St. Louis Cathedral

St. Louis Cathedral Review

The oldest active cathedral in the United States, this iconic church at the heart of the Old City is named for the 13th-century French king who led two crusades. The current building, which replaced two structures destroyed by fire, dates from 1794 (although it was remodeled and enlarged in 1851). The austere interior is brightened by murals covering the ceiling and stained-glass windows along the first floor. Pope John Paul II held a prayer service for clergy here during his New Orleans visit in 1987; to honor the occasion, the pedestrian mall in front of the cathedral was renamed Place Jean Paul Deux. Nearly every evening in December brings a free concert held inside the cathedral.

The statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus dominates St. Anthony's Garden, which extends behind the rectory of the cathedral to Royal Street. The garden is also the site of a monument to 30 members of a French ship who died in a yellow-fever epidemic in 1857.