New Orleans, Orleans Parish story
Above-Ground Art
Walk through St. Louis Cemetery Number One and you'll see that in New Orleans, even the cemeteries are galleries of architecture. Because of the city's low elevation, the dead are…
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Walk through St. Louis Cemetery Number One and you'll see that in New Orleans, even the cemeteries are galleries of architecture. Because of the city's low elevation, the dead are placed in ornate, above-ground vaults, creating what looks like a miniature stone city.
These tombs are a hallmark of New Orleans burial architecture, reflecting the status and style of the city's most famous residents, from Marie Laveau to Paul Morphy. Opened in 1789, the cemetery transforms the necessity of burial into a permanent display of sculpture and masonry, turning a place of mourning into a stunning outdoor museum of historic art.
Updated June 2026