Jackson Square

State: Louisiana. Type: public park/historic square (2.5 acres) in the French Quarter, New Orleans. Originally laid out in 1721 as the Place d'Armes; renamed Jackson Square in 1851 to honor General Andrew Jackson. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960. Managed by the City of New Orleans Parks and Parkways department. Free to enter; attracts a reported 2+ million visitors annually.

Jackson Square is the historic heart of New Orleans' French Quarter, a 2.5-acre public park originally laid out in 1721 as the Place d'Armes, a colonial military parade ground. It was renamed in 1851 to commemorate General Andrew Jackson's 1815 victory at the Battle of New Orleans, marked today by an 1856 equestrian statue of Jackson by sculptor Clark Mills. The square is framed on its north side by three 18th-century landmarks: St. Louis Cathedral at the center, flanked by the Cabildo (the former city hall where the Louisiana Purchase was finalized) and the Presbytère, both now museums. Baroness Micaela Almonester de Pontalba oversaw an 1851 redesign that gave the square its formal, Parisian-style landscaping and iron fencing, much of which survives today. Since 1971 the streets immediately bordering the square have been closed to vehicle traffic, and the plaza has long served as a gathering place for street artists, musicians, and fortune tellers, a tradition recognized when the American Planning Association named it one of the country's Great Public Spaces in 2012.

Jackson Square sits in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, bounded by Chartres Street, St. Ann Street, Decatur Street and St. Peter Street, facing the Mississippi River. It occupies roughly one city block (about 2.5 acres).

As part of New Orleans, the square experiences a humid subtropical climate with hot, humid summers, frequent thunderstorms, and mild winters, within the Atlantic hurricane season of June through November.

Spring and fall offer milder, less humid conditions for time outdoors in the square than peak summer heat. The square hosts events such as the French Quarter Festival and seasonal celebrations like holiday caroling, which draw larger crowds at those times.

The square was laid out in 1721 as the Place d'Armes (Plaza de Armas under later Spanish rule), a military parade ground at the center of colonial New Orleans, designed by architect Louis H. Pilié as part of the city's original grid. It was the site of the formal 1803 ceremony finalizing the Louisiana Purchase. Following Andrew Jackson's 1815 victory over the British at the Battle of New Orleans, the square was renamed in his honor in 1851, the same year Baroness Micaela Almonester de Pontalba redesigned the plaza with formal landscaping, walkways and iron fencing that remain today. Sculptor Clark Mills' equestrian statue of Jackson was installed in 1856, one of four identical castings Mills produced for U.S. cities. The square served various institutional roles over the following century, including use as an arsenal during Reconstruction, and was the site of an 1873 political clash known as the Battle of Jackson Square. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960, and the Works Progress Administration had earlier enhanced the park during the 1930s. In 1971, the streets bordering the square were closed to vehicle traffic, cementing its role as a pedestrian gathering space. From the 1920s through the 1980s the square became known as a hub for local painters and caricaturists, a tradition of resident street artists that continues today.

Visitors typically walk the square's formal gardens and fenced walkways, view the Andrew Jackson equestrian statue, and browse the work of local artists who display and sell paintings and caricatures along the surrounding iron fence, a tradition going back roughly a century. Street musicians, fortune tellers, and tarot readers are common fixtures on the flanking streets, and the square hosts events including the French Quarter Festival and holiday caroling.

St. Louis Cathedral anchors the square's north side, flanked by the Cabildo (former city hall, now a Louisiana State Museum site, and location where the Louisiana Purchase was finalized) and the Presbytère (also a museum). The Lower and Upper Pontalba Apartments, cited as among the oldest apartment buildings in the United States, border the square as well.

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is the nearest major airport, with rideshare, taxi and shuttle service into downtown New Orleans. Jackson Square sits within the walkable French Quarter grid and is easily reached on foot from nearby hotels, or via the city's streetcar and bus network into the French Quarter.

According to the City of New Orleans Parks and Parkways department, Jackson Square is open seven days a week, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. in winter and 8 a.m.-7 p.m. during Daylight Saving Time.

There is no admission fee to enter Jackson Square itself. The surrounding museums (the Cabildo, the Presbytère) and St. Louis Cathedral set their own separate admission or tour pricing, which was not independently verified in this research pass.

Thirty minutes to an hour is enough to walk the square and view the statue and surrounding buildings from outside; visitors touring the cathedral, Cabildo, or Presbytère museums should allow additional time for each.

Numerous French Quarter hotels and boutique inns sit within a few blocks of Jackson Square, given the square's central location in the historic district; broader downtown hotel options are available just across Canal Street in the Central Business District.

Café du Monde, open since about 1862 and known for beignets and coffee, sits just across from the square. The surrounding streets, including Decatur and Chartres, carry a dense concentration of Creole restaurants, cafes and casual eateries typical of the French Quarter.

Bourbon Street and Royal Street are both a short walk from the square. The French Quarter Visitor Center, run by the National Park Service, is a few blocks away on Decatur Street. The French Market, a historic riverside market district, is also within easy walking distance.

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is the primary air gateway. The RTA streetcar and bus network reaches the French Quarter, and the square's immediately bordering streets have been closed to vehicle traffic since 1971, making it a pedestrian space at its core.

As a busy public plaza, keep an eye on belongings amid crowds of tourists, street performers, and vendors. The square is wheelchair accessible with ramps and smooth pathways, per tourism sources. For any emergency, dial 911.

Comfortable walking shoes, sun protection for the largely open plaza, and cash or a card for street artists, performers, or a stop at Café du Monde are practical to bring.

Visiting in the morning offers cooler temperatures and fewer crowds than midday or evening. Pairing a Jackson Square visit with the adjacent French Market and a stop at Café du Monde is a common way to combine several French Quarter highlights in one outing. Check individual museum hours (Cabildo, Presbytère, cathedral) separately, since they differ from the square's own hours.

Dial 911 for any emergency. The City of New Orleans Parks and Parkways department, which maintains Jackson Square, can be reached at (504) 658-4000.

City of New Orleans Parks and Parkways - https://nola.gov/next/parks-parkways/topics/parks-squares/jackson-square/ ; New Orleans & Company - https://www.neworleans.com

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This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.