Tuesday, November 17, 2015

France and Spain in New Orleans: Part II

La Nouvelle-Orléans, founded in 1718, formally remained part of the Empire of France until near the end of the Seven Years War, in 1762; from 1762 until 1803, it became Nueva Orleans of the Empire of Spain. New Orleans was briefly ceded back to France under Napoleon I, at which point it was sold to the USA.

Whether under French, Spanish or American control, New Orleans never fell to the British Empire. 
Cathédrale Saint-Louis, Roi-de-France / Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France / Basílica de San Luis. Pictured here circa 1838 in the Spanish Colonial style (flanked by turrets). Since the beginning, there has been a Catholic Church on this site.
Same cathedral in October 2015, with accentuated spires, significantly modified. (Photo courtesy of SAB).  
In the Cabildo: portrait of Antoine Jacques Philippe de Marigny de Mandeville.
Butterscotch house in the Quarter.
Portrait of Napoleon I (1769-1821) at the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA).
Mosaic in front of the Napoleon House, 500 Chartres Street -- in the Quarter.

To me, after traveling between Madrid, San Francisco and New Orleans, the Spanish, French and Catholic flourishes became very evident and interconnected. All of these cities are tributes to architecture and design, and all (in their centers) are quite walkable.

Today's Rune: Fertility.  


3 comments:

Charles Gramlich said...

I find myself fascinated by the figure in red in the pic

jodi said...

Erik-I love the architectural design of the Butterscotch House! Cool colors!

Barbara Bruederlin said...

Architecture, design and walkability? Those are like catnip to me! I must go.