Cabildo, New Orleans

Cabildo, New Orleans

The Cabildo is a National Historic Landmark on Jackson Square that was built in 1795-'99 as the seat of the colonial Spanish government in New Orleans.

The Cabildo is a National Historic Landmark on Jackson Square that was built in 1795-'99 as the seat of the colonial Spanish government in New Orleans. The Louisiana Purchase agreements that transferred the city from French rule to the USA were signed here in 1803. The main hall, Sala Capitular, was used as a courtroom by the Spanish from 1799 to 1803, and then as the Louisiana Territorial Superior Court till 1812. The Cabildo was used as a City Hall till the Gallier Hall was inaugurated in 1853. It was also the seat of the Louisiana Supreme Court from 1868 - 1910. Its French mansard roof and cupola date from the mid-19th century renovations.

Designed by Gilberto Guillemard, the elegant Spanish colonial building in neoclassical style has been preserved as part of the Louisiana State Museum. It has over 1000 artifacts and works of art associated with American history, including portraits of notable people from Louisiana, John Audubon's engravings, a rare Napoleon’s death mask, Eugene Louis Lami’s 'The Battle of New Orleans', painting, and self-portrait by Julien Hudson. It hosts exhibitions on a variety of themes such as 'Louisiana and the Mighty Mississippi', 'Freshly Brewed: The Coffee Trade and the Port of New Orleans', and 'From Dirty Shirts to Buccaneers: The Battle of New Orleans in American Culture'.