New Orleans, Orleans Parish story
A City of Above-Ground
In most cities, cemeteries are flat, but in New Orleans, they're cities of the dead. St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, opened in 1789, is the oldest and most historic of these sites. Beca…
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In most cities, cemeteries are flat, but in New Orleans, they're cities of the dead. St. Louis Cemetery No.
1, opened in 1789, is the oldest and most historic of these sites. Because of the city's low elevation, the tradition of above-ground vaults became a hallmark of local burial architecture. Walking through these white stone corridors, you'll find the final resting places of legendary figures like the Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau and the chess master Paul Morphy.
Since 2015, the cemetery has been closed to the general public, meaning you can only enter via official tours. It's a quiet, hauntingly beautiful place that reminds us how the city's geography shaped its most intimate traditions.
Updated June 2026