| :: New Orleans
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Attraction >Landmark
| Saint Louis Cathedral |
Address:
615 Pere Antoine Alley
| New Orleans | 70116
Region:
New Orleans
Rating:
 
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More Info
Phone: (504) 525-9585
FAX:
Website
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Description and Basic Information ::
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 A breathtaking architectural structure, the Cathedral of Saint Louis King of France, a minor basilica, was established as a Parish in 1720. It is now known as The Saint Louis Cathedral, the official seat for the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
The Cathedral’s main isle, some 16-feet wide, of black and white marble is the only thing remaining from the original structure of 1720. The current structure was dedicated December 7, 1851. Built of wood and stucco, the cathedral has three spires. The clock on the cathedral’s middle spire serves French Quarter residents and visitors as the 'official' account of the earth's rotation.
10 large stained-glass windows in the church's sanctuary visually describe the life and death of Louis IX, King of France, who was later canonized as a saint of the Catholic Church.
The remains of several Archbishops who have served the Cathedral are buried in the church. A highlight of the Cathedral’s existence was the visitation of Pope John Paul II in September l987, when crowds overflowed the huge church and the surrounding area.
The church also maintains an active school that is located several blocks away.
The Cathedral has an annual waiting list of anxious brides wishing to use it for their wedding. Weddings in New Orleans are celebrated similar to nowhere else. A visit to the Cathedral on Saturday will also most assuredly get you a peek at a beautiful bride with a flowing train leaving the doors of the Cathedral to an awaiting horse-drawn carriage or a fleet of limousines....either way, worth the wait.
Daily, visitors begin 10-15-minute organized tours at the altar, which is heavily ornate with descriptive, life-like sculptures. The altar and church were restored in l987, along with the installation of new lighting that illuminates the altar with beauty beyond words. |
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:: New Orleans :: |
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