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The French Quarter is the oldest section of the city of New
Orleans, stretching along the Mississippi River from Canal
Street to Esplanade Avenue and back to Rampart Street.
The area is also known as the Vieux Carre ("Old Quarter"
in French) and the Barrio Latino ("Latin Section"
in Spanish). To many it is simply called "The Quarter".
Most of the buildings date from before New Orleans became part
of the USA, although there are some late 19th century and early
20th century buildings in the area as well. Since the 1920s
the historic buildings have been protected by law and cannot
be demolished, and any renovations or new construction in the
neighborhood must be done according to regulations to match
the period historic architectural style.
 Despite
the name, much of the architecture was built during the Spanish
rule over New Orleans rather than the French. Elaborately
decorated ironwork balconies and galleries from the 18th and
19th centuries abound. (In south-east Louisiana, a distinction
is made between balconies, which have no roof over them, and
"galleries", which do.)
Long after the American purchase of Louisiana, descendants
of French colonists lived in this part of town, and the French
language was often heard there as late as the start of the
20th century. In the late 19th century the Old Quarter became
a less fashionable part of town, and many Italian immigrants
settled in the section. In the early 20th century the Quarter's
cheap rents and air of age and neglected decay attracted a
bohemian and artistic community. In the 1980s many long term
Quarter residents were evicted or driven away by rising rents
as property values rose dramatically with expectations of
windfalls from the planned 1984 World's Fair nearby. More
of the neighborhood became developed for the benefit of tourism.
The French Quarter remains a combination of residential and
commercial properties.
Well known sights in the French Quarter include the old city
center Jackson Square (formerly Place des Armes); The French
Market; Bourbon Street (some 8 blocks of the upper portion
of this street are heavily given over to catering to young
hard-drinking tourists); and Royal Street (with elegant antique
shops and art galleries).
Information provided by wikipedia.org
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