Vieux Carre Historic District
| French Quarter | |
| Vieux Carré | |
| New Orleans Neighborhood | |
 The French Quarter, looking north with Mississippi River to the right
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| Country | United States |
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| State | Louisiana |
| City | New Orleans |
| Planning District | District 1, French Quarter/CBD |
| Elevation | 3 ft (0.9 m) |
| Coordinates | 29°57′31″N 90°03′54″W / 29.95861°N 90.06500°WCoordinates: 29°57′31″N 90°03′54″W / 29.95861°N 90.06500°W |
| Area | 0.66 sq mi (1.7 km2) |
| - land | 0.49 sq mi (1 km2) |
| - water | 0.17 sq mi (0 km2), 25.76% |
| Population | 3,888 (2010) |
| Density | 7,935/sq mi (3,064/km2) |
| Mayor | Mitch Landrieu |
| Timezone | CST (UTC-6) |
| - summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP Codes | 70116 - 70130 |
| Area code | 504 |
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Vieux Carre Historic District
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French Quarter: Upper Chartres street looking towards Jackson Square and the spires of St. Louis Cathedral.
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| Location | New Orleans, Louisiana |
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| Built | 1734 |
| Architect | Multiple |
| NRHP Reference # | 66000377 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHLD | December 21, 1965 |
The French Quarter, also known as the Vieux Carré, is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans. After New Orleans (La Nouvelle-Orléans in French) was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city developed around the Vieux Carré ("Old Square" in English), a central square. The district is more commonly called the French Quarter today, or simply "The Quarter," related to changes in the city with American immigration after the Louisiana Purchase. Most of the extant historical buildings were constructed in either the late 18th century, during the city's period of Spanish rule, or during the first half of the 19th century, after U.S. annexation and statehood.
The district as a whole has been designated as a National Historic Landmark, with numerous contributing buildings that are separately deemed significant. It is a prime tourist destination in the city, as well as attracting local residents. Because of its distance from areas where the levee was breached during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 as well as the strength and height of the nearest Mississippi River Levees in contrast to other levees along the canals and lakefront, it suffered relatively light damage from floodwater as compared to other areas of the city and the greater region.
The French Quarter is located at 29°57′31″N 90°03′54″W / 29.95861°N 90.06500°W and has an elevation of 1 foot (0.3 m). According to the United States Census Bureau, the district has a total area of 0.66 square miles (1.7 km2). 0.49 square miles (1.3 km2) of which is land and 0.17 square miles (0.4 km2) (25.76%) of which is water.
The most common definition of the French Quarter includes all the land stretching along the Mississippi River from Canal Street to Esplanade Avenue (13 blocks) and inland to North Rampart Street (seven to nine blocks). It equals an area of 78 square blocks. Some definitions, such as city zoning laws, exclude the properties facing Canal Street, which had already been redeveloped by the time architectural preservation was considered, and the section between Decatur Street and the river, much of which had long served industrial and warehousing functions.
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