St. Louis Cathedral is the oldest continuously active Roman Catholic cathedral in the United States — the current building is the third church on this site, rebuilt in 1794 after a fire destroyed the previous structure, and its triple steeples rising above Jackson Square have been the defining image of New Orleans since before the Louisiana Purchase made the city American.
The cathedral's history mirrors the city's tangled identity. Founded by French colonists, rebuilt under Spanish rule, expanded under American governance, and serving a congregation that has always included French, Spanish, African, Creole, and American worshippers — St. Louis Cathedral is the spiritual centre of a city that has never belonged to just one culture. The interior is painted in soft pastels with a ceiling mural depicting St. Louis (King Louis IX of France) announcing the Seventh Crusade, which is the kind of subject matter that only makes sense in a city where Catholicism, colonialism, and Caribbean culture have been braided together for three centuries.
Pere Antoine Alley, the narrow pedestrian lane running alongside the cathedral, is named for Father Antonio de Sedella, a Capuchin monk who served as the parish priest for 40 years and was so beloved that his funeral in 1829 drew the largest crowd New Orleans had ever seen. The alley connects Jackson Square to Royal Street and is one of the quietest shortcuts in the Quarter. At night, when the cathedral is floodlit and the square is empty, the building has a presence that three centuries of tourism haven't diminished.
Verified Facts
St. Louis Cathedral is the oldest continuously active Roman Catholic cathedral in the US
The current building was rebuilt in 1794 after a fire
It is the third church built on this site
Father Antonio de Sedella served as parish priest for approximately 40 years
Get walking directions
615 Pere Antoine Alley, New Orleans, LA 70116
