The Heart of the French Quarter
Every city has a center of gravity, and in New Orleans that center is Jackson Square — the open-air living room of the French Quarter where painters hang their work on iron fences, brass bands set up shop on the flagstones, and tarot readers promise to reveal your future for twenty bucks. It's been the civic heart of New Orleans since the city was a muddy colonial outpost, and three centuries later, it still draws locals and visitors into its orbit like a cultural magnet.
Designed after the famous 17th-century Place des Vosges in Paris by architect Louis H. Pilie, the square was originally known as Place d'Armes under French rule — the military parade ground where colonial troops drilled and public executions drew crowds. When Spain took control of Louisiana, it became Plaza de Armas. After the Battle of New Orleans in 1815, the city renamed it Jackson Square in honor of Andrew Jackson, whose equestrian statue now anchors the center of the park.
Where History Happened Out Loud
This isn't a square that sits quietly in the background of history — it's where history happened at full volume. The ceremonies celebrating the transfer of the Louisiana Purchase from France to the United States took place here in 1803, doubling the size of the young nation with a stroke of a pen. The Cabildo, flanking the square on one side, was where the paperwork was signed. The cathedral, rising behind the square, rang its bells. And the people of New Orleans stood in this square and watched their world change.
During the Civil War, Union General Benjamin Butler used the square as a staging ground for his occupation of the city. In calmer times, the Pontalba Buildings — the elegant row houses that line two sides of the square — were among the first apartment buildings in America, built by the Baroness Micaela Almonester de Pontalba in the 1840s. She was a woman who survived a murder attempt by her father-in-law and went on to reshape the look of the entire French Quarter.
The Square Today
Walk through Jackson Square on any afternoon and you'll find a cross-section of everything New Orleans does well. A jazz clarinetist wails near the statue. A mime works the crowd by the cathedral steps. A Lucky Dog cart steams on the corner. Artists display oil paintings of French Quarter streetscapes while tourists negotiate prices and pigeons patrol the pavement for crumbs.
The iron fence surrounding the square has become an open-air gallery, a tradition stretching back decades. On weekends, the pedestrian mall of St. Ann and St. Peter Streets fills with performers, and the whole area takes on the feeling of an unplanned festival — which, in New Orleans, is just a regular Saturday.
Frequently Asked Questions About Jackson Square
Why is it called Jackson Square?
The square was renamed in 1851 in honor of Andrew Jackson, hero of the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. Before that, it was Place d'Armes under French rule and Plaza de Armas under Spanish rule.
What was Jackson Square modeled after?
The square was designed after the Place des Vosges in Paris, France, by architect Louis H. Pilie. The Parisian influence is visible in the symmetrical layout and the buildings flanking the open space.
Is Jackson Square free to visit?
Yes. The square and surrounding pedestrian areas are open to the public at no charge. The gardens inside the iron fence close at dusk, but the surrounding streets and sidewalks are accessible around the clock.
What happened at Jackson Square during the Louisiana Purchase?
The formal ceremonies celebrating the transfer of Louisiana from France to the United States took place at Jackson Square in 1803. The actual documents were signed in the adjacent Cabildo.
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