The
French Quarter, also known as the
Vieux Carré, is the oldest
neighborhood in the city of
New Orleans. After New Orleans (
La Nouvelle-Orléans in French) was founded in 1718 by
Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city developed around the
Vieux Carré ("Old Square" in English), a central square. The district is more commonly called the French Quarter today, or simply "The Quarter," related to changes in the city with American immigration after the Louisiana Purchase. Most of the extant historic buildings were constructed either in the late 18th century, during the city's period of Spanish rule, or were built during the first half of the 19th century, after U.S. annexation and statehood.