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City Guide to Sacred Spaces– New Orleans, LA
NOLA
City
Gui
de to
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Sacred Space International / Tour Sacred Spaces
CIT Y GUIDE TO SACRED SPACES
NEW ORLEANS, LA
City
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B
C
A
LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN
LAKE BORGNE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
Key Map
Sacred New Orleans: Introduction to finding sacred spaces in New Orleans
Individual Sacred Space Descriptions:
Map A
[NOLA 01] Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis King of France
[NOLA 02] Voodoo Spiritual Temple
[NOLA 03] The Church of the Immaculate Conception
[NOLA 04] New Orleans Zen Temple
Map B
[NOLA 05] St. Charles Avenue Streetcar
[NOLA 06] Christ Church Cathedral
[NOLA 07] Lafayette Cemetery No. 1
[NOLA 08] Rayne Memorial United Methodist Church
[NOLA 09] Touro Synagogue
[NOLA 10] Temple Sinai
[NOLA 11] St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church
Map C
[NOLA 12] Hellenic Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity
Bibliography and Acknowledgments
Credits
2
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Table of Contents
CIT Y GUIDE TO SACRED SPACES
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SacredNew Orleans
Flying in over Lake Pontchartrain for the first time, I
thought it was a sea. From the air, and on our maps, the
landscape surrounding the city seems to dissolve. Land
blends with water – appearing as a tentative, almost
untenable habitation. Hardscape roadway surfaces
seem inconspicuous within the sponge-like swamps
and bayous.
The city of New Orleans is in a cycle of renewal.
During our time there we saw spaces full of grandeur
and decrepitude. Mansions and slums sit next door to
one another and infrastructures seem fragile. The city
is at once struggling and letting go of its hold on the
environment. Five years after Hurricane Katrina, there is
still a feeling of vulnerability and grief. We felt that the
people we met were engaged stewards of their sacred
places in this historic city.
During our visit to the Voodoo Spiritual Temple,
Priestess Miriam said to me, that like her – I too was a
“Floater.” We had come to America from faraway lands,
me from Ireland and she, via her ancestors in Africa. We
found commonality - what better city for a Floater to find
a home, than one who is awash in the waters of a great
Delta? The Voodoo Religion is strong in New Orleans
simply because – like the city, there is something for
everyone – all mixed together like sacred gumbo. No
matter what your background, we hope that you find
solace and peace in the spaces we suggest in our Guide.
Many of the spaces are linked together by one
of the main arteries defining the Crescent City: St.
Charles Avenue. Winding from the Central Business
District and Canal Street through the Garden District,
and Uptown, the avenue is lined with a stately parade
of sacred spaces. They are connected via our secular
selection – The St. Charles Avenue Streetcar. With the
spaces threaded together by the stops on this line, you
can use this mobile sacred space as a method to travel.
Relax, enjoy and watch out for your stop. This will be the
tour of a lifetime.
Deirdre Colgan
Executive Director, Sacred Space International
Chicago, 2010
INTRODUCTION TO FINDING SACRED SPACES IN THE CITY
Soft, spongy moss grows between worn paving bricks in the French Quarter, epitomizing the fragile balance in the city.
N Rampa
rt St
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Elk P
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2
3
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B
AC
D
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Tulane University Hospital and Clinic
Poydras St
Common St
Canal St
Decatu
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Chart
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Roya
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Bourb
on StDau
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St
Burgu
ndy S
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Highway
10
Derbi
ngy S
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N Roman
St
N Prieu
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N John
son S
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N Galv
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N Miro
St
N Tonti
St
N Roch
eblav
e St
N Dorg
enois
St
N Broa
d St
N Whit
e StN G
ayos
e St
Esplanade St
Orleans Ave
McShane PlSt Claude Ave
Elysian Fields Ave
Earhart Blvd
Louisiana Superdome
Louis Armstrong
Park
Tulane St
Mississippi River
Ponchartrain Expy
[NOLA 01] Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis King of France[NOLA 02] Voodoo Spiritual Temple[NOLA 03] The Church of the Immaculate Conception[NOLA 04] New Orleans Zen Temple
MORE TO SEE IN THIS AREA
SACRED SITES SELECTED
A. Marie Laveau’s House of VoodooB. Old Ursuline Convent C. St. Louis Cemetery No.1D. St. Joseph ChurchE. Masjid Ur-Rahim
Croz
at St
Tcho
upito
ulas
St
Mara
is St
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Map A
A
LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN
LAKE BORGNE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
N Rampa
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Elk P
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2
3
B
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Tulane University Hospital and Clinic
Common St
Canal St
Decatu
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Bourb
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Louis Armstrong
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Mississippi River
“One day I took a hammer and broke through the wall and found the windows. They’re just too beautiful to not be seen.”
REV. MSGR. CROSY KERN, RECTOR
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CATHEDRAL-BASILICA OF ST. LOUIS KING OF FRANCE
VISITOR INFORMATIONCathedral-Basilica of St. Louis King of France
[NOLA 01] ROMAN CATHOLIC
Interior view, looking towards the altar.
01.1
ADDRESS 615 Père Antoine Alley, New Orleans, LA 70116-3291NEIGHBORHOOD
PARKING
French Quarter
Parking Lot in front of Jackson SquareCOORDINATES
NEAREST TRANSIT
29.957943, -90.063613
Riverfront Streetcar Line – Exit at Toulouse
PHONE (504) 525-9585 Tours: (504) 525-9583
OPEN HOURS
SERVICE HOURS
TIPS & SUGGESTIONS FOR VISITORS
Daily 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m.Saturday 7:30 a.m., 4:00 p.m., 4:45 p.m.,
5:00 p.m. VigilSunday 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m.
For a self-guided tour, take a brochure at the church entrance. Visitors can get an impromptu tour from volunteer docents when available. Guided tours for groups are only available with prior reservations, call (504) 525-9583. The tour request form can be found on the Cathedral’s website.
WEBSITE www.stlouiscathedral.org
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ABOUT: HISTORY & ORIGINS
A recent archaeological study found remnants of
European style buildings dating back before the founding
of the city of New Orleans in 1718 by Jean Baptiste Le
Moyne de Bienville, a French Canadian. He came to this
spot probably because it had long been a trading post for
the French, so they already knew the area. Bienville laid
out the plan of the city which was mostly wilderness at
the time. There has been a place of worship here since
1718. By 1720, with more colonists arriving, the St. Louis
parish was established, dedicated to Saint Louis (Louis
IX), in honor of Louis XV, the king of France at the time.
The first parish church was completed around 1730, but
was destroyed in the Great Fire in 1788, after which the
first cathedral was built. The Church was consecrated
as a cathedral in 1793 when the Diocese of Louisiana
and the Florida was established. The French were here
until the French and Indian War when Louis XV gave
the colony to his cousin King Charles III of Spain. The
Spanish clergy took over and the French began to leave.
The Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis King of France is
the oldest active Catholic cathedral in the United States
and seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New
Orleans. In 1845, the buildings began to fall, due to New
Orleans’ low water table. A new and larger cathedral
was built and reopened in 1850. The elements of the
first cathedral that are present include: the façade,
two spires on the side, which were reconfigured and a
center spire added, the crucifix, a gift from the King of
Spain when it was made a cathedral in 1793, and the
baptismal font is from the first church. It was named
a Basilica in 1964 and designated a Catholic Cultural
Heritage Center along with the Old Ursuline Convent
in 2004. To receive the title of Basilica, a church must
apply to Rome proposing that the significance of its
architecture, history, and spiritual treasures are worthy
of the title.
Coronation of King Louis IX, later St. Louis (1215–1297). Stained glass windows by the Oidtmann Studios in Linnich, Germany from 1929.
CATHEDRAL-BASILICA OF ST. LOUIS KING OF FRANCE
01.2
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ARCHITECTURE DESCRIPTION
The physical structure of the cathedral is also an historical
record of the waves of colonization, starting with the
French in the late 17th Century, and subsequent transfer
to Spanish rule, a result of French defeat in the Seven
Years War. The present structure is the third to be built
at its Père Antoine Alley location. The original church
built in 1727 was perhaps New Orleans’ first “brick
between posts” structure, but the small stucco church
was destroyed by a hurricane in 1727 and replaced that
same year with a brick structure. After the Great Fire
in 1788, a new church was rebuilt as a cathedral and
completed in 1794 while the territory was still Spanish.
Within ten years France briefly reclaimed the Louisiana
Territory before the United States purchased it from
Napoleon in 1803.
In 1834, plans were made for renovations to the
Spanish-influenced structure in order to accommodate
a growing congregation. De Pouilly’s plans enlarged
and restored the cathedral as well as rebuilding the
façade with three hexagonal towers, resembling a
French chateau. In 1859, the original materials of wood
and iron were replaced with weatherproof slate and
the “metropolitan cross,” the sign of a metropolitan
cathedral and archbishop’s church were added to the
two smaller towers. The Fournier clock was kept part
of the façade in its position beneath the larger tower.
This clock was originally constructed by clockmaker
Jean Delachaux and dates back to 1819. It strikes every
quarter hour.
The interior cruciform plan has a center aisle with
a checkered marble floor. The main altar is majestic in
size, supported by six grooved Corinthian columns and
statues of St. Paul and St. Peter on either side. Above
the altar, three allegorical figures of faith, hope and
charity were erected to symbolize the community’s
faith. To the right of the sanctuary is Mary’s shrine, “Our
Lady of Prompt Succor,” was built in the Baroque style.
The life of St. Louis IX, King of France is illustrated
in the lower stained glass windows. These figurative
windows replaced earlier antique art glass windows
which had deteriorated. The upper gallery of stained
glass windows shows various archbishops and the
Stations of the Cross. Clerestory windows found above
the gallery are designed to allow light into the interior.
View of the Baroque interior from the balcony.
A statue of St. Louis the King flanked by icons of the Evangelists Paul and John.
CATHEDRAL-BASILICA OF ST. LOUIS KING OF FRANCE
01.3
Loyo
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Bourb
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Derbi
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N Roman
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N Prieu
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N John
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Esplanade St
Orleans Ave
McShane Pl
Elysian Fields Ave
Louis Armstrong
Park
Tulane St
Mississippi River
E
N John
son S
t
N Galv
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N Miro
St
N Tonti
St
N Roch
eblav
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N Dorg
enois
St Esplanade St
Orleans Ave
McShane Pl
Louis Armstrong
Park
“I don’t take my life lightly, and God working in me. I don’t play with these ideas…It moves you, as an African priestess, it calls you to it. Voodoo calls you out, you don’t call it.”
PRIESTESS MIRIAM CHAMANI
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VOODOO SPIRITUAL TEMPLE
VISITOR INFORMATIONVoodoo Spiritual Temple
[NOLA 02] VOODOO SPIRITUALISM
Interior view: little altars are everywhere, layering symbols and totems from all religions and popular culture.
02.1
ADDRESS 828 N. Rampart Street, New Orleans, LA 70116NEIGHBORHOOD
PARKING
French Quarter
Street parking is availableCOORDINATES
NEAREST TRANSIT
29.961544, -90.06738
Not available. Near Congo Square.
PHONE (504) 522-9627
OPEN HOURS
TIPS & SUGGESTIONS FOR VISITORS
Daily 10:00 am. – 6:00 p.m. (hours are irregular)
All respectful, inquisitive visitors are welcome. Priestess Miriam’s services include consultations, bone readings, weddings, removal of curses, blessings, therapy and special rituals for healing and love. The Voodoo Spiritual Temple strives to dispel misinformation about Voodoo.
WEBSITE www.voodoospiritualtemple.org
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ABOUT: HISTORY & ORIGINS
Priestess Miriam owns and operates the Voodoo
Spiritual Temple and Cultural Center, a branch of the
Spiritual Church. The first Spiritual Church was founded
in New Orleans around 1918 and has since grown into
a national organization. The Spiritual religion is similar
to mainstream spiritualism. In New Orleans, Voodoo
merges the rituals of Catholicism, West African spiritual
practices and elements of Native American spiritual
practices. “Gris-gris” resemble talismans and are
kept for good luck or to ward off evil. The origin of the
word is unclear but scholars trace it to “juju” the West
African word for “fetish” or sacred object. Most African
fetishes were shaped like dolls and early Europeans
may have translated the word either to “grou-grou”
(hence gris-gris) or the French word “joujou” meaning
doll or plaything. Today “gris-gris” are small cloth bags
containing herbs, oils and stones.
Priestess Miriam, a consecrated Bishop, came to
New Orleans in 1990 with her husband Priest Oswan
Chamani, who was born in Belize, to start the Voodoo
Spiritual Temple. Prior to this, she worked in the medical
field while she continued her spiritual development. She
joined the Whitley Memorial Temple in 1973, eventually
becoming a licensed missionary. In 1977 she moved
to Angel All Nations Spiritual Church to hone her skills
as a seer and healer. In 1990 she and her husband
Oswan established themselves as gifted spiritualists
in New Orleans in and opened their first temple a few
blocks from the present location. She believes the
purpose of the temple is to bring out everyone’s latent
spiritual power. Although her husband died in 1995,
she maintains the Temple which receives thousands of
visitors every year.
The center includes a gift shop and small
apothecary and botanica. The temple consists of an
eclectically decorated Altar room used for spiritual
work, prayers, meditations, readings, rituals, weddings,
and ceremonies. Every inch of the walls and space
are filled with objects; a constantly evolving collection
of sacred items. In addition, Priestess Miriam
offers blessings, baptism, removal of curses, and
empowerment consultations.
The veils between worlds seem drawn aside. Fabrics, lights, candles and offerings combine to create an organized chaos within the temple.
African Loas with offerings on one of the altars.
VOODOO SPIRITUAL TEMPLE
02.2
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ARCHITECTURE DESCRIPTION
Voodoo Spiritual Temple is located in a neighborhood
rich with Voodoo history, just two blocks from Congo
Square (renamed Beauregard Square.) Voodoo was
popularized in the mid-19th Century by Marie Laveau,
who performed rituals in Congo Square. Voodoo Spiritual
Temple is a small two story duplex house, whose two
sides are now connected together to form a space for
the apothecary and gift store and another for the Altar
Room. These are connected via an outdoor courtyard
at the back of the house. The veils between the visible
and invisible worlds are drawn aside in this space. For
this reason, it is an overwhelming liminal space. Beyond
the gift shop is the apothecary and shelves lined with
bottles of herbs.
Visitors need permission to enter the Altar Room.
Access to the sanctuary requires a walk through the
patio. A wall of books and a large Buddha welcome
you to the Spiritual Temple. It is a visually overloaded
experience, lined with tapestries and spiritual artifacts.
Offering altars are everywhere you look, heaped with
money, jewelry, and African figures representing Loas,
which were sent by fellow practitioners from their
respective countries or as thanks from people she has
helped. One woman sent a statue of Pope John. She
had two sick boys and the image of St. John came to
Priestess Miriam. In gratitude, the woman brought
a statue of Pope John to mark their spiritual healing.
Some of the more unusual items include a Ronald
McDonald doll and a bottle of whiskey. There’s also an
altar dedicated to Native American spirits – this one has
plenty of feathers and an altar dedicated to the spirits of
purity. This altar is draped in shimmering gold and cream
fabric with Christian symbols presented as offerings.
Voodoo saints often overlap with saints in the Catholic
Church. Another altar in the Spiritual Temple is dedicated
to ancestral spirits and has many African figures, dolls,
and candles. At the end of the sanctuary, the Priestess
has a seating area where she speaks with visitors.
Through the Temple’s exit, there is a private courtyard
where rituals are performed, accompanied by traditional
African drums.
Medusa and other totems of feminine empowerment connect the objects in this particular altar.
Interior view of the Altar Room, looking towards Priestess Miriam’s throne-like chair.
VOODOO SPIRITUAL TEMPLE
02.3
Loyo
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Poydras St
Decatu
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N Rampa
rt St
Basin
St
Elk P
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Loyo
la A
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3
AC
DTulane University Hospital and Clinic
Poydras St
Common St
Canal St
Decatu
r St
Chart
res St
Roya
l St
Bourb
on StDau
phine
St
Burgu
ndy S
t
Highway
10
Derbi
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Louisiana Superdome
Tulane St
Ponchartrain Expy
2 B
E
Highway
10
Derbi
ngy S
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N Roman
St
N Prieu
r St
N John
son S
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N Galv
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N Miro
St
N Tonti
St
N Roch
eblav
e St
N Dorg
enois
St
N Broa
d St
Esplanade St
Orleans Ave
McShane Pl
Louis Armstrong
Park
“Everything in New Orleans is fleur-de-lis. The lily is Mary’s flower…so much of the Church has Marian themes.”
LINDA COOMBE, PARISHIONER & DOCENT
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THE CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
VISITOR INFORMATIONThe Church of the Immaculate Conception
[NOLA 03] ROMAN CATHOLIC
Motifs from Islamic and Jewish architecture are countered by the baptismal font, a symbol of Christianity.
03.1
ADDRESS 130 Baronne Street, New Orleans, LA 70112-2304NEIGHBORHOOD
PARKING
Central Business District
Street parking / Pay parking lots nearbyCOORDINATES
NEAREST TRANSIT
29.953782, -90.0714
Canal Line Streetcar. Exit at Canal and Dauphine.
PHONE (504) 529-1477
SERVICE HOURS
OPEN HOURS
TIPS & SUGGESTIONS FOR VISITORS
Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m. & 12.00 p.m.Saturday 8:00 a.m. & 4:00 p.m. Vigil Sunday 8:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m.,
11:00 a.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Free week day tours at 3:00 p.m. Free tour 4th Saturday of month at 3:00 p.m.Contact office for other visiting times.
There are free tours open to the public Monday through Friday at 3:00 p.m. and on the fourth Saturday of the month. Tours last approximately 30 minutes. Masses occur frequently in the space and all are invited to light a candle for a small offering.
WEBSITE jesuitchurch.net
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ABOUT: HISTORY & ORIGINS
The Kingdoms of France, Spain and Portugal resented
Rome’s authority over their churches. Because the
Jesuits, the Society of Jesus, were loyal to Rome, the
governor in New Orleans ordered all Jesuit property
seized, auctioned and sold off. After petitioning the
Bishop of New Orleans, eight Jesuits were allowed to
return to educate young men. The Ursuline nuns had
been educating young women and the Bishop wanted
the same for the men. The Jesuits came from Lyon,
France, lead by Father John Cambiaso. They established
a mission on the site of the present day church in 1846.
They purchased the land with plans to build a chapel,
residence and a college.
Fr. Cambiaso designed the church using Moorish
elements in Spanish architecture reminiscent of his
time studying in Spain. He was a great admirer of
this style evocative of a time in Spain known as “La
Convivencia” (the Coexistence) when Catholics,
Jews and Muslims lived in relative peace between
711–1492. His appreciation for this time period explains
his selection of Islamic-influenced architecture and
numerous Stars of David that appear on the interior of
the church. Construction of the church began in 1851
and it was dedicated in 1857. This church was one the
first to be named Immaculate Conception in honor of
the Virgin Mary and is indicative of the feminine as a
vital part of Catholicism. Jesuits are accepting of Marian
worship from the vision their founder Ignatius Loyola
had at La Storta.
In the 1920’s nearby construction damaged the
church’s structure causing it to become unsafe. Due
to the quality of the original materials, the church was
dissembled and rebuilt brick-by-brick. The present
structure is an exact replica of the first, dedicated in 1930.
In 1997, the church underwent major a restoration and is
a wonderful place to find peace and quiet Downtown.
Mass occurs frequently making the resident priests
some of the busiest in the city.
Intricate bronze doors integrate Islamic and Christian geometries. Weighing 3,000 pounds, they need to be slid open manually.
THE CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
03.2
Layers of arcading recall mosques and synagogues from medieval Spain.
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ARCHITECTURE DESCRIPTION
Fr. John Cambiaso became the architect, builder and
designed this church using Moorish elements in Spanish
architecture reminiscent of his time studying in Spain.
Many design alterations occurred during construction.
The foundation was built upon rows of Western redcedar
layered with concrete embedded with oyster shells and
reinforced with iron bars but ended up being ill suited
for the soft soil and to Fr. Cambiaso’s chagrin, the bell
towers had to be eliminated.
The Moorish Revival design incorporates geometric
designs on both the exterior and interior of the church.
Small exterior doors conceal the large interior, sliding
bronze doors carved with geometric designs, each
weighing 1,500 pounds. The atrium-like nave is one of
the tallest in New Orleans with layers of arcading and
triforium windows. Interior columns feature the same
geometric designs with carvings of the Archangel
Michael, and seven guardian angels on the bottom half.
The focal point of the interior is the Virgin Mary’s
niche above the altar. Created by French sculptor Denis
Foyatier, the white marble sculpture was carved for
Marie Amelie, the queen of Louis Philippe of France.
It was sold during French Revolution in 1848, and
eventually gifted to the Jesuits. Beneath the niche is the
altar, first constructed of bronze in 1867, it was designed
by New Orleans architect James Freret and made in
Lyon, France. It won first prize in the Paris Exposition
of 1867. In 1955, the altar was refurbished and all 600
pieces were plated in 24 karat gold.
In true New Orleans style, the columns and pews
are made of cast iron. The pews feature symbols and
spiritual references to the Virgin Mary, in addition to
the city emblem, the fleur-de-lys. The stained glass
windows on the first level of the church were all made
in France by a company established by Carmelite nuns.
They depict stories of Jesuit saints. Interestingly, the
church contains eighteen Stations of the Cross dating to
1850, depicted as stained glass windows, an uncommon
method for portraying Stations of the Cross. St. Peter’s
statue is a replica only smaller of the one in Rome. And
just like in Rome, the foot is worn down from people
wanting to touch the keeper of the keys.
Cast iron pews provide a cooling retreat from the humid summer heat. Fleur de Lys are ingrained within the finials and design, and were formerly used to identify the pews’ paying subscribers by number.
THE CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
03.3
Designed by architect James Freret, the altar was made in Lyon, France and won first prize in the Paris Exposition of 1867.
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ROBERT LIVINGSTON, ROSHI
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NEW ORLEANS ZEN TEMPLE
“I’m very, shall we say, almost primitive here. So if you want the essence, you’ve come to the right place.”
VISITOR INFORMATION
ADDRESS 748 Camp Street, New Orleans, LA 70130-3702
New Orleans Zen Temple
NEIGHBORHOOD
PARKING
Central Business District
Metered street parking availableCOORDINATES
NEAREST TRANSIT
29.945974, -90.069985
St. Charles Avenue Streetcar Stop # 5. Walk 1 block east.
PHONE (504) 525-3533
OPEN HOURSSERVICE HOURS
TIPS & SUGGESTIONS FOR VISITORS
Tuesdays & Thursdays Zazen 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Wednesday Zazen 6:00 a.m. – 7:30 a.m. Sunday Zazen 10:30 a.m. – noon
Call ahead to arrange. Closed Mondays.
When entering the altar room of the Zen Dojo, remove your shoes and enter the room with your left foot first, then your right.
WEBSITE www.nozt.org
[NOLA 04] ZEN BUDDHISM
Robert Livingston, Roshi, demonstrates the han. His former teacher Taisen Deshimaru looks on from the wall.
04.1
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ABOUT: HISTORY & ORIGINS
The New Orleans Zen Temple began as the result of a
dying wish by the great Zen master Taisen Deshimaru
Roshi to bring Zen to the West. The New Orleans Zen
Temple, and the American Zen Association were founded
by current Abbot Robert Livingston, Roshi, in 1984. After
serving in the United States Army in the early 1950’s,
he traveled and studied in Europe. During his time in
Paris, he started his practice of Zen Buddhism with
Taisen Deshimaru Roshi and studied closely with him,
becoming one of his disciples. Deshimaru had studied
Soto Zen under Master Kodo Sawaki and devoted
himself to the practice of Shikantaza. On his deathbed,
Deshimaru asked Livingston to bring Zen to the United
States. Following his teacher’s request, Livingston
traveled back to the United States, after Deshimaru’s
death in 1982. He started the New Orleans Zen Temple
in 1984, turning an abandoned four story building into a
place for residents, Dojos and office space.
The temple is home to the American Zen
Association and also publishes Buddhist texts. Today,
Livingston teaches the practice of Zen Buddhism in the
Soto tradition to about twenty-five regular participants.
Zazen, which is seated meditation, is held at the center
eight times a week. Each month, meditation retreats,
or sesshins are offered to deepen one’s practice.
Practitioners may stay at the temple as an overnight
guest or as a resident. Residents pay to rent a room,
for meals and practice. All who stay at the temple are
responsible for maintaining it.
Zen is not a religion. Roshi Livingston believes
Zen is the essence of all religions and the origin of all
religion. He is a teacher but says there’s no such thing
as a teacher. Zazen is the teacher because you have to
experience it on our own to get to the heart, the essence.
This essence is epitomized in the Sutra chanted during
Zen service, the Heart Sutra, which says:
“…no form no feeling no thought no choice no
consciousness
no eye ear no nose tongue body mind
no form sound smell taste touch dharmas
no eye-area up to no mind-consciousness area…
There is just being here and now, and waking up to
this moment.”
Simple altar with drums and sounding bowl on the left with gong on the right. Roshi’s teacher Taisen Deshimaru is remembered by the image on the wall.
Interior stair dividing the space of the Dojo from Livingston’s personal living space. Commercial space is rented out on street level.
NEW ORLEANS ZEN TEMPLE
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ARCHITECTURE DESCRIPTION
Waking people up in New Orleans since 1984, the New
Orleans Zen Temple is located downtown in a former
old brick warehouse. After a series of renovations,
which are an ongoing process, the Temple today mainly
operates on the fourth floor. Initially, the Zen Temple
occupied all four stories with an art gallery on the first
floor; a Dojo, Haikido, a type of Korean martial art, Dojo
and Zen Dojo on the on the second, and residences on
the third and fourth. Though the main entrance is on
Camp St., with permission the side entrance and back
stairs provide for a scenic entry. Bamboo planted on the
east side of the stairs accompanies the visitor up to the
third floor garden. The landing has been remodeled as a
shaded patio and seating area. The Abbot tends an herb
garden here that provides a great view of the city of
New Orleans. Inside the space is composed of a main
common area, an open kitchen with dining space, and
the Zen Dojo, or meditation hall. The common area and
kitchen are characterized by skylights and solar tubes
that provide excellent natural light, as this top floor
doesn’t have windows.
Abbot Robert Livingston has found interesting
ways to renovate and recreate the space, using
elements from the old structure. For example, he
reused part of an old yellow pine beam to make the
temple’s han, a wooden board that is struck to announce
sunrise and sunset. The han is located at the threshold
to the Dojo. The Dojo itself is simply decorated with
an altar with Buddha at the center. All elements of the
Dojo are simple, but necessary. Upon entering the Dojo
it is customary to perform gassho, a bowing gesture,
with hands held facing one another at the heart level,
symbolizing greeting and gratitude. Traditionally, Dojos
are entered with one’s left foot first, going toward
the left side of the space, after performing gassho.
Zazen, or seated meditation occurs in the Dojo with
all participants sitting facing the wall. The back is held
straight and eyes lowered to about 45 degrees. The
space is largely unobstructed, except for the altar and
other items used during the service such as drums and
bells. Zafus, or round cushions and zabutans, square,
flatter cushions by each practitioner during meditation
to assist posture while sitting. Flat mats are used for
performing full prostrations before chanting and service.
Interior and exterior space blur in the upper courtyard. From the herb garden there is a view of the Central Business District.
Zafu cushions await the next zazen sitting in the Dojo.
NEW ORLEANS ZEN TEMPLE
04.3
St. Charles Ave St. Charles Ave
Napoleon Ave
Louisiana Ave
Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
Jackson Ave
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S Claiborne Ave
Toledano St
Felicity St
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Convention Center Blvd
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Chestnut St
Constance St
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Loyola Ave
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Mississippi River
Tulane University
Loyola University
[NOLA 05] St. Charles Avenue Streetcar[NOLA 06] Christ Church Cathedral[NOLA 07] Lafayette Cemetery No.1[NOLA 08] Rayne Memorial United Methodist Church[NOLA 09] Touro Synagogue[NOLA 10] Temple Sinai[NOLA 11] St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church
MORE TO SEE IN THIS AREA
SACRED SITES SELECTED
F. Trinity Episcopal ChurchG. St. Alphonsus Catholic Church H. Covenant Presbyterian I. Audubon Park
Louisiana Superdome
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Map B
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LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN
LAKE BORGNE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
St. Charles Ave St. Charles Ave
Napoleon Ave
Louisiana Ave
Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
Jackson Ave
Laselle St
S Claiborne Ave
Toledano St
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“The St. Charles Avenue Streetcar may very well be the nation’s most pleasant form of public conveyance existing today”
JYL BENSON, NEW ORLEANS BASED WRITER
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ST. CHARLES AVENUESTREETCAR LINE
VISITOR INFORMATIONSt. Charles Avenue Streetcar Line
[NOLA 05] CULTURAL
Thousands of New Orleans residents ride the streetcar to work everyday.
05.1
ADDRESS Along St. Charles AvenueStop #0 at Corner of Carondelet and Canal. Terminus is S. Carrollton and S. Claiborne Avenue
NEIGHBORHOOD
WEBSITE
Central Business District, Garden District, and Uptown
www.norta.com
COORDINATES
PHONE
N/A
(504) 248-3900 Regional Transit Authority (RTA)
OPEN HOURS
TIPS & SUGGESTIONS FOR VISITORS
24 hour service. Runs frequently during the day and hourly from midnight to 6 a.m.
Fare is $1.25. Exact change is required. Pay as you board, unless you have purchased a VisiTour Pass. Stops are not called out, so you’ll need to watch for your stop. One-way trip along the Historic line takes about 45 minutes. If it is summer, note where the locals sit – it will be the shady side once the car turns to head Uptown.
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ABOUT: HISTORY & ORIGINS
The only continuously operated line in New Orleans’
streetcar history is the St. Charles Avenue Streetcar. The
city has relied on streetcars since the first half of the
19th century. Tennessee Williams immortalized the line
that once ran through the French Quarter in his play, A
Streetcar Named Desire. Thought to embody the quaint
charm of New Orleans, streetcars have remained a
pleasant, popular and affordable means of transportation
since their inception. All the streetcar lines were
replaced by bus service from the late 1940’s to the early
1960’s except for the St. Charles Avenue line. In 1973 it
was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
as the oldest continuously operating street railway
system in the world. Today, thousands of New Orleans
residents still ride the streetcar to work each day. The
Historic St. Charles Avenue Line was originally called the
Carrollton Railroad and has been in operation along St.
Charles Avenue for more than 165 years.
Construction on the line began in 1833 after two
years of planning, and service began in 1835. Cars
full of passengers and freight were hauled by a steam
locomotive. However, the residents along the line were
not happy with the soot and noise from the locomotive.
In response to these complaints, the cars were switched
for ones drawn by horses and mules. Though this helped
with the pollution and noise, the transportation was far
from efficient. For decades, a search for a quicker and
stronger form of power ensued, and many experimental
systems were tried out. Overhead cables (used by San
Francisco cable cars) and cars with ammonia engines
(used by street railways of Paris) were all tested before
electric powered cars won out, although it took until
1893 for them to be perfected for widespread use.
Since then, there have been a few changes to the line;
in 1972 automatic fare boxes were installed, eliminating
the need for a separate conductor in each car.
In 2005, flood damage from Hurricane Katrina
halted service along the route, and service was
suspended until the line was restored. Since 2008 the
Streetcar has once again described the curve defining
this crescent within the City of New Orleans.
Two streetcars pass one another on the grassy median of St. Charles Avenue. Live oaks and mansions line both sides of the way.
People from all backgrounds and walks of life share the space within each car. The seats are designed so that they can flip around depending on which direction the streetcar is going.
ST. CHARLES AVENUE STREETCAR LINE
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ARCHITECTURE DESCRIPTION
The St. Charles Avenue Line forms a fifteen-mile
crescent from Carondelet at Canal Street to Carrollton
Avenue. Officially designated Route 12, this journey
takes the rider on a tour from the Central Business
District through the oldest section of Uptown New
Orleans, via St. Charles Avenue, which is lined with
majestic antebellum mansions and stately churches
and synagogues. Going a leisurely ten miles an hour,
a complete one-way trip takes 45 minutes through a
series of large, old live oak trees.
Because the driver does not call out the stops,
there is even more reason to look out the window. Each
of the seven stops has a designated number. There
are forty-six olive green electric streetcars used on the
line. One 1894 vintage Ford, Bacon & Davis car is still
in running condition but no longer used for passengers.
Instead, it is put to work maintaining the line. That’s not
to say the rest of the cars on the line aren’t antique – they
are mainly Perley Thomas cars from the 900-class dating
back to 1923 or 1924. They have pneumatic doors and
operable windows, through which the breeze can come
through. The Regional Transit Authority, who maintains
the line, decided against installing air conditioning,
to preserve the historic interior. Because of this, the
incoming breeze generated when the cars are moving is
necessary to offset the sometime oppressive heat of a
New Orleans day! The comfortable seats are made from
rich mahogany and a glance at the ceiling will reveal
exposed light bulbs, providing a glowing light at night.
In 1957, when Swiss photographer Robert Frank
photographed the streetcar for the cover of his book
“The Americans,” the segregated seating stood for
all that was wrong with the Jim Crow South. Today,
the car is more than fully integrated and people of all
backgrounds and skin tones sit side by side. For many
New Orleans residents the Streetcar is indicative of the
continuity of the historic tradition and infrastructure of
the city. Today it perseveres as a mobile sacred space,
travelling the rails along St. Charles Avenue.
Use it to connect between the spaces selected for
focus on our Garden District and Uptown tour.
Classical mansions line the leisurely route.
For the past 165 years the streetcar has described the crescent of St. Charles Avenue.
ST. CHARLES AVENUE STREETCAR LINE
05.3
St. Charles Ave St. Charles Ave
Napoleon Ave
Louisiana Ave
Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
Jackson Ave
Laselle St
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Felicity St
Convention Center Blvd
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Constance St
Dryades St
Loyola Ave
Feret St
Clara St
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“One of the greatest characteristics is the reversible seats. Because they could use that direction for teaching and this direction for worship.”
REV. DAVID DUPLANTIER, DEAN AND RECTOR
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CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL
VISITOR INFORMATIONChrist Church Cathedral
[NOLA 06] EPISCOPAL
View of the Gothic Revival interior, now restored back to its original Arts and Crafts condition.
06.1
ADDRESS 2919 St. Charles Ave. New Orleans, LA 70115NEIGHBORHOOD
PARKING
Garden District
Street parking available.COORDINATES
NEAREST TRANSIT
29.930168, -90.087719
St. Charles Avenue Streetcar Line Stop #17.
PHONE (504) 895-6602
OPEN HOURSSERVICE HOURS
TIPS & SUGGESTIONS FOR VISITORS
Call office to schedule tour with one of many docents.Sunday Worship: 7:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m. & 6:00 p.m.Monday – Friday 9:30 a.m. & 12:15 p.m.
The cloistered garden off St. Charles Avenue is a tranquil haven in which to rest and relax.
WEBSITE www.cccnola.org
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ABOUT: HISTORY & ORIGINS
To distinguish themselves from the dominant Catholic
religious landscape of New Orleans, the founders of
Christ Church Cathedral began in the “Low Church”
liturgical tradition, with few elements of the “Smells
and Bells” epitomizing traditional Catholic worship. Prior
to 1803, Protestant churches had been forbidden in the
region because of the previous French and Spanish
regimes, which were overwhelmingly Roman Catholic.
After the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory,
the Episcopal Bishop sent Rev. Philander Chase to the
New Orleans Territory, marking the foundation of its first
Protestant congregation and church.
Rev. Chase arrived in 1805 and gave his first
service in Jackson Square. Services were held at various
locations during the early years of the congregation until
1816 when Christ Church’s first location was established
at Canal and Bourbon St. Designed by Henry Boneval
Latrobe, son of famous architect Benjamin Henry
Latrobe architect for the United States Capitol. The
original, octagonal building was made of brick with a
domed roof. This space became too small and a larger
church was built in 1837 on the same site in the Greek
Revival style. However, the congregation outgrew this
space, too, and the Pastor at the time wanted a more
traditional church design. Christ Church’s third church
was built on Canal and Dauphine in the Gothic style.
In 1886, the fourth and present site at St. Charles
Avenue and Sixth Street was chosen, largely because
most of the congregants resided in the Uptown area of
New Orleans.
As the Anglican Church in England saw a shift in
culture and tradition, some churches re-embraced the
original High Church traditions, which had existed prior
to their break with the Vatican. One example of this
was the designation of a church in every diocese as its
Cathedral. These trends spread to the United States and
the Episcopal Church. In 1892 the Louisiana Episcopal
Diocese designated Christ Church their Cathedral. Today
it has a membership of approximately 800, and is one
of the Garden District’s most popular landmarks. Now
more in line with that of a “High Church” tradition,
the architecture has been upgraded and improved to
reflect that liturgy.
Interior view of the nave, looking towards the entry.
View from the chapel into the main sanctuary. The original oak floors were recently restored.
CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL
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ARCHITECTURE DESCRIPTION
Christ Church Cathedral was designed in 1886 by New
York architect Lawrence B. Valk in the Gothic style. The
exterior features a bell tower with a pyramidal spire as
well as a smaller tower above the area where the nave
and the transepts of the cruciform layout intersect. The
church is brick in construction, covered with stucco to
mimic grey stone, with Indiana limestone trimmings.
The Gothic design is also emphasized on the interior,
with pointed arches and stained glass lancet windows.
A skylight was installed in the ceiling of the apse to
illuminate the altar area from above. The church’s original
oak pews still remain. The space was designed in the
Arts and Crafts Style, with original simple windows
depicting images from nature. Over the years the space
acquired more elaborate Victorian Style stained glass
windows, through donations from its members.
In the 1950’s the church underwent a renovation
when the ceiling was painted white, which put it into
stark contrast with the newer windows and with the rest
of the original interior. In 2003, the original were restored
with consultation from the Metropolitan Museum of Art
in New York. The red carpeting that lined the inside of
the cathedral was lifted and the oak flooring beneath
exposed and restored. This has greatly improved the
acoustic quality. Interesting to note is that there is no
narthex. This is in keeping with its original “Low Church”
beginnings, where the formality of a procession through
interim levels of space would interfere between the altar
and the worshipper.
Christ Church’s chapel, the Harris Memorial Chapel,
features carvings made by famous local craftsman
Enrique Alvarez who also designed the unique reversible
seats. The chapel’s seats were originally designed to be
able to flip to face the opposite direction; facing one way
for worship and the other for teaching. This mechanism
echoes that of the St. Charles Avenue Streetcar, also
described in our Guide.
After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the windows,
skylight and roof of the Cathedral were badly damaged
and the interior experienced some flooding. The space
has since been fully renovated and now the previously
restored Arts and Crafts colors once again fill the space.
Paintings in the Pre-Raphaelite style depict saints around the altar. The Arts and Crafts influence seen in the stained glass is indicative of the congregation’s English roots.
View of the Harris Memorial Chapel with unique reversible seats, similar to those seen in the St. Charles Avenue Streetcar, designed by Enrique Alvarez in 1888.
06.3CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL
St. Charles Ave
Napoleon Ave
Louisiana Ave
Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
Jackson Ave
Laselle St
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Felicity St
Convention Center Blvd
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Chestnut St
Constance St
Dryades St
Loyola Ave
Feret St
Clara St
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Pontchartrain ExpyS Prieur St
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“Like walking through the relics of an ancient civilization, the Lafayette Cemetery No.1 is a sacred space preserving the multiple layers of cultural history in the city.”
DEIRDRE COLGAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,SACRED SPACE INTERNATIONAL
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LAFAYETTE CEMETERY NO.1
VISITOR INFORMATIONLafayette Cemetery No.1
[NOLA 07] CULTURAL
Since 1833 Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 has been a resting place for prominent residents of the city.
07.1
ADDRESS On Washington Ave at Prytania St.Office and Information Gate:1427 Sixth St., New Orleans, LA 70115
NEIGHBORHOOD
PARKING
Garden District
Street parkingCOORDINATES
NEAREST TRANSIT
29.928643, -90.084286
St. Charles Avenue Streetcar Stop #16 at Washington Avenue. Walk 1 block south toward river.
PHONE (504) 452-1088
OPEN HOURS
TIPS & SUGGESTIONS FOR VISITORS
Monday-Friday: 7:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturday: 7:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.Closed: Sunday and Holidays (except Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and All Saint’s Day)
No pets allowed. Please enter at Washington Avenue or Sixth St. gates.
There is also the wonderful Garden District Book Shop at the corner of Washington Avenue and Prytania Street.
WEBSITE www.lafayettecemetery.org
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ABOUT: HISTORY & ORIGINS
Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 is testament to the rich
and diverse history of New Orleans and those buried
there – spanning from the French and Spanish colonial
influences to those of European and North American
immigration and settlement. It is located on the site of a
former sugar plantation owned by a French family named
Livaudais in the old city of Lafayette. Madame Livaudais
sold her land in 1832 and it was divided into smaller
city squares. Cornelius Hurst purchased this piece
of the cemetery in 1833 and it was designed by city
surveyor, Benjamin Buisson. At the time of construction,
there were large numbers of Europeans settling here,
mainly German and Irish, and to a lesser extent, Dutch,
Scottish, English, Scandinavian and Italian immigrants.
The cemetery was intended to be, and remains, non-
denominational. It was only the second cemetery in the
area where Protestants could be buried. For this reason,
there are tombs of many Protestant citizens of Lafayette.
The city of New Orleans inherited the cemetery
when the City of Lafayette was annexed to New Orleans
in 1852. During the Civil War, New Orleans was captured
by the Union forces in 1862 and fortunately suffered
little architectural damage. There are several tombs
and headstones reflecting losses incurred during the
Civil War. Their inscriptions denote battle sites, places
of death, military unit identification and alliance giving
us the history about the city’s crucial role in the Civil
War as the largest Confederate city to be captured
by Union forces.
In the following decades, the cemetery fell
into great disrepair and various plants and trees
were growing over many of the tombs. In 1970,
citizens pushed for restoration and the cemetery was
refurbished, with new magnolia trees planted along the
main road. It was placed on the National Register of
Historic Places in 1972 and was most recently listed on
the World Monuments Fund’s 1996 Watch List to help
curb potentially harmful deterioration.
Nature reclaiming the built environment on the outside wall of the cemetery.
The cemetery resembles an urban environment in miniature scale – a “City of the Dead.”
LAFAYETTE CEMETERY NO.1
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ARCHITECTURE DESCRIPTION
City surveyor Benjamin Buisson laid out two wide,
intersecting avenues for the design of Lafayette
Cemetery No. 1, which were intended to accommodate
funeral processions. The avenues intersect at a
90-degree angle and as a result divide the cemetery into
quadrants. This provides some regularity for the layout,
though there are several blind alleys. In 1858, a brick
wall was built to enclose the cemetery and wall vaults
were built to enclose freestanding tombs. The tombs
are of a variety of styles, mostly made of stone, though
there are some notable exceptions, such as the Gothic
Revival style cast iron tomb of the Karstendiek family
built in the 1860s.
Like many other cemeteries in New Orleans,
this one features above-ground, raised, tombs. This is
why New Orleans’ cemeteries are often referred to
as “Cities of the Dead,” because walking amongst the
raised tombs is like walking along rows of houses of the
deceased. Tombs are usually reused, so most feature
long lists of names of those buried within. Individual
coffins are placed in the tomb and the tombs are sealed
up (either with brick, mortar or soil). They remain sealed
for period of about a year for mourning depending on
specific religious or personal requirements. In Judeo-
Christian rituals, this minimum period is a year and a day.
The seals on the tombs are then broken, the remains
are removed from the coffin and respectfully placed in
the rear or bottom of the vault. This way, another coffin
can be placed here for its mourning period before the
remains are finally stored in the tomb as well. This
style of burial was brought over by French and Spanish
settlers to the region. It is common to the Latin or
Roman Catholic traditions and originated around the
Mediterranean where the rocky soil conditions often
made it difficult to bury the deceased underground.
The cemetery offers family tombs and society
tombs, for those who wish to be buried with groups or
organizations. Today, walking amongst the structures in
the lush setting of the garden-like grounds, the cemetery
is a peaceful place memorializing the people who have
inhabited and impacted the City of New Orleans.
Like a village within the City of the Dead, this family stayed together in death as in life.
Family tombs line the walkways.
LAFAYETTE CEMETERY NO.1
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RAYNE MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
“The chandeliers were completely shattered and hanging by their wires. The steeple was across the room and huge wooden roof trusses had just snapped like toothpicks.”
VISITOR INFORMATION
ADDRESS 3900 St. Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115
Rayne Memorial United Methodist Church
NEIGHBORHOOD
PARKING
Garden District
Street Parking Available.COORDINATES
NEAREST TRANSIT
29.926316, -90.096739
St. Charles Avenue Streetcar Stop #21 or #22
PHONE (504) 899-3431
OPEN HOURS
SERVICE HOURS
TIPS & SUGGESTIONS FOR VISITORS
Contact Church office for tour
Sunday 8:45 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m.
Be sure to visit the community space which served as the sanctuary during the Katrina reconstruction. The cross was salvaged from the wreckage of the original steeple. Look up as you enter through the front door to see the memorial plaque dedicated to William, the son of Rev. Robert W. Rayne.
WEBSITE www.rayneumc.org
[NOLA 08] UNITED METHODIST
08.1
REV. CAROL WINN CRAWFORD
The interior seen from the mezzanine level. It has been beautifully restored after sustaining much damage during Katrina.
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ABOUT: HISTORY & ORIGINS
During the Civil War, Rev. Robert W. Rayne lost his son,
William Rayne. In 1875, he donated the property for the
church and in 1887 the church was named in honor of
he and his son. Though Methodists actually came to
New Orleans in 1805, 70 years before this church was
founded, they were always in the religious minority.
Rev. Rayne, also a local merchant of shoes and ties,
permanently deeded the property to the Trustees of the
church after his death.
In 1915, the church was damaged by weather
for the first time. The original stained glass windows
were destroyed and replaced with nine beautiful new
ones created in Germany. The pulpit and organ loft had
to be replaced and improved and a system of indirect
electric lighting replaced the old glass gas light fixtures,
which had never really lit the space very well. In 1924,
the Westerfield building was completed to house the
Fellowship Hall, kitchen, offices, choir and youth rooms.
The Bynum Children’s Building was opened for the
Rayne Early Childhood Program Sunday School in 1952.
The Hannah Chapel is adjacent to the main church on St.
Charles Avenue, and was dedicated in 1968. Wonderful
abstract colored glass fill the windows and rose above
the loft in this smaller modern space.
The church has always prided itself on its inviting
and open atmosphere, symbolized by their illuminated
steeple on St. Charles Avenue. Lit from the inside
out, it serves as beacon of hope and peace earning it
the nickname of “The Church of the Lighted Steeple.”
Hurricane Katrina tore through the neighborhood in
2005, badly damaging the brick structure of the bell
tower spire of the church. This steeple and roof took
three years to repair and during this time the surrounding
neighbors sorely missed its light and bell. Today the
sounding of the bell marks the end of a transformational
process for the congregation and announces their
healing and return.
Even in the steamy summer heat, the Memorial Prayer Garden located to the right of the church as you enter from the front, is a peaceful refuge on St. Charles Avenue.
Curved cypress trusses recycled from a barge form the roof structure of the sanctuary.
RAYNE MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
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ARCHITECTURE DESCRIPTION
Rayne Memorial United Methodist Church is a uniquely
crafted masonry church built in the Gothic Revival Style.
The tall, graceful thirteen story steeple reaches high
into the sky over the Gothic arched entrance way and
is lit from within at nighttime. The ceiling and roof were
made from has curved cypress beams recycled from a
canal barge. The main church has a magnificent Aeolian-
Skinner Organ, located in the choir loft above the altar.
The church seats 300 people in the main sanctuary and
mezzanine above the entry.
The overall sense of the church interior is one of
feminine Wisdom, with Christ portrayed as a gentle
presence throughout the space. These principles are
repeated in the stories depicted in the stained glass
windows and in the soft surrounding forms of the
ceiling and altar.
During Hurricane Katrina, the spire, which gave
the church its nickname “The Church of the Lighted
Steeple,” came down and pierced the roof of the church.
Senior Minister Rev. Carol Winn Crawford fished two
long pieces of wood from a splintered roof truss out of
the post-hurricane rubble. She hung them on the wall of
the community gathering space adjacent to the church
where they took the form of a cross. This is where
the congregation held temporary services while their
main sanctuary was being restored. During the storm
strangely enough, the bronze bell fell from the tower
landing in the sanctuary, unharmed.
It was only during the reconstruction of the
steeple that leaders and congregants realized the level
of craftsmanship that was embodied in this structure.
Master masons, whose skills are now extremely hard to
replicate, created the whole building over the summer
and fall of 1875 – in less than two seasons, a task which
is almost incomprehensible today. The most recent
repair took over three years to complete, but now the
roof and steeple are reinforced with steel. Waggonner
& Ball Architects completed the award-winning
restoration. Rededicated in August 2008, the steeple
and bell remain a beacon along the avenue.
View of the German stained glass windows from the mezzanine over the entry to the church.
German stained glass windows replaced the simpler originals that were damaged in a 1915 hurricane.
08.3RAYNE MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
St. Charles Ave St. Charles Ave
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“I was blown away by the forward thinking, the innovation of the culture of the congregation.”
RABBI ALEXIS BERK
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TOURO SYNAGOGUE
VISITOR INFORMATIONTouro Synagogue
[NOLA 09] REFORM JUDAISM
The synagogue interior, constructed in the Byzantine Style, with an all-encompassing central dome.
09.1
ADDRESS 4238 Saint Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115 NEIGHBORHOOD
PARKING
Garden District
Street parking available COORDINATES
NEAREST TRANSIT
29.926500, -90.100462
St. Charles Avenue Streetcar Stop #23 or #24
PHONE (504) 895-4843
OPEN HOURSSERVICE HOURS
TIPS & SUGGESTIONS FOR VISITORS
Call ahead for appointment.Friday 6:00 p.m. ShabbatSaturday 10:30 a.m. Torah Worship
Friday evening Shabbat service is open to the public during New Orleans Jazz Fest, holding a dinner following.
WEBSITE www.tourosynagogue.com
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ABOUT: HISTORY & ORIGINS
Touro Synagogue is one of the oldest synagogues
in the United States. Founded in 1828, 25 years after
the Louisiana Purchase, it was the first synagogue
outside the original thirteen colonies. The Code
Noir (1724), a French law governing the practice of
slavery, and forbidding any worship other than that
of Roman Catholicism, also excluded Jews from
the French territories, but the business acumen of
Jewish merchants proved more important, so it was
inconsistently enforced in the Louisiana Territory. Code
Noir was abolished when Thomas Jefferson negotiated
the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.
Founded when two Orthodox congregations
merged, one a group of Ashkenazic German Jewish
settlers, the other being Spanish-Portuguese Sephardic
immigrants who arrived from South American and the
Caribbean. The new congregation, Shanari-Chasset was
founded because Jacob Solis, a visitor to New Orleans,
was appalled by the lack of a synagogue for worship on
the High Holy Days. They soon separated over conflicts
between the preference between Ashkenazic and
Sephardic traditions and rituals. However, in 1881 they
reunited and eventually took the name Touro Synagogue
after benefactor and philanthropist, Judah Touro, and in
1891 they joined the burgeoning Reform movement.
The congregation quickly outgrew the Carondelet Street
location and in 1908 decided to build a new building
farther Uptown on St. Charles Avenue.
Touro Synagogue is noted for its long tenure of
Rabbis, having only four in its history. As a vital and
progressive center of Jewish life, the first female rabbi
accepted her position in 2008.Rabbi Alexis Berk shows the Torah scrolls inside the ark. The mechanism was designed so that the ark doors open in the same manner as a dumbwaiter, vertically.
TOURO SYNAGOGUE
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ARCHITECTURE DESCRIPTION
Touro Synagogue has a monumental presence on the
historic oak-lined St. Charles Avenue amongst some of
the greatest mansions in the south. Designed by Emile
Weil, and dedicated on January 1, 1909, the present
sanctuary is built in the Byzantine style and made from
pale, gray-yellow brick with terracotta ornamentation.
The domed sanctuary is an enveloping, platonic space.
It features a blue oculus, representing heaven, and the
dome itself is lined with countless lights, providing
hours of fun for children (and adults!) who attempt
to count them. Stained glass windows surround the
space, bathing the room in a soft light. The oak bimah
is movable, allowing the rabbi to create a more intimate
service when the 800-seat main sanctuary is not full.
The namesake of the synagogue, Judah Touro, donated
the pulpit and ark, each made from Lebanon cedar.
In 1929, a Religious Education wing was built, and in
1989 the Norman Synagogue House was added, which
contains the Forgotston Chapel. This addition allows a
place to hold smaller services, accommodating up to
150 people and was designed by Lyons & Hudson. This
addition is contemporary, yet complementary to the old
synagogue building. It features an abstract stained glass
window designed by Ida Kohlmeyer, which window
looks onto St. Charles Avenue. In 1999, the synagogue
was modernized and the Grant Meyer Garden Pavilion
and Jacobs Social hall were built. The main sanctuary
was renovated in 2003 after having been untouched for
90 years. The brickwork was tuckpointed, the roof was
replaced and the door and window frames and stained
glass were repaired.
Simple stained glass allows abundant light to illuminate the interior of the synagogue.
Interior is within a vast dome. Repeating arches, Magen Davids and dark, richly-carved woodwork stand out against the simple, white, curving walls.
09.3TOURO SYNAGOGUE
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“The decision not to sell the building and remain in the city was priceless.”
RABBI EDWARD COHEN
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TEMPLE SINAI
VISITOR INFORMATIONTemple Sinai
[NOLA 10] REFORM JUDAISM
Priceless Tiffany pendants hang within the soaring Art Deco interior of the temple.
10.1
ADDRESS 6227 St. Charles Avenue New Orleans, LA 70118NEIGHBORHOOD
PARKING
University
Temple has drop-off lane with a few spots. Street parking is available in the neighborhood.
COORDINATES
NEAREST TRANSIT
29.932979, -90.120006
St. Charles Avenue Streetcar Stop #34
PHONE (504) 861-3693
SERVICE HOURS
TIPS & SUGGESTIONS FOR VISITORS
Friday Shabbat 6:15 p.m.Saturday Shabbat 10:15 a.m.
If you’re driving to the Temple, don’t miss the turn! The one-way streets mean you will have to drive all the way around Tulane University to get back to this space.
WEBSITE www.templesinaino.org
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ABOUT: HISTORY & ORIGINS
Temple Sinai is the first Reform congregation in New
Orleans. Their tradition is in keeping with the principles
put forth into the American Jewry by Rabbi Isaac Wise. In
the Letter entitled “To the friends of Religious Reform,”
the thirteen founding members of the congregation
invited other “Israelites” to consider membership in
the forming congregation. The letter explains: “It is
not our purpose to subvert the time honored customs
of our ancestors, … but as much as we revere those
sacred rituals, we yet deem them far too orthodox for
the present day…” By 1870 there were thirty-seven
members meeting in what would become Sinai Temple.
The Reform Movement began in Europe in the 1800’s
as a way for Jews to bridge the demands of following
an ancient Covenant, with the emerging realities of the
modern world. Rabbi Gutheim who helped to create the
Hebrew Union College, helped guide the newly forming
congregation through their adoption of Reform principles
in Judaism. In 1870, they selected architect Charles
Lewis Hilger, also the architect of Rayne Memorial
Church just down the road on St. Charles Avenue and
contractor Peter R. Middlemiss to design a new space
for worship on Carondelet Street. The Moorish Style
building, a popular form for 19th Century synagogues,
quickly became a New Orleans landmark.
Just fifty years later, the congregation had
outgrown the space and deciding that it was better to
build a new space than restore their old one - besides
many members were unable to climb the forty steps to
the old sanctuary. Rabbi Heller had a vision for a new
domed space and commissioned architects Weiss,
Dreyfus and Seifert to design the current building on
St. Charles Avenue. Larger and more accessible, this
Art Deco structure is on St. Charles Avenue at Calhoun
Street, close to Tulane, Loyola and Audubon Park – and
is where most of the members had moved.
The congregation’s spiritual leader in the mid-
twentieth Century, Rabbi Feibelman lead this community
in the early days of integration and his leadership on anti-
Semitism would influence the second Vatican Council.
He is the first Rabbi to be present at the Coronation
of a Pope. Today, the main sanctuary is used for large
ceremonies and celebrations. Friday Shabbat services
are held in the smaller chapel added in 1970.
View of the main sanctuary from the narthex. The mezuzah is visible on the right – placed at the entry according to Jewish law.
Rabbi Cohen shows Deirdre Colgan the smaller chapel where Shabbat services are held on Fridays. Stained glass windows from the former building Downtown are visible on the right.
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ARCHITECTURE DESCRIPTION
Envisioned as a domed structure, the current building
never received its crown. The synagogue, intended to
be a testament that American Jews are here to stay
and to blend both American and Jewish elements,
was designed in 1927. This imposing building meshes
many styles, while it is constructed primarily in the Art
Deco style; the architecture of Temple Sinai borrows
Byzantine and Classical arches. Bronze entrance doors
depict biblical scenes.
Little if anything has changed in the main sanctuary
since it was built. The sanctuary seats approximately
1,200 and has an Italian marble ark that faces east,
respecting sacred geometry. The coffered ceiling is
made of plaster bound with horsehair, and contrasts with
the painted wood and Art Deco pilasters, screens and
chandeliers. The parquet floor is still intact and original,
as are the leather seat backs. The individual seats are
joined together to resemble pews, and there are still hat
hooks below the seats, a reflection of the fashionable
Roaring Twenties. The synagogue was enlarged again
in 1950 for the installation of air conditioning, the first
synagogue to have this feature. It was accomplished
by placing huge blocks of ice in the ventilation system
and having fans blow over them to distribute the cooled
air. In 1970, a chapel was added to provide a smaller
more intimate space for weekly Friday and Saturday
Shabbat services.
The two stained glass windows on either side of
the ark were designed by Rabbi Heller using mystical
Hebrew symbols which remain obscure. They describe
the biblical scenes pictured on the bronze exterior
doors. These windows were part of the first synagogue.
Tiffany made the chandeliers and the ner tamid or
“eternal light,” the only ever designed by the firm.
The chandeliers depict various scenes in the forest.
The Torah scrolls traveled from the former synagogue.
One dates back before 1898, thought to be brought
from Germany. Another Torah, recently restored, is a
Holocaust memorial scroll. After World War II ended,
the Allies found about 11,000 scrolls and sent them to
Westminster, England where many were repaired and
distributed to international synagogues where they are
now on permanent loan.
The ark is made from Italian marble and the ner tamid or “eternal light” was designed and fabricated by Tiffany, the only one ever made by the studio.
Stained glass windows in the arch behind the balcony.
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“We were intentional about making a statement about how we are going to be different. Our philosophy has always been left of center.”
REV. G. TRAVIS NORVELL
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ST. CHARLES AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH
VISITOR INFORMATIONSt. Charles Avenue Baptist Church
[NOLA 11] BAPTIST
The baptistery is the center of the sanctuary design and the most important element.
11.1
ADDRESS 7100 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA, 70118NEIGHBORHOOD
PARKING
Uptown
Street parking available.COORDINATES
NEAREST TRANSIT
29.936593, -90.126740
St. Charles Ave Streetcar line stop #39
PHONE (504) 861-9514
OPEN HOURS
SERVICE HOURS
TIPS & SUGGESTIONS FOR VISITORS
Attend during service time or contact office for a tour.
Sundays 11:00 a.m. Worship 5:30 p.m. Grace Gathering
Look up at the terracotta ornamentation on the exterior of the eclectic, Spanish Revival Style structure. Notice how the building line is not parallel to the street – this shift remains a mystery to the congregation today.
WEBSITE www.scabc.org
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ABOUT: HISTORY & ORIGINS
Unused servants’ quarters served as a mission of
Coliseum Baptist Church until 1898 when twenty-six
charter members created the Carrollton Baptist church.
The city of Carrollton was annexed by New Orleans
in 1901. The church decided to change their name to
Saint Charles Avenue Baptist Church because they had
just purchased property for their small congregation
on St. Charles Avenue and Hillary Street. They soon
outgrew that church and in 1924 purchased the current
site, and constructed their current church, which was
completed in 1926.
It was originally designed for three purposes: a
worship house, as a music and public venue for Tulane
University and auditorium for the Baptist Seminary.
According to the pastor, this church is considered a
High Church Baptist because it was formed primarily
by a group of English settlers in Boston who moved to
Maine and then Charleston SC, founding the Charleston
tradition (or southern tradition) of Liturgical Baptist
worship. In Baptist churches, typically there is no center
aisle, as this is not a ‘go to the altar’ type of worship,
a rejection of traditional protestant practice. During the
service people do not stand or kneel – they just sit.
Music is an important element of the service.
The Bible is the key focus and that is why there is a
center pulpit. The baptistery is the most important
aspect and the center of the church. Baptists make a
decision to join the church as adults, no infant baptism.
As a congregational practice, wearing a white gown and
in the tradition of St. John the Baptist, they experience
a full immersion with the pastor in the pool too. The
baptistery is the most sacred place, replacing an altar
and everything else. Communion takes place in front of
the pulpit, making it different than other traditions. There
are kneelers for communion used only three times a
year with a robed minister (from the New England style).
Currently, the church has about 600 members. They
are proud of their attitude of openness and acceptance
and the church’s diverse membership. In 1950 they
embraced integration allowing black members, support
the gay and lesbian community, and have always allowed
women to hold leadership positions. In 1971, Saint
Charles ordained the first woman minister in Louisiana.
Interior view from the entry, under the cantilevered balcony. Green carpet covers the poured concrete floor.
Monolithic pews prevent the distraction of a central aisle and allow congregants to focus on Scripture.
ST. CHARLES AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH
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ARCHITECTURE DESCRIPTION
Built in 1926, the architects chose the Spanish Eclectic
Style for this church, made popular during the 1915
Panama-California Exposition in San Diego. The style of
the church is appropriate in keeping with the Spanish
Colonial influence on the city after France relinquished
control of the Louisiana Territory in the mid-18th Century.
Common to this style is the use of ornate, terracotta
materials, a central design, side entries and bell tower.
The exterior of this church is made of light brick with
two main doors. Both the interior and exterior are lightly
colored. The main focus of the front facade is the large
centrally placed window framed by the two columns
and flanked by symmetrical wood doors. Twenty-five
steps lead to the church’s entry, making for a pilgrimage
to get to the church. The roof is characterized by the red
tiles imported from Spain and installed after it had been
damaged by Hurricane Katrina.
Inside, the sanctuary seems inspired by the
liturgy of the First Baptist Church in the United States,
in Rhode Island. Inside, there is a simple beauty with
only eighteen rows of pews. The walls are white, the
arched windows stretch from floor to ceiling are clear
glass. Pews and pulpit are made from cypress and
the dark tones are in contrast to the walls. There is no
stained glass or any iconography. A curved cantilevered
balcony and decorative plaster friezes add detail.
The friezes depict scenes from the 23rd Psalm. Over
the doors and windows, the friezes contain dragons,
fleurs-de-lys and dolphins, a bit unusual and without
any known explanation. Art Deco pendant lights hang
from the ceiling.
The structure originally designed for three
purposes: a worship house, as a music and public
venue for Tulane University and an auditorium for the
Baptist Seminary located, at the time, nearby. Because
of these grand ambitions, the Church is far larger than
the modest congregation requires. The Church can seat
1,200 and the attendance for Sunday worship averages
130. The intimate nature of the church is also due to the
center pulpit, made of cypress wood and an estimated
700 lbs. The baptistery takes the place of the altar and a
central element for this faith tradition.
This design in the muntins integrates the primacy of the cross to the Baptist tradition. It also could be a reference to the church’s site at the intersection of the orthogonal and diagonal grids.
Doors to the Sunday School at the back of the balcony are visible. All are inscribed with the same cross/intersection motif.
ST. CHARLES AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH
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Robert E Lee Blvd
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[NOLA 12] Hellenic Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity
MORE TO SEE IN THIS AREA
SACRED SITES SELECTED
J. Lake Vista United Methodist Church K. St. Louis Cemetery No.3L. Metairie Cemetery
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“Some churches had ten to twelve feet of water…during Katrina, but if you look at the buildings, there’s about a four foot foundation to keep it level so that helped raise the level of the buildings – which means that we had three to four feet of water as opposed to seven or eight.”
REV. FR. ANTHONY STRATIS, DEAN
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HELLENIC ORTHODOX CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY
VISITOR INFORMATIONHoly Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral
[NOLA 12] GREEK ORTHODOX
Interior view of the main Sanctuary from the balcony, with octagonal lantern above and iconostasis protecting the altar
12.1
ADDRESS 1200 Robert E Lee Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70122NEIGHBORHOOD
PARKING
Lakefront Area
Plentiful parking available in lot.COORDINATES
NEAREST TRANSIT
30.020224, -90.082526
None nearby.
PHONE (504) 282-0259
SERVICE HOURS
TIPS & SUGGESTIONS FOR VISITORS
Sundays 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m. Weekdays 9:00 a.m. (when scheduled)Evening Services 7:00 p.m. (when scheduled)
If you look carefully at the altar steps you will see a marked line. The congregation preserved the flood line which came to the top stair as a memory of their trauma during the flood. Miraculously, the space was preserved.The sacred altar area behind the icon screen is off-limits to all but those blessed by bishops.
WEBSITE www.holytrinitycathedral.org
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ABOUT: HISTORY & ORIGINS
The Holy Trinity Church in New Orleans was the
first Greek Orthodox church founded in the Western
Hemisphere and United States. Orthodoxy is in America
primarily because of immigration, not missionaries. The
first recorded Orthodox settlers arrived in the Americas
in the 1700s and as the population grew, there was a
need for a church. After several failed attempts, Nicolas
Benachi, a businessman and the Consul of the Royal
Government of Greece helped establish Holy Trinity
Church. In 1860, the original plan to secure space and
construction for the church were unsuccessful and
instead Nicolas Benachi offered his personal property
as a place for worship. It was used until 1866 when he
sold some of his property to the Orthodox community
and through various donations, helped establish the
first building of the Holy Trinity Church Downtown. This
original structure was later replaced by a larger church
to accommodate the growing congregation. In 1960,
Holy Trinity Church was consecrated as a Cathedral,
the See of the Diocese. The third, and present, location
for Holy Trinity Cathedral was constructed in 1985. In
2001, the cathedral was consecrated with six holy relics
entombed in the altar. Today, Holy Trinity Cathedral has
350 families throughout southern Louisiana.
One of the issues that brought about the Schism
between Rome and Constantinople was using leavened
or unleavened bread during the worship service. In
the Orthodox Church, leavened bread is used. What
isn’t used during the service is cut up and given after
services and called Endithenol or “Blessed Bread.”
Those not part of the congregation may attend a
service but the Orthodox church is sacramentally still
a closed church, if one is not Orthodox they cannot
receive communion. However, they can receive the
“Blessed Bread” at the end of the service. Greek
Orthodox churches feature an iconostasis, a wall of
religious carvings and imagery between the nave and
the sanctuary. The iconostasis was carved by New York
based Konstantinos Pylarinos in 1985. Because of the
strong Western influence in American culture, you will
see some differences here from Orthodox churches
outside the United States. These include the inclusion
of pews, stained glass windows and organs, are not
traditional to Orthodox churches.
Looking up at the apex of the lantern with the icon of Christ as the Pantokrator, the “Ruler of All.”
View of the clearly defined Narthex, a smaller area with icons and candles which help the worshipper prepare for entry into the Nave.
HELLENIC ORTHODOX CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINIITY
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ARCHITECTURE DESCRIPTION
The congregation originally began Downtown by Greek
immigrants to New Orleans, and moved to their current
location next to the Bayou St. John on Robert E. Lee
Boulevard in 1985. It was designed by New Orleans
based NY Associates and completed in 1985. Five
years prior to construction of their church, the adjacent
Hellenic Cultural Center was built and used in the interim
for services and community programs.
Constructed from brick, the layout is a cruciform
design in plan. The curve of the apse can be seen from
the exterior. Like most Orthodox Churches, the structure
features a lantern, symbolizing the sky above.
The layout is divided into the Narthex or front
vestibule, the Nave and the Sanctuary with the
iconostasis and altar. Holy Trinity Church features a
solea, a part of the Nave in front of the iconostasis
that is slightly elevated, symbolizing stepping up from
earthly existence for the Sacraments. The iconostasis at
Holy Trinity is relatively transparent with a large opening
in the middle through which the altar area can actually
be seen by those that approach this sacred area.
Holy Trinity is reflective of traditional Orthodox
culture and architecture, as it is practiced and
appropriated in the West. On the interior, Western
features and influence are present amongst the
traditional Orthodox elements and decor. The church
has an organ and features a choir loft, which is generally
uncommon for Orthodox churches. The stained glass
windows in this contemporary Orthodox offer modern
depictions using an ancient, sacred art form. Amazingly,
the windows were unharmed by Hurricane Katrina.
Details of the stained glass windows by Conrad Schmidt, 1985.
Looking back from the Nave to the Narthex.
HELLENIC ORTHODOX CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY
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Brock, Eric J. New Orleans Cemeteries (Charleston, Arcadia Publishing, 1999)
Deshimaru, Taisen. The Way of True Zen compiled by Evelyn de Smedt and Dominique Dussaussoy.
Florence, Robert. City of the Dead (Lafayette, The Center for Louisiana Studies, 1996)
Huber, Leonard V. and others, ed. New Orleans Architecture Volume III The Cemeteries (Gretna, Pelican Publishing Company, 1997)
Lee, Avery G. Our Name Is Baptist (New Orleans, St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church, 1998)
Lee, Avery G. Where Christian Ideas Take Shape In People (New Orleans, St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church, 1973)
Livingston, Robert. Kusen Oral Teaching: Number 1 (New Orleans, The New Orleans Zen Temple, 1997)
Livingston, Robert. Kusen Oral Teaching: Number 2 (New Orleans, The New Orleans Zen Temple, 1997)
Nolan, Charles E. Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis, King of France (Strasbourg, Éditions du Signe, 2009)
Russ, Fannie Rayne and Georgia Russ Ross. One Hundred Years of Rayne Memorial (New Orleans, Rayne Memorial United Methodist Church, 1975)
Temple Sinai The Centennial Committee. Temple Sinai The First 100 Years (New Orleans, Temple Sinai, 1970)
Wilson, Jr., Samuel. The Buildings of Christ Church (New Orleans, Laborde Printing Company, 1997)
•Touro Synagogue Rabbi Alexis Berk,* Arlene Fermanis
•Cathedral of St. Louis King of France Msgr. Crosby Kern,* Stephen Swain,* Rosalie Serio
•Rayne Memorial United Methodist Church Rev. Carol Winn Crawford*
• Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Fr. Stephen J. Sauer, Linda Coombe*
•Voodoo Spiritual Temple Priestess Miriam Chamani*
•New Orleans Zen Temple Robert Livingston, Roshi*
•St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church Rev. G. Travis Norvell*
•Temple Sinai Dr. Edward Paul Cohen*
•Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral Fr. Anthony Stratis*
Additional thanks to:
St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Rev. Donald J. Ours C.M., Pastor, Katy Heeren-Mueller, Carol Monahan, Regina Fulton.
St. Patrick’s Church, Essie Brupbacher, Andrew Mills.
Old Ursuline Convent, Michelle Braxton.
* Interview served as primary source material for Sacred Space International.
Cast iron pews in the Church of the Immaculate Conception.
Bibliography
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
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Credits PROJECT TEAM: SACRED SPACE INTERNATIONAL STAFF & CONSULTANTS
Deirdre Colgan Creative Director & Writer
H47 INC Design Director & Research
Fran Hoerrmann Project Coordinator & Writer
Tidza Causevic Design Assistant
Alex Ratliff Designer & Research Assistant
Muamera Hadzic Writing Assistant
Sophie Posnock Writing Assistant
Pablo Jones Designer & Writing Assistant
Pete Stam Design Assistant
PHOTO CREDITS NEW ORLEANS
Pierina Benvenuto (all photos except otherwise noted)
Deirdre Colgan (St. Charles Avenue Streetcar)
Alex Ratliff (St. Charles Avenue Streetcar)