Three tiered steeples rise above the surrounding flat rooftops of the French Quarter, topped by iron crosses. This is the Saint Louis Cathedral, the oldest continuously active Roman Catholic cathedral in the United States. In seventeen…
Voodoo and Folk Spiritualism
This tour walks you through the deep, complex history of Louisiana Voodoo and folk spiritualism in the French Quarter. From the sacred gatherings of Congo Square to quiet altars and historic shrines, you'll learn how these West African traditions survived, evolved, and continue to shape the city today.
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1. St. Louis Cathedral
2. Voodoo Authentica Inc
Voodoo Authentica sits behind a green storefront on Dumaine Street, distinguished by the collection of handmade gris-gris bags and ritual dolls hanging in the window. Unlike the souvenir shops nearby, this space functions as a cultural…
3. New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum
The New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum is recognizable by the weathered, uneven white stucco facade and the narrow, arched doorway cluttered with strands of beads and charms. Inside, the space operates as a shrine to local folk history,…
4. Original Spot Of The Home Of MARIE LAVEAU
The small cottage on Saint Ann Street with the peeling white paint and green shutters occupies the lot where Marie Laveau lived during the nineteenth century. She worked as a hairdresser for wealthy Creole women, a profession that gave her…
5. Congo Square
Congo Square is defined by a wide, open expanse of grass framed by ancient live oaks. In the eighteen hundreds, this was the only place in New Orleans where enslaved people could legally gather on Sundays. They brought drums, performed…
6. Our Lady of Guadalupe Church & International Shrine of St. Jude
The Our Lady of Guadalupe Church features a stark, white stucco facade that stands in sharp contrast to the iron-laced balconies of the surrounding French Quarter. Built in eighteen twenty-six as a mortuary chapel, it served those who died…