The Napoleon House (french: Maison Napoléon; es, Casa de Napoleón), also known as the Mayor Girod House or Nicolas Girod House, is a historic building at 500 Chartres Street in the
French Quarter of
,
Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. Built in 1794 and enlarged in 1814, its name derives from the local legend that it was intended as a residence for
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
after his exile. A plan to bring Napoleon to Louisiana was halted by news of his death in 1821.
[Napoleon House: History](_blank)
/ref>
The building was also the home of Nicholas Girod
Nicolas Girod (''French spelling'') or Nicholas Girod (April 1751—September 1840) was the fifth mayor of New Orleans, from late in 1812 to September 4, 1815. He was the first mayor of the city after Louisiana entered into the Union as a sta ...
(d. 1840), mayor of New Orleans. One of the city's finer private residences in the early 19th century, the building housed a local grocery at the start of the 20th century and since 1914 has operated as a restaurant called Napoleon House. The upper floors of the building have been converted to apartments, where some of the original interior decorative elements may still be seen.
It was declared to be a National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...
in 1970, as one of the city's finest examples of French-influenced architecture. It is a three-story brick stuccoed building, with a dormered hip roof and cupola. Shallow ironwork balconies with austere styling adorn the second floor.[ and ]
The Napoleon House restaurant has an old-time New Orleans atmosphere and serves such traditional dishes as red beans and rice, gumbo, and jambalaya
Jambalaya ( , ) is an American Creole and Cajun rice dish of French (especially Provençal cuisine), African, and Spanish influence, consisting mainly of meat and vegetables mixed with rice.
Ingredients
Traditionally, the meat includes sau ...
; it has been particularly known among locals for its muffaletta
The muffuletta or muffaletta is both a type of round Sicilian sesame bread and a popular sandwich that originated among Italian immigrants in New Orleans, Louisiana, using the same bread.
History
The muffuletta bread has origins in Sicily.
T ...
sandwiches. The bar is known for serving its "Pimm's Cup
The Pimm's cup is a cocktail that is popular in England, in the United Kingdom. It is one of numerous fruit cups, a type of cocktail with gin, a soft drink, and fruit. Its primary spirit is Pimm's No. 1 Cup, a gin-based beverage flavored with fr ...
" cocktail. Classical music
Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" also ...
is played on the sound system.
See also
*List of National Historic Landmarks in Louisiana
This is a complete list of National Historic Landmarks in Louisiana,.
The United States National Historic Landmark program is a program of the National Park Service, and recognizes structures, districts, objects, and similar resources according to ...
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Orleans Parish, Louisiana
References
External links
Napoleon House's website
{{National Register of Historic Places
National Historic Landmarks in Louisiana
French Quarter
Houses completed in 1797
Restaurants in New Orleans
Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Louisiana
Drinking establishments in New Orleans
Houses in New Orleans
National Register of Historic Places in New Orleans
Historic district contributing properties in Louisiana
Drinking establishments on the National Register of Historic Places in Louisiana