French Quarter, Historic neighborhood in New Orleans, United States.

The French Quarter is an old neighborhood in New Orleans, United States, stretching along the Mississippi River. The buildings show wrought-iron balconies, interior courtyards with plants, and pastel-colored facades, while the streets are often narrow and lined with two-story houses.

The settlement began in 1718 as a French trading post along the riverbank. After a major fire in 1788, most buildings were reconstructed under Spanish administration, giving the district its present-day appearance.

Local artists sell their work directly on the sidewalks and many city residents come here to have their morning coffee in the small cafés. The name refers to the early French colonists, though the visible architecture with its wrought-iron decoration comes mostly from the later Spanish period.

A walk through the district is best done on foot, as the streets are narrow and many are one-way. Early morning hours are a good time to see the architecture quietly before the streets fill with visitors.

The district covers 78 blocks along the Mississippi, from Canal Street to Esplanade Avenue and inland to Rampart Street. Its oldest surviving building is the Ursuline Convent, erected between 1745 and 1753. The whole district is a National Historic Landmark, and every exterior change needs approval from the Vieux Carré Commission, created in 1925.