New Orleans interesting places. New Orleans: history, carnival and the most interesting sights of the city. Heads and Tails New Orleans

New Orleans is a unique phenomenon, a city unlike any other in America. A place where cultures, music and lifestyles of different nationalities are successfully combined. A cheerful, never-sleeping city in the very south of the United States of America.

Through the pages of history

The history of New Orleans began with its founding by two Frenchmen who arrived on these lands in 1699 to explore the Mississippi River.

Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville founded a settlement in the swamps between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain in 1719, naming it after the French regent Philip II of Orléans.

The first inhabitants were the French and the African slaves they brought.

The subtropical hot climate and swampy terrain complicated living conditions, and prosperity did not come.

In 1762, the French, tired of economic failures, transferred these lands to the Spaniards, who in turn returned them back to their original owners by the beginning of the 19th century. The French Emperor sold New Orleans to the Americans in 1803. By this time, the bulk of the population were Creoles.
The Americans managed the settlement better than the French and Spaniards, and after 40 years New Orleans became the fourth largest city in America and a major center of the slave trade.

After the defeat of the Confederacy in the Civil War, slaves were freed, and New Orleans received a new round of development and became a thriving industrial center and the largest seaport in the United States.

History has left its mark on literally everything that is here. New Orleans has preserved ancient architecture brought by the French and Spanish.

Despite the fact that in 2005 Hurricane Katrina destroyed almost all the buildings, they were reconstructed and rebuilt.

Today, just like one hundred and fifty years ago, tourists can stroll through the old French Quarter in the center or ride in a horse-drawn carriage along the stone streets.

New Orleans today is a colorful mixture of unusual people, all kinds of musical styles, gastronomic preferences and outlooks on life.

It’s worth coming to the USA even just to visit New Orleans. The local atmosphere is filled with charm and love for life, there is a scent of leisure in the air and music is heard everywhere.

Endless open-air cafes invite you to sit in the shade of the awnings and drink coffee. Musicians are located next to the open verandas of the establishments, right on the sidewalks.

New Orleans is a gastronomic paradise

New Orleans cuisine is considered the best and most delicious in America - a French base combined with ingredients added by immigrants from around the world. The Spaniards introduced onions, red bell peppers and celery. Italians love canned tomatoes. Natives of African countries and the Caribbean islands - hot peppers and spices.

Traditional dishes are thick soups and stews in numerous variations:

- gumbo - a thick soup with Creole spices, similar to a stew, consisting of vegetables with meat, chicken or seafood, made thick with French roux sauce;
- Jambalaya - a rice-based dish, similar to pilaf, with ham, fish or seafood added to it;
- Étouffée - rice with crayfish or seafood.

In expensive restaurants you can try deliciously prepared seafood, especially oysters.

The waiters, middle-aged people, have the mannerisms of royal butlers.

The interiors of many establishments are distinguished by sophistication and colorful style. In almost every one of them, eating takes place to the accompaniment of a musical group.

The French cafe Du Monde is popular among the local population - it serves only delicious coffee and beignets with powdered sugar.

It’s interesting that in these latitudes, alligators are bred like poultry in our country. You can try its meat in any even small cafe, or buy it in a supermarket and grill it yourself with spicy tomato sauce. Bread is baked mainly on the basis of corn flour.

The famous K-Paul's Restaurant serves the freshest ingredients purchased early in the morning from the local market, so the restaurant's menu is seasonal and depends on the morning's catch.

You can get a special pleasure by visiting the old French market, where food is sold in abundance and a huge selection of sauces, fairs are held and, of course, you can try many traditional Creole and Cajun dishes and again listen to fiery jazz tunes.

The birthplace of jazz

The music of this area is a separate story, just like the cuisine.

New Orleans is the cradle of jazz music; jazz, the most beautiful musical style in the world, was born here.

At the beginning of the 20th century, a new direction, which absorbed the folklore of people from different countries, blues, ragtime and brass orchestra music, took shape, and jazz appeared. Louis Armstrong and Joe "King" Oliver presented their first performances to New Orleans audiences. Local jazz orchestras are endless. In this city everyone plays music everywhere.

In the spring, you can visit the annual jazz festival “Jazz and Heritage Festival”, in which the best musicians from all over the world take part.

Night streets, entertainment and attractions

The only structure that survived the destruction of Katrina was the bridge. This is the longest bridge in the USA, its length is 38 km.

The bridge has become a symbol of the city's resilience.

You should definitely drive along it to experience the unforgettable feeling of infinity.

The central street of New Orleans is Bourbon Street, a kind of analogue of the Red Light District in Amsterdam. In the evening, all the tourists of the city and the most fun and unusual (to understand what is hidden behind this definition, you need to come here and see with your own eyes) residents of the city gather on this street.

Various melodies are heard from all sides, artists of all possible genres perform on the sidewalks, people dance and have a free time.

All Bourbon Street establishments are open until the morning, and the musicians do not get tired until dawn.

On this street you can find “adult entertainment”.

New Orleans, which has a large African-American population, is the center of voodoo culture. As the sorcerers themselves say, voodoo is a religion that unites the souls of people and restores self-respect. In addition to many shops selling various souvenirs, there is a museum of this culture in New Orleans.

The Mississippi is the “big river” - one of the largest in the world, in the delta of which New Orleans is located, flows into the Gulf of Mexico. Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain's heroes lived on the banks of the Mississippi. Huge ships of international cruise companies enter the port, but tourists will be interested in breathing the air of the old city and taking a ride on the ancient wooden paddle steamer Delta Queen along the river. It’s nice that the walk will be free.

A special festival held here annually is the winter-spring festival “Mardi Gras” (French Mardi gras), an analogue of our Orthodox Maslenitsa. Mardi Gras is a celebration of welcoming spring. Crowded processions with horse-drawn floats and people in all kinds of costumes take to the streets of the city in the French Quarter.

Boat excursions into the Mississippi swamps, fishing, river walks, museums, very good art galleries, markets and old quarters, restaurants, festivals, fairs, music events, visiting cathedrals and city architecture...

New Orleans is a place whose attractions and all the directions “where you can go and what to see” are impossible to list, because by the time you get there, something new will appear there.

Most cities in America have nicknames that reflect the characteristics of a particular place. The nickname of New Orleans is “The Big Easy” - an untranslatable combination into Russian, hinting at the free atmosphere on the streets and the carefree flow of life in this entertainment center, which does not leave anyone indifferent.

New Orleans fills you completely, and impressions of it never leave your memory.

Which US port city combines the daring of jazz music with the luxury of French grace, the gaiety of a seaside city and the traditions of German, French, Old American and Creole cultures?

This is all New Orleans, whose attractions make it not just a city, but a whole world with its own rules and its own atmosphere.

New Orleans

New Orleans is one of the most major cities, port and tourist center.

Where is it located and how to get there?

The city is located near the area where the Mississippi River flows into the Gulf of Mexico, on southeast America.

New Orleans is the most populous and cosmopolitan city in the state of Louisiana.

In the vicinity there is international Airport, in which planes land from all over the planet. From the airport building you can get to the outskirts of the city by bus or taxi.

You can purchase plane tickets right here using this search form. Enter cities of departure and arrival, departure date And number of passengers.

Many people are moving to New Orleans from all over the country. routes trains and intercity buses. You can find out more about the schedule and cost on the city website.

Historical reference

This territory was discovered by Spanish invaders back in the 16th century. After this, the area was captured by the French, who then colonized the southern provinces of Mississippi. The area began to settle down, and in 1718 New Orleans emerged, which still has a historic French Quarter.

The city received its name from the name of the regent - Philippe d'Orléans, which got its nickname from the name of the French town of the same name. In 1763, the city was recaptured by Spanish troops, and in 1801 it returned to French rule. In 1803, reigning Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was forced to sell New Orleans, along with all of Louisiana, to the United States.

After the sale, the city and state began to be actively populated by English-speaking settlers, who often clashed with the French living here.

In 1815, a battle between the British and Americans took place near the city, which became a turning point in the course of Anglo-American War and secured New Orleans for the States.

By the end of the 19th century, the city was thriving economically and was the richest city in the country, but after the industrial boom the city's importance declined. By this time, the number of the French population had decreased significantly, and the city began to be actively populated. immigrants from:

• Ireland;

In the 20th century, the city's economic importance continued to decline—New Orleans was now a center of commerce rather than industry. This century saw increasing conflict between the white and black populations - each group lived in different areas, and income levels between whites and blacks varied greatly in favor of the former. Because of this, the “black” neighborhoods have grown greatly crime of various kinds.

Read about the largest airports in the world, including an impressive number of air ports from the United States.

In 2005, New Orleans was hit Hurricane Katrina— 80% of the city was flooded. Most of the evacuated people did not return to their former homes, so the city's population was halved. Today, about 350 thousand people live in New Orleans.

Architectural landmarks

In addition to history and unique flavor, New Orleans is also famous for its cultural attractions. This is one of most popular tourist cities in America.

Cultural sites

There are many interesting places in New Orleans, and most of them are located in French Quarter, because this is not only the oldest historical part of the city, but also the center of modern culture.

Religious buildings

Speaking about attractions, one cannot fail to mention religious buildings. Like all structures in New Orleans, temples and cathedrals are distinguished by their unusualness and historical significance.

Cathedral of Saint Louis(St. Louis). The cathedral building was erected in 1727. Here noble persons were married, baptized and buried for a century and a half. Unfortunately, the original structure burned down and a new one was built in its place.

The Cathedral of Saint Louis is a structure with three pointed spiers, as if stretched upward and slightly towering above the rest of the buildings. The temple is located near Jackson Square.

Old Ursuline Convent. It is the oldest surviving building in New Orleans, dating back to 1745. This is a beautiful Catholic church with flags of various countries that have ties to this place - American, Spanish, French and others.

Museum complexes

The city has many museums and all kinds of exhibitions of various arts.

Museum complexes are diverse in their themes and areas, and every curious tourist will be able to find a museum to suit their taste.

What else to see?

In addition to cultural and historical attractions, New Orleans offers a rainbow of entertainment and natural beauty. This holiday city, where almost every day there is some kind of party or witchcraft carnival.

Natural beauty

The nature of Louisiana can be called exotic– subtropics and hot weather in the middle of a large city make you feel like a hero from the novel “Gone with the Wind.”

Entertainment

After visiting all the excursions and attractions of interest, New Orleans offers you to visit entertainment venues and truly relax.

• Audubon Zoo. This large zoo will appeal to both adults and children. Here the animals are kept in spacious enclosures that are as close as possible to their natural habitat. In the park there are comfortable places to relax where you can hide from the summer heat.
• Preservation Hall(Preservation Hall) is a building that was the center of New Orleans jazz music in the 1920s. Jazz musicians still perform here, and on weekends the hall is filled with fans of this genre.

Mardi Gras Carnival. In February, people from all over the world come to Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday).

This festival of dolls of different sizes and made from any material takes place in New Orleans.

Here everyone can walk with their doll, or put on any colorful costume and walk down the street along with the merry people. In terms of colorfulness and fun, Mardi Gras is far superior to even the famous Brazilian carnival.

In that video you can look at some of the attractions of New Orleans:

December 27, 2015 “Our idols were better than yours” - probably this eternal complaint of the older generation to the younger explains well the logic of installing monuments to famous performers of past years.

Other reasons for the appearance of such monuments - the desire of city authorities to decorate the city, attract tourists, as well as the demands of fans to give them the opportunity to gather in front of the monumental image of their idol, of course, also play a role, but not a decisive one. Be that as it may, monuments to musical idols stand all over the world, travel agencies willingly include them in the lists of attractions in different cities, so we have a reason to talk about the ten most, in our opinion, interesting and famous.

No one living today has heard Niccolo Paganini, who amazed audiences with his skill at the beginning of the 19th century, playing the violin. Nevertheless, he can rightfully be called the musical idol of his era - Paganini’s popularity was enormous, famous writers and poets dedicated many enthusiastic lines to him. But, as it turned out, his most ardent “fans” were ministers of the Catholic Church...

After Paganini’s death in 1840, the church declared that such an unimaginable talent could only be from the devil, and forbade the maestro to be buried according to Christian rites. Paganini's son had to travel with his father's body almost all of Italy, which was then divided into principalities and duchies. They didn’t want to bury the “devilish virtuoso” anywhere. This went on for almost forty years, several times the already interred body was torn out again, until the great virtuoso found his last refuge in the city of Parma. A bust with a colonnade was installed at the grave of the “great and damned” Paganini; it can be considered the first monument to a musical idol.

One can argue about the artistic merits of this monument in a New Orleans park, but it was undoubtedly placed “on the spot.” New Orleans is recognized as the birthplace and capital of jazz; Louis Armstrong, a singer and trumpeter nicknamed “Satchmo” - the big-lipped one, was born here in 1901. In the first half of the last century, jazz was the most fashionable musical direction, and the most popular jazz performer for many years was Armstrong, who came to music in a very original way - through a local colony for juvenile delinquents of color.

There was a brass band in the colony; eleven-year-old Louis, who was sent there for stealing a pistol (from a policeman!), learned to play the trumpet. And he fascinated millions of people all over the world with his playing, as well as his voice with an inimitable “trademark” wheeze. And he always looked a little confused and embarrassed on stage - the author of the monument certainly succeeded in conveying these traits.

For those who remember Leonid Utesov and are familiar with his work, the choice of a place for a monument to an outstanding singer, musician, and actor seems to be the only correct one. Of course, Odessa, and of course - Deribasovskaya Street. Although during his long life, Utesov changed his place of residence many times - he lived in Kremenchug, and in Moscow, and in St. Petersburg, then Leningrad. And in his youth he simply traveled around the country with a traveling circus, in which he worked as a gymnast. But in the eyes of fans, and over half a century of active creative activity millions of residents of the entire USSR became them, Leonid Utesov has always been and remains a resident of Odessa, perhaps the most famous in the entire post-Soviet space. And for the Odessa residents themselves - also Leonid Osipovich, or Uncle Lenya, with whom you can easily sit next to on a bench.

“She was born like a sparrow, lived like a sparrow, and died like a sparrow.” This is about a singer whose stage name is translated from the Parisian argot - “little sparrow”. Street sparrows have a difficult life; for Edith Piaf it was also filled with tragedies. As a child, she was alternately abandoned by both parents, and she lost her sight. In her youth, her only daughter died of illness, and in her mature years, her loved one died in a plane crash.

And all these years Edith sang - for the spoiled Parisian public, for the British royal family, as well as for the inhabitants of the working-class neighborhoods of Paris, French prisoners of war in Germany - her passionate singing, with tragic notes, was understandable to everyone. And she herself, being already rich and world famous, caressed by male attention, constantly complained of loneliness. It is precisely this way, lonely and restless, that the singer, the “little sparrow,” appears to tourists on a Parisian square named after her, Place Edith Piaf.

Vladimir Vysotsky, Russia, Moscow

Moscow (three), Naberezhnye Chelny, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg, Volgodonsk, Dubna, Sochi, Kaliningrad, Krasnodar, Novosibirsk, Rostov-on-Don, Samara - in these Russian cities there are monuments to Vladimir Vysotsky, the list is probably not complete. In Ukraine, the famous bard was immortalized in Odessa (twice), Kyiv, Mariupol, Kharkov, Melitopol. There are monuments to Vysotsky in Belarus, Montenegro and even in the USA.

The monuments are very different, both in the degree of portrait similarity and in artistic design; some depict the singer together with his wife, actress Marina Vladi. But there is hardly any need to describe them all here. The most interesting to us is the monument to Vysotsky by sculptor Zurab Tsereteli on Krasnaya Presnya. Muscovites have an ambiguous attitude towards the work of this sculptor, but in this case, we believe it was possible to recreate the most complex image of the restless singer, poet and actor.

There are even more cities and countries in which monuments to the “King of Rock and Roll” Elvis Presley are erected than on Vladimir Vysotsky’s list; it is simply impossible to list them. Some of them have private status; the singer’s fans made them at their own expense and installed them on their territory. Most often the King is depicted with a guitar, although, by all accounts, he was nothing special as a guitarist. But such is his pop image, which remains in the memory of many millions of admirers of Elvis Presley’s talent. Most likely, it is this image that inspires sculptors around the world to create monuments to Elvis again and again - this broad-shouldered handsome man seemed to be born to become a monument. This idea, in our opinion, is best illustrated by the monument in Honolulu, Hawaii, on the site where Elvis’s concert, first broadcast via satellite around the world, took place in 1973.

Here we are again dealing with “mass production” - a great many monuments to the legendary four have been erected all over the world, only in the territory of the former USSR there are at least a dozen of them. Therefore, we will limit ourselves to presenting the monument in the quartet’s homeland, in the British city of Liverpool. This one differs from many other monuments to the Beatles group in the “financial component” - money for it was collected by Beatlemaniacs from all over the world.

Freddie Mercury, although he was certainly a talented singer and a musical idol of the 80s generation, is inferior in popularity to any of the performers presented here. However, he was also awarded his monument. The reason, most likely, is the unusual fate, extraordinary appearance and tragic death of the famous lead singer of Queen. Born on the exotic island of Zanzibar into a family of followers of a rare religion - Zoroastrianism, Freddie Mercury (Farrukh Bulsara) throughout his life surprised those around him with his incredible talent in a variety of fields - painting, graphics, sports, music, and eccentric behavior. Therefore, all his fans were deeply shocked by the death of their idol in 1991 from AIDS, at the age of 45. A monument to Freddie Mercury was erected in the Swiss resort town of Montreux.

We are publishing here a monument to Viktor Tsoi by sculptor Sergei Kulgachev, installed in 2010 on Socialist Street in Barnaul. In our opinion, it is he who most accurately conveys the image of the musical idol of the “perestroika generation”, and very accurately fits into the theme of “A Star Called the Sun” - a symbolic reflection of one of Tsoi’s most famous songs. Unfortunately, on the streets of St. Petersburg, the singer’s hometown, there is still no monument to Viktor Tsoi, there is only a bust on the singer’s grave and several bas-reliefs. The mayor's office promises to perpetuate the memory of Viktor Tsoi only in 2016.

Probably, Michael Jackson himself, the official “Legend of America” and “Icon of Music,” if he were alive today, would be surprised by our choice. From the many monuments erected in different cities of the world to “the most successful artist of all time” (the wording of the Guinness Book of Records), we chose for publication a monument in Russia, in Yekaterinburg, by the sculptor Viktor Mosielev. This huge, three-meter-high sculpture accurately conveys the main thing that distinguished Jackson's work - inimitable dynamics and expression.

The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden

Another interesting place in New Orleans.

The Sculpture Garden is a unique cultural project created right in the city park of New Orleans. It is part of the New Orleans Museum of Art, which, unfortunately, we did not go to.

By the way, entrance to the park itself is free.

Museum of Art building

This garden was opened in 2003, and at that time there were 50 pieces of art.

Today the garden houses more than 60 sculptural compositions that fit perfectly into the surrounding nature.

They stand along the paths, or are reflected in the pond, or hide in the shade of live oaks and pines.

Diana, Augustus Saint-Guadens

Large Seated Cardinal. Giacomo Manzu

Standing Man With Radiating Words. Lesley Dill

Source Figurine. Robert Graham

Monkeys, Rona Pondick

Interesting work! How beautifully made the hands are!

LOVE, Red Blue, Robert Indiana

Spider, Louise Bourgeoise

I really liked this composition. I would translate its name into Russian as “Overflow”. Overflowing with ideas, for example, or unspoken thoughts, desires, confessions... I have many options.

Overflow, Jaume Plensa

Restrained. Deborah Butterfield

Also a fun sculpture. You can interpret it in different ways, humorously or philosophically.

Mother and Child, Fernando Botero

This curious obelisk was built from fragments of violins.

Obelisk. Pablo Casal

Peculiar work!

Travelin' Light. Alison Saar

This sculpture, of course, is the most interesting and large-scale, with deep philosophical overtones:

Karma, Do-Ho Suh

The seven-meter sculptural composition “Karma” from the height of human growth seems like a rocket launched into the sky. Created by Korean artist Do Ho Suh, the art object consists of 98 male figures made of steel, squatting and covering each other's eyes.

The installation, reminiscent of a symbolic silver-plated spine, is an allusion to evolution, during which each next generation should be spiritually higher than the previous one. Descendants, turning a blind eye to the sins and crimes of their ancestors, will rise to the occasion, but will be forced to rely on the experience of previous generations.

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And one last, short walk around New Orleans:

Louis Armstrong Park

The park is named after one of the most famous sons of New Orleans - Louis Armstrong (1901 - 1971).

There’s not much to tell about the park, you have to see it, so I’d rather write about Armstrong.

An American jazz trumpeter, vocalist and bandleader, he had (along with Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis and John Coltrane) the greatest influence on the development of jazz and did much to popularize it throughout the world.

Louis, as he was called in the Creole manner, was born in the poorest black area of ​​​​New Orleans. He grew up in a dysfunctional family (mother is a laundress, father is a day laborer). His father abandoned the family when the boy was still a baby. The boy, along with his younger sister Beatrice, was given to be raised by his grandmother Josephine, who still remembered the times of slavery. After some time, Armstrong's mother, Mayann, took Louis, but never paid him enough attention.

Since childhood, Armstrong has been engaged in the delivery of coal, selling newspapers and other similar work. At the age of seven, he began helping around the house for the Karnofsky family of coal merchants, Jews who had recently immigrated to America from the Russian Empire. Later, he began to stay overnight with them and over time became practically an adopted son in this family. The Karnofskys lived in Storyville, an area known for its loose morals, as well as bars, clubs, dance halls and brothels. It was Karnofsky who later gave money to Armstrong to buy a cornet, his first musical instrument of his own.

By the mid-1950s, Louis Armstrong was one of the world's most famous musicians and showmen, and he also starred in more than 50 films. The US State Department gave him the unofficial title of "Ambassador of Jazz" and repeatedly sponsored his world tours.

Armstrong's last hit was the upbeat song "What a Wonderful World" (#1 in the UK).

And here is the monument to Louis Armstrong

This sculptural composition is dedicated to black people, their songs and dances

In the distance you can see the theater building, which is located in this park, where various concerts are held. This theater is named after Mahalia Jackson.

Mahalia Jackson (1911 - 1972) is an American singer born in New Orleans, who largely determined the modern sound of music in the genres of gospel and spirituals.

The beginning of real success in a brilliant career should be considered 1946, when she was invited to participate in a symposium dedicated to the origins of jazz. There she was asked to perform several songs in the presence of the most prominent American musicologists, and when she finished, the audience erupted in applause. Critics bombarded her with questions and forced her to sing until midnight, the symposium was disrupted.

Mahalia Jackson has captivated audiences on four continents. The packed Carnegie Hall applauded her four times. Four presidents listened to her: Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson.

During the sixties, Jackson was a supporter and confidant of Dr. Martin Luther King. On August 28, 1963, in Washington, D.C., before Martin Luther King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech, Mahalia sang the song "I've Been Buked and I've Been Scorned."

Another musician whose name is immortalized in this park is Buddy Bolden (1877 - 1931).

By all accounts, today he is considered the first bandleader to play improvisational music, later called Jazz. He was the first "King" of the cornet in New Orleans and was remembered by the musicians around him as the best trumpet player they had ever heard or seen.

Buddy Bolden had a tremendous influence on the next several generations of classical jazz musicians, including Louis Armstrong, who listened to Buddy in early childhood.

Bolden never made a recording, but was immortalized in Jelly Roll Morton's song "Buddy Bolden's Blues" (I Thought I Heard Buddy Bolden Say), which is based on Bolden's song "Funky Butt."

This park is a very pleasant place to relax, filled with sun, music, history and traditions of this amazing city!

The most “European” city in America. Founded by the French, it was ruled by the Spanish for several decades. The city of New Orleans boasts local Creole cuisine and ethnic culture. The many Spanish and French style homes create a unique charm.

Story

New Orleans, due to its favorable location, quickly became a major center of trade. The Mississippi River has been an important transportation stream for the country for several centuries. The port of New Orleans is one of the largest in the United States. New Orleans was the first place black slaves brought from the African continent saw in the new country.

Most of the city's residents are descendants of Spanish and French settlers. But during its rapid growth, New Orleans was flooded with Italians, Irish, Germans, and Greeks. Thousands of Haitian immigrants have swelled the population in the last century.

French and Spanish

At the end of the 17th century, the first settlers appeared at the mouth of the Mississippi. Robert Cavelier de la Salle, who led the French group, declared this territory the property of his country and named it Louisiana in honor of Louis XIV. The first French colony settled here at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, and the founding date of New Orleans is recognized as May 7, 1718. The founder of the city is Jean Baptiste Le Moyne, a Canadian. The name New Orleans is given in honor of Philip II, Prince of Orleans - the French regent.

The bulk of the first settlers were convicts exiled to Louisiana to develop new lands and not distinguished by high moral qualities. In addition, the slave trade flourished here for many years, but the blacks living in the city were mostly free.

The French were unhappy with the profits from these lands. In 1762 they transferred them to their ally in the war with England. The Spanish controlled Louisiana until 1800. Then the French became the owners again, and in 1803 they sold it to the United States for $15 million.

American New Orleans

In the middle of the 19th century, the city had a population of 100 thousand people and was one of the largest in the country. In the Civil War, Louisiana took the side of the Confederates, but a year later it already belonged to Lincoln supporters.

The beginning of the twentieth century was marked by the discovery of oil reserves, which, together with the development of transport roads, gave a new impetus to the rapid development of New Orleans.

By the end of the twentieth century, the city achieved great success in shipbuilding and the aerospace industry, and became a major tourist center.

Modern New Orleans

The spirit of France still hovers over the picturesque areas of the city. New Orleans today is called the “Paris of the New World.” In the old part of the city many ancient buildings have been preserved. It was called the "French Quarter". New Orleans is shrouded in legends and traditions, especially the Saint-Louis Cemetery, which is an architectural monument. According to one of them, the queen of the Voodoo tribe, Marie Laveau, is buried here, so walking around it alone is strongly not recommended.

New Orleans today has a central street called Bourbon Street, located in the French Quarter. It houses the best restaurants and cafes, numerous shops and souvenir shops.

Of the modern buildings, the most famous is the 38.5 km long bridge across Lake Pontchartrain. The new city also has something to see: a zoo, Audubon Park, the Picturesque Quarters of Saint-Charles and Warehouse, business districts with unique glass office buildings. You can also visit the art museum and the museum where they always hold interesting exhibitions.

Attractions

Each quarter of the city is a kind of island with a unique culture and a concentration of important historical monuments.

For example, Jackson Square. Next to it is the Saint-Louis Cathedral - an impressive religious building in an original architectural style, with interesting interior decoration. Nearby is the French Market, where you can buy anything. New Orleans attractions such as the Mint Museum and the World War II Museum will present interesting collections of artifacts.

Art connoisseurs will be able to enjoy the works of young sculptors, artists, and photographers at the Modern Arts Center.

The sights of New Orleans, located in the town of Shalmitte, are also very interesting. This is where General Andrew Jackson fought for the city in 1815. In addition, many gardens and parks, natural reserves attract tourists.

New Orlan tests

Nature regularly tests the strength of spirit of city residents. In the 18th century, fires, in the 19th century, cholera, leprosy, smallpox, and in the 20th century, hurricanes claimed many lives and caused serious damage. But what happened in 2005 brought immeasurable grief to New Orleans. Flooding as a result of a dam failure due to Hurricane Katrina inundated the city, power supply and telephone communications were disrupted. Thousands of residents were evacuated to Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.

The city suffered greatly from the consequences of the flood and the devastating hurricane. The Americans helped restore buildings and infrastructure both by transferring funds and by working directly at the sites. Thanks to the help of the country's population, the history of New Orleans continues, and the city can once again appear in all its glory to tourists.

• The New Orleans streetcar is the oldest in the country.
• The city's bars are open 24 hours a day.
• New Orleans on the map is located in the bend of the Mississippi, so it received the nickname “Crescent City”.
• Popular American actress Reese Witherspoon was born here.
• New Orleans is the hometown of Louis Armstrong. In the mid-twentieth century, the musician was elected king of Mardi Gras. And today the city’s international airport is named after him.

Music in New Orleans

In the city of jazz, melodies always flow from everywhere. In the past, music in New Orleans brought the white and black populations very close together. Various styles and trends are common here, including blues, zydeco with a touch of French melodies.

Every spring, New Orleans hosts a jazz festival that lasts several days and provides the opportunity for numerous musicians to perform on stage. Since its inception (1970), this music event has attracted thousands of music lovers.

You can learn about the history of the development of jazz and listen to it in the National Park.

The famous parade attracts visitors from all over the world to New Orleans. Mardi Gras is a grandiose spectacle that lasts two weeks and is the oldest tradition and calling card of the city.

Carnival

It is rather a parade of decorated floats on horse-drawn carts. Each element of this picturesque procession is dedicated to entertainment: cards, drinks, women, etc. The parade looks very colorful, and participants in the procession throw small trinkets into the jubilant crowd of spectators - such as beads, coins, plastic rosaries, soft toys, aluminum medallions with holiday symbols. These little things often become collectibles.

The participant's costume must include three colors: gold - a symbol of strength, red - a symbol of justice, green - These shades have accompanied the festival for more than a hundred years.

Spectators, in order to receive a gift, attract the attention of parade participants in all possible ways - they lift up their skirts and T-shirts, showing off their bodies. These days, New Orleans is called a city gone crazy - "crazy town."

The final stage of the procession is the election of the royal couple of the carnival. Rejoicing, fueled by alcohol and general accessibility, reigns throughout the evening and night. On other days, drinking alcohol and engaging in sexual activities are strictly punishable. But the parade is friendly, with no obscenities or fighting. Smoking, drinking and participating in the carnival at night is allowed from 21 years of age. Therefore, young people are often asked to present it, especially in bars.

Cuisine, restaurants and cafes

New Orleans is a godsend for tourists with gastronomic preferences. More than a thousand cafes, restaurants and bars operate in the city. The most visited establishment is the GW Fins restaurant with seafood cuisine. The menu changes daily and is based on the chef's morning purchases at the market. Specialties include crab fillet cutlets and oysters baked in the oven.

The budget restaurant Southern Candymakers brings together families with children, for whom a separate menu has been created. The establishment is distinguished by the friendliness of its staff and the most delicious pralines in the city.

To organize a celebration, there can be no better place than a luxurious restaurant located in a beautiful palace. The main part of the menu is represented by national cuisine and gourmet delicacies.

The Boucherie restaurant offers visitors a large assortment. Its menu includes meat dishes, traditional French fries, fresh sandwiches, and many desserts.

The Italian restaurant Vincent's Italian Cuisine shocks its guests with the huge size of the portions, so it is appropriate to order one dish for two. The signature treat is spaghetti with various sauces and crab soup.

Angelo Brocato Ice Cream is a colorful cafe for lovers of ice cream and pastries. And a delicious Italian dessert for every taste can satisfy the most demanding sweet tooth. The cozy cafe attracts guests with fresh buns and croissants, refreshing fruit ice, and ice cream with various toppings.

• Excursionists are recommended to travel on foot, as tourist sites are located within walking distance of one another. The quality of the roads is not always ideal, so it is better to avoid heels.
• The local tram will help travelers with limited time see the sights and the most significant streets of the city. The trip will cost 1.3 dollars.

• In addition to the tram, inexpensive transport is available almost 24 hours a day. On weekends he goes a little less often. Tickets can be purchased from the driver or at kiosks.
• At the rental center you can rent a car, the cost of which depends on the brand. To register, you will need a passport, international driving license, and a credit card with the required deposit amount.
• Tourists should not forget to be careful. In the evening you can only walk along the central streets of the city. It is better to wander into remote areas accompanied by a guide. Large cash and valuables should not be taken with you on a walk unless absolutely necessary.
• All payments are made by credit card; all shopping centers, supermarkets, boutiques, hotels, large restaurants and gas stations accept it. Cash will be needed for those who intend to visit markets, small shops on the outskirts and budget restaurants.
• Motorists are likely to get stuck in traffic jams during the daytime. It is better to use the tram or ferry, which runs every 15 minutes.

• The most profitable way to pay for services and purchases is the national currency, which can be exchanged at any banks or private exchange offices. When making a transaction, you need to clarify the exchange rate and the amount of commission charged. It can vary greatly at different exchange offices.