St. Louis Cathedral Visitors Guide

Located across from the mighty Mississippi River and next to the famous Jackson Square, the massive and magnificent St. Louis Cathedral is truly the heart of New Orleans. This iconic triple-steeple structure is highly renowned, and is the oldest Catholic cathedral in continual use in the country! Visitors travel from all over to experience this local landmark’s extensive historical, cultural, architectural, and spiritual significance.

The original church on this site was built in the 1720s, but was unfortunately destroyed during the great fire of 1788. A new church was built in its place shortly after, and was completed in 1794. Throughout the years, improvements and additions were added to the church, with a restoration to its current design taking place in the mid-1850s. Even though just a portion of the original structure remains, this church has centuries of history to uncover and stories to tell.