Old Ursuline Convent 🇺🇸

When you visit New Orleans, you can step into history at the Old Ursuline Convent, widely considered the finest surviving example of French colonial public architecture in the United States and one of the city's oldest structures. Established after Ursuline nuns arrived from France in 1727 to care for orphans, run a hospital, and educate young girls, the current stucco-covered brick building was completed by 1753. Declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960, this magnificent landmark offers you a rare physical link to Louisiana's French colonial past.

As you explore the site, you will admire its classic French neoclassical styling, defined by formal symmetry, a broad plain hipped roof with low-set dormers, rusticated corner quoins, and arched windows. Once reoriented by an 1820s gatehouse addition along Chartres Street, the property previously served as an archbishop's palace. Inside the entry hall, you can see a remarkable winding cypress staircase with a wrought iron handrail, believed to be salvaged from the original 1730s timbered convent structure.

From its historic role as an orphanage, school, and infirmary to its austere, finely proportioned architectural detailing, a visit gives you a fascinating glimpse into early New Orleans history.

What to see at Old Ursuline Convent

• Finest surviving example of French colonial public architecture in the United States
• Original 1730s winding cypress staircase featuring a wrought iron handrail
• Authentic French neoclassical facade made of stucco-covered brick
• Historic 1820s gatehouse along Chartres Street
• One of the oldest standing structures in New Orleans, completed by 1753

Visiting tips

Pay close attention to the entry hall's salvaged cypress staircase and the Chartres Street gatehouse for a true sense of 18th-century craftsmanship.

How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Morning

How to get there & what’s nearby

Old Ursuline Convent is easy to reach on New Orleans’s public transport, and pairs naturally with St. Louis Cathedral and New Orleans Museum of Art. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our New Orleans travel guide.