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| 1653 New Orleans - Royal Street in French Quarter |
The
French Quarter (
Vieux Carré) is the oldest neighborhood in the city of
New Orleans, located in southeastern
Louisiana, straddling the
Mississippi River. After New Orleans (
La Nouvelle-Orléans in French) was founded in 1718 by
Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city developed around the
Vieux Carré (Old Square). Today the district is often called simply The Quarter, related to changes in the city with American immigration after the
Louisiana Purchase. Its most common definition includes all the land stretching along the Mississippi River from
Canal Street to
Esplanade Avenue (13 blocks) and inland to
North Rampart Street (seven to nine blocks). As of the census of 2010, there were 3,813 people, 2,635 households, and 549 families residing in the neighborhood.
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1654 New Orleans - LaBranche House at
Royal Street in French Quarter (1) |
Royal Street (Spanish:
Calle Real;
French:
Rue Royale) is one of the oldest streets in the city, and is known today for its antique shops, art galleries, and stately hotels. The prices at its art shops and antique stores tend to be very high; indeed, it has been listed as one of the world's most expensive places to shop. The 700 block features the galleries of New Orleans-based artists
Ally Burguieres and
George Rodrigue. The portion between St. Louis and St. Ann streets is closed to traffic every afternoon to create a pedestrian zone. During this time, numerous street performers set up there. Although the music performance quality ranges widely, some of the best up-and-coming jazz bands in New Orleans can be heard.
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1655 New Orleans - LaBranche House at
Royal Street in French Quarter (2) |
Most of the extant historic buildings were constructed either in the
late 18th century, during the city's period of
Spanish rule, or during
the first half of the 19th century, after U.S. annexation and statehood,
being either of
"second generation" Creole or
Greek revival styles.
Fires in 1788 and 1794 destroyed many of the original
French colonial
buildings, that is, "first generation" Creole. The most prolific decade
was the 1820s, when the city was growing at an amazing rate. The elaborately decorated ironwork balconies, true iron laces, are one of the neighborhood’s most prominent and memorable features. Probably the best exemple is the lovely old building at number 700, built about 1835 by
Jean LaBranche, a wealthy sugar planter. You can find
here the sinister story of the building.
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