The Curbed Cup, our annual award for the New Orleans neighborhood of the year, is kicking off with 8 areas vying for the prestigious (fake) trophy. This week we'll have two matchups per day, and all the results and the full tournament bracket will be reviewed on Friday. Voting for each pairing ends 24 hours after it begins. Let the eliminations commence!

Today’s neighborhood match is Tremé versus the French Quarter: A New Orleans jewel against a national attraction.

Tremé

The neighborhood of Tremé is known for its original and creole-centered architecture and being the birth place of some of New Orleans-centric musical and visual art. Art and architecture aside, Tremé is the oldest subdivision in New Orleans at 204 years old. The neighborhood is also home to some iconic landmarks, including one of the oldest churches in the nation, the St. Augustine Catholic Church, and areas including Louis Armstrong Park and Congo Square.

One of the largest developments affecting Tremé this year is the completion of the North Rampart streetcar line. Moreover, In September, the historic Faubourg Tremé Association held its second annual Tremé Festival, which celebrated the St. Augustine Catholic Church turning 175 year old.

This past December, the Tremé neighborhood made its debut on the HGTV Property Brothers show, “Brothers Take New Orleans.” The Property Brothers competed in a challenge to remodel the best rendition of a double shotgun home.

French Quarter

The underdog during this round is the French Quarter. Known primarily for its tourist attraction, the quarter offers an array of festivals, opportunities for architectural sight-seeing, and festive parades. This year, the French Quarter was one of the most Geotagged places in New Orleans in 2016, according to Instagram.

In September, New Orleans ranked No. 24 out of 25 for top greatest coastal and beach cities in the world, according to the Chicago Line cruises. The study evaluated New Orleans’ booming night life and parade activity in the French Quarter. However, on another note, the French Quarter did receive some backlash with demonstrators demanding the removal of Jackson Square’s Andrew Jackson statue this past summer.

Though, one of the most exciting things that put New Orleans in national news this year was the sale of Brad Pitts and Angelina’s French Quarter mansion in October for $4.9 Million.