Old Ursuline Convent Museum

The Old Ursuline Convent’s facade is simple, with twelve bays, two floors and an attic level made of three dormers. The structure uses brick-between-post construction covered by a white plaster, simulating stone on the corners and central bay. The doors and windows use simple molding while a pediment underscores the main entrance. Having many doors and windows available and across from each other is a feature that was developed specifically for this climate as a way to battle the oppressive heat and humidity. Placing the doors and windows parallel creates a cross ventilation, forcing warm interior air out and cool outside air in.
 

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St. Mary’s Church at 1116 Chartres St. served as the place of worship for the bishops and archbishops of New Orleans when they were in residence at the Old Ursuline Convent in the 19th century. Built in 1845, St. Mary's Church is a building slightly older than the current structure of St. Louis Cathedral, which dates primarily to 1850.
 

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The Old Ursuline Convent is the oldest building in the Mississippi Valley. Constructed by French Colonial Engineers under the auspices of the crown, the convent was designed in 1745 and completed in 1752-1753. Over the centuries, this building has been a convent for the Ursuline nuns, an orphanage, a school, an archbishop's residence, the archdiocesan central office, and even a meeting place for the Louisiana Legislature. Later, it served as a residence for priests serving mainly the Italian community and then housed the Archdiocesan Archives. Today, together with the St. Louis Cathedral and St. Mary's Church, it is part of the Catholic Cultural Center of New Orleans.