The Meaning Of Fleur De Lis New Orleans

By Kenneth Ellis


The Fleur-de-lis is a symbol based on the lily or iris. Fleur de lis New Orleans has been embraced in the design of the city's flag, which contains three FDLs in gold against a white background. At the top of the flag is a red stripe and at the bottom, a blue one. The city adopted the flag in 1918. The white, blue, and red colors represent the concepts of government, liberty, and fraternity, respectively. A traditional French symbol, the fleur-de-lis on the flag reflects the city's strong French heritage.

New Orleans is a major city in the state of Louisiana and, sitting on the Gulf of Mexico, one of the largest ports in the United States. The city is named in honor of the Duke of Orleans, Regent in early 18th century France. He was born under the sign of Leo in August 1674. His uncle was Louis XIV. His parents had a storm marriage. His name was Philippe II, Duke of Orleans, or Philippe Charles.

The young Duke married Francoise Marie de Bouron, Uncle Louie's youngest daughter, at least, the youngest he would admit to. This made her the Duke's cousin. Like his father, and as would be expected of a Leo, Philippe showed a knack for military service. When he wasn't marching into battle, he spent his time studying the natural sciences. He died at the age of 49 in Versailles during the year 1723.

The city of New Orleans lies between Lake Ponchartrain to the north, and Lake Salvador to the south. Lake Salvador is home to a wildlife management area. Lake Biloxi, which houses the Biloxi State Wildlife Management Area, is located east of Lake Ponchartrain.

France wasn't the only European country to kindle an interest in NOLA. As a result of the Treaty of Paris, signed in 1763 to end the war between the United States and Great Britain, the French colony of New Orleans was signed over to Spain. Practically all of the architecture of the area known as the French Quarter goes back to the Spanish years, except those of the Old Ursoline Convent.

The Ursoline convent was actually a series of convents for nuns in NOLA. When the nuns arrived in 1757, they needed a place to stay. The first building of the convent was designed by Ignace Francois Boutin. The building turned out to be a disaster. Whereas buildings in that time were normally constructed from timber with a protective coast of stucco, those of the convent were left bare, which was unsuitable for the humid climate. It was also a major fire hazard.

Boutin prepared the plans for new building made of brick and covered in stucco, and colombage, a mixture of clay and grass. This historic structure was an example of French Neoclassical architecture. The nuns moved to a larger convent in 1824.

The primary language of more than 90% of the city's residence is English. Nearly five percent speak Spanish as their main language, almost two percent speak Vietnamese, and just over one percent speak French. Roughly 10 percent of NOLA's residents speak something other than English as their mother tongue. The fleur-de-lis motif is present everywhere in NOLA. As well as featuring prominently on the city's flag, it appears everywhere. It is the symbol for a popular cafe in the city, and decorates the helmets of the New Orleans Saints, an NFL football team.




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