The French Quarter is an official city-designated district of Philadelphia spanning the area between 17th and 19th Streets east and west and Walnut and Sansom Streets from north to south. The designation was made official in 1999. According to City Paper, the Philadelphia French Quarter "... is one of the few places outside France that supports a thriving French culture" even though "it remains largely unrecognized by both tourists and natives". The area is closely tied to the culture of Rittenhouse Square.