The Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis King of France is the oldest Catholic cathedral in continual use in the United States.
The cornerstone of a new church (on the site of the previous one, destroyed in the Great New Orleans Fire) was laid in 1789 and the building was completed in 1794.
In 1793 Saint Louis Church was elevated to cathedral rank as the See of the Diocese of New Orleans, making it one of the oldest cathedrals in the United States.
In 1819 a central tower with the clock and bell was added.
A memorial to General Andrew Jackson, hero of the Battle for New Orleans in 1812, was set up on February 8, 1856, by sculptor Clark Mills.