Jackson Square, New Orleans

The historic heart of the French Quarter, this landscaped square was laid out in the eighteenth century as a military parade ground under French and Spanish rule. It faces the Mississippi River and is framed by St. Louis Cathedral, the Cabildo and the Presbytère, with the Pontalba row houses on its flanks. A bronze equestrian statue of Andrew Jackson stands at the center amid formal gardens. Today the surrounding flagstones fill with portrait artists, musicians and fortune tellers, making it one of the city's liveliest public spaces.