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Old Ursuline Convent New Orleans

Paul Richardson May 2012

The Old Ursuline Convent in New Orleans is the oldest building in New Orleans dating to 1751. It replaced the older original building from 1731 which was built after the Ursuline nuns arrival in New Orleans in 1727. The first building was not designed properly for the humid climate requiring the second attempt. Wikipedia describes the building. Built of stucco covered brick, the new building, also known as Old Ursuline Convent, is typical for the French neoclassical architecture. It is a formal, symmetrical building, severely designed in its lack of ornamentation. No applied orders of pilasters or columns relieved the plain walls. Only the slightly arched window set in shallow moldings, the rusticated quoins at the corners and narrow central pedimented pavilion break the even rhythm of the fenestration. The broad plain hipped roof, broken only by four small low set dormers contrasts well with the multiwindowed facade and completes the austere but not unpleasant, finely proportioned building. The ground floor was used largely for the dormitory, classrooms, refectory, and infirmary of the orphanage, maintained by the nuns. The second floor contained cells for the nuns, a library, infirmary and storerooms. The winding stairway is believed to be from the original convent, installed in the new building.

The National Park Service considers it the finest surviving example of French Colonial architecture in the country.

Meditation Garden in front courtyard centered on main walkway, note prayer stops around the edges. Reminiscent of labyrinths

Main hall from entrance to rear exit to gardens

Stairway from original building, oldest freestanding stairs in country.

Classroom

Knights of Lazarus Room

Ursuline Room

Rear of building, note robust shutters for both doors and windows. Mostly a security feature but also for hurricanes.

Main Shrine, rear garden

Adjacent to the convent is the St Marys Church

St Marys Church, Archangel slays Satan, door way leads from church to Knights of Lazarus room in the Ursuline convent.

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