decatur, St. Ann, Chartres and St. Peter streets and all around the outside of the iron gating various street vendors set up their wares for residents and tourists to buy. From artists to palm & tarot card readers, you can find something to suit your fancy. Street performers and carriage rides and tours also line the streets that surround Jackson Square. Many races, marathons, and celebrations use the Jackson square area as the main starting area, especially with the “staging” area across the street on Decatur.
A Great Starting Point for Walking Tours
If you are looking to start a walking tour of the French Quarter, Jackson Square is mostly likely the best place to start and end your tour, as it is within close walking distance to many of the more famous attractions such as the Joan of Arc statue, the French Market, St. Louis Cathedral and even Pirate’s Alley. It’s probably the most notable and easy to get to point in all of the French Quarter as well.
Most walking guides of the New Orleans French Quarter include stopping at Jackson Square at some point during the tour. However, if you are doing your own walking tour whether its by yourself or with a large group, there’s a lot of history within just a few blocks of the square itself that you can easily pack your day with taking in a lot of sites and ending it with a nice stroll in the square beautiful gardens.
{ 2 trackbacks }