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All the United States Louisiana New Orleans Napoleon House

Napoleon House

A 200-year-old building in the French Quarter that was to be Napoleon's home in the New World.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Added By
Luke Spencer
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Portraits of Napoleon decorate the bar named in his honour.   Luke J Spencer / Atlas Obscura User
The Napoleon House of the French Quarter.   Luke J Spencer / Atlas Obscura User
Enjoy a Pimm’s Cup in the Inner Courtyard.   Luke J Spencer / Atlas Obscura User
Inside Napoleon’s future home!   Luke J Spencer / Atlas Obscura User
One of the French Quarter’s oldest surviving buildings.   Luke J Spencer / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Sign in the building   IronQueen / Atlas Obscura User
The napoleon house   IronQueen / Atlas Obscura User
A mere quarter of the famous muffuletta.   tylercole / Atlas Obscura User
  tylercole / Atlas Obscura User
Inside   helloJay / Atlas Obscura User
Pimm’s Cup flight   Avoiding Regret
  breaingram / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Tucked away on the corner of Rue St. Louis and Rue Chartres deep in the heart of the French Quarter in New Orleans lies a bar with a peculiar history.

Originally built in 1797 as the home of New Orleans mayor Nicholas Giroud, the building received its name due to a bizarre plot conceived in the 1820s to spring Napoleon Bonaparte from his exile on the island of Saint Helena. The plan was to help the deposed emperor escape and bring him to the New World, and the first floor of the building was set aside to be his home.

The plot was hatched In 1821, with one of the conspirators being the infamous Louisiana pirate, Jean Lafitte. Legend has it that the boat sent to fetch Napoleon was a week out at sea when the news arrived that Bonaparte had died... depriving the Vieux Carre the opportunity to have the Little Corsican walk its famous cobbled streets.

Owned by the Impastato family since 1914, today the Napoleon House is a bar and restaurant full of 18th century charm. Portraits of Napoleon decorate the walls, and the only music played is classical, imparting on the bar a faded grandeur that can only be found in that most magical of cities, New Orleans. 

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Architecture Napoleon Bonaparte

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Luke J Spencer

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Rachel, dlc31723, Avoiding Regret, tylercole...

  • Rachel
  • dlc31723
  • Avoiding Regret
  • tylercole
  • helloJay
  • Collector of Experiences
  • breaingram
  • IronQueen
  • wyomingarchaeologist

Published

February 23, 2013

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Napoleon House
535-599 Saint Louis Street
New Orleans, Louisiana, 70130
United States
29.955823, -90.065255
Visit Website
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Explore the Destination Guide

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New Orleans

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Places 122
Stories 24

Nearby Places

New Orleans Pharmacy Museum

New Orleans, Louisiana

miles away

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miles away

Bevolo Gas & Electric Light Museum

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miles away

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Photo of New Orleans

New Orleans

Louisiana

Places 122
Stories 24

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