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Description
St. Louis Cathedral

Location: French Quarter, New Orleans, USA
Photo by: Abdulhameed Shamandour

While not the largest or grandest of the city's Roman Catholic churches, this historic Cathedral is an important religious and social center, as well as the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans. On the site of three previous churches, the cathedral was expanded and largely rebuilt in 1850, so little of the 1789 structure remained. Located next to Jackson Square and facing the Mississippi River, the St. Louis Cathedral is at the heart of New Orleans and is one of its most recognizable landmarks. It is often used as the backdrop for newscasts and political speeches featuring the city.

It is situated between the historic buildings of the Cabildo and the Presbytère. As one of the few Roman Catholic churches in the United States that fronts a major public square, St. Louis Cathedral demonstrates, by its location, the French Catholic origin of New Orleans.

Three Roman Catholic churches have been on this spot since 1718. The first church was a crude wooden structure in the early days of the colony. Construction of a larger brick and timber church began in 1725 and was completed in 1727. Along with numerous other buildings, the church was destroyed in the Great New Orleans Fire (1788) on Good Friday on 21 March 1788. The cornerstone of a new church was laid in 1789 and the building was completed in 1794. In 1793 Saint Louis Church was elevated to cathedral rank as the See of the Diocese of New Orleans, making it one of the oldest cathedrals in the United States. In 1819 a central tower with the clock and bell was added.

Enlarging the building to fit the needs of the growing congregation had been pondered since 1834, and J. N. B. de Pouilly was consulted to design plans for a new building. De Pouilly also designed St. Augustine Church in Tremé, the first church building dedicated as a parish church outside the French Quarter. [The Mortuary Chapel on North Rampart had been dedicated in 1827 as a chapel, and St. Vincent de Paul was established in a little frame church in 1838 but not dedicated.] On March 12, 1849, the diocese contracted with John Patrick Kirwan to enlarge and restore the cathedral, using De Pouilly's plans.

These specified that everything except the lateral walls and the lower portions of the existing towers on the front facade be demolished. During the reconstruction, it was determined that the sidewalls would have to be demolished also. Then, during construction in 1850, the central tower collapsed. De Pouilly and Kirwan were replaced.[1] As a consequence, very little of the Spanish Colonial structure survived. The present structure primarily dates to 1850. The bell from the 1819 tower was reused in the new building. It remains there today.[2] During the renovation, St. Patrick's Church served as the pro-cathedral for the city.

On 25 April, 1909 a dynamite bomb was set off in the Cathedral, blowing out windows and damaging galleries, but doing less severe damage than might have been expected. The Cathedral suffered damage in the New Orleans Hurricane of 1915. The following year a portion of the foundation collapsed, necessitating the building's closure while repairs were made, from Easter 1916 to Easter 1917.

The cathedral was designated as a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1964. Pope John Paul II visited the cathedral in September 1987.

Description
St. Louis Cathedral

Location: French Quarter, New Orleans, USA
Photo by: Abdulhameed Shamandour

While not the largest or grandest of the city's Roman Catholic churches, this historic Cathedral is an important religious and social center, as well as the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans. On the site of three previous churches, the cathedral was expanded and largely rebuilt in 1850, so little of the 1789 structure remained. Located next to Jackson Square and facing the Mississippi River, the St. Louis Cathedral is at the heart of New Orleans and is one of its most recognizable landmarks. It is often used as the backdrop for newscasts and political speeches featuring the city.

It is situated between the historic buildings of the Cabildo and the Presbytère. As one of the few Roman Catholic churches in the United States that fronts a major public square, St. Louis Cathedral demonstrates, by its location, the French Catholic origin of New Orleans.

Three Roman Catholic churches have been on this spot since 1718. The first church was a crude wooden structure in the early days of the colony. Construction of a larger brick and timber church began in 1725 and was completed in 1727. Along with numerous other buildings, the church was destroyed in the Great New Orleans Fire (1788) on Good Friday on 21 March 1788. The cornerstone of a new church was laid in 1789 and the building was completed in 1794. In 1793 Saint Louis Church was elevated to cathedral rank as the See of the Diocese of New Orleans, making it one of the oldest cathedrals in the United States. In 1819 a central tower with the clock and bell was added.

Enlarging the building to fit the needs of the growing congregation had been pondered since 1834, and J. N. B. de Pouilly was consulted to design plans for a new building. De Pouilly also designed St. Augustine Church in Tremé, the first church building dedicated as a parish church outside the French Quarter. [The Mortuary Chapel on North Rampart had been dedicated in 1827 as a chapel, and St. Vincent de Paul was established in a little frame church in 1838 but not dedicated.] On March 12, 1849, the diocese contracted with John Patrick Kirwan to enlarge and restore the cathedral, using De Pouilly's plans.

These specified that everything except the lateral walls and the lower portions of the existing towers on the front facade be demolished. During the reconstruction, it was determined that the sidewalls would have to be demolished also. Then, during construction in 1850, the central tower collapsed. De Pouilly and Kirwan were replaced.[1] As a consequence, very little of the Spanish Colonial structure survived. The present structure primarily dates to 1850. The bell from the 1819 tower was reused in the new building. It remains there today.[2] During the renovation, St. Patrick's Church served as the pro-cathedral for the city.

On 25 April, 1909 a dynamite bomb was set off in the Cathedral, blowing out windows and damaging galleries, but doing less severe damage than might have been expected. The Cathedral suffered damage in the New Orleans Hurricane of 1915. The following year a portion of the foundation collapsed, necessitating the building's closure while repairs were made, from Easter 1916 to Easter 1917.

The cathedral was designated as a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1964. Pope John Paul II visited the cathedral in September 1987.