 | New Orleans Cemeteries Reviews | Tips 1 - 10 of 41 |  |
I had heard about the above ground burials that were flooded and so wanted to see what happened. Most cemetaries appeared to have survived the flooding due to the heavy materials of which they are made. A few tombs need some expensive repair though. I didn't have time to survey the entire graveyard, but it appeared to be intact after Katrina Leave a Comment Address: Metairie CemetaryDirections: Near junction of Pontchratrain and City Park Blvds
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New Orleans is loaded with above ground cemetaries, necessary due the city being below sea level. This is the one time I would recommend taking a guided walking tour because they can be somewhat dangerous places if you are alone. They are unique, however, and worth seeing. Leave a Comment Directions: All over the city
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An organization dedicated to "preserving, protecting, and and promoting the historic cemeteries of New Orleans," is Save Our Cemeteries, Inc. They operate some great tours but on a limited basis. No reservations are accepted and space is limited, so it's first come, first served !! Get there early !!
St. Louis Cemetery No. 1
Founded in 1789, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is the final resting place of some of the most notable citizens of New Orleans. You will see the famed "oven wall vaults" where the notorious "Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau" is enterred. Etienne de Bore, pioneer in sugar development; Daniel Clark, financial supporter of the American Revolution; Paul Morphy, former world Chess Champion are but a few of the local giants buried here. New Orleans' French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese immigrants are buried in lavish crypts here and there are many stories to be told.
Meet your guide on SUNDAYS ONLY at the Royal Blend Coffee Shop at 621 Royal Street. Tours are 1.5 hours. "Suggested " donations are $12 adult; $10 Senior Citizens; $6 students 12 -18; FREE children under 12.
Lafayette Cemetery No. 1
The younger Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 founded in 1833, has been in continuous use ever since. Located in the beautiful "Garden District" and was once part & parcel of Livaudais Plantation, this cemetery was layed out so as to accommodate funeral processions by intersecting avenues, and was the city's first "planned" cemetery. Its history, location and architectural significance led to Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 being placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Tours leave from the cemetery's main gate on the 1400 block of Washingon Avenue (15 minute street car ride from Canal Street ~ St. Charles Avnue Line) on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, & Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. sharp! Also no reservations; space limited. Tours are 1 hr. Suggested donation is $6 adults; $5 Senior Citizens & students; children 12 and under FREE. Leave a Comment
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New Orleans is know for its cemetaries. We had read warnings about the cemetary tours and were even warned personally by people in New Orleans not to visit the cemetaries alone. Some of them are known for being unsafe to visit alone. We were advised to take escorted tours. I agree with this advise and pass it along to anyone visiting New Orleans for the first time. We saw several cemetaries in some unsafe areas and it was obvious you could get into trouble. The cemetary we visited was St. Louis #3. It was just a couple of blocks from The New Orleans City Park and directly on a bus stop. The area was very open and seemed safe. So we got off of the bus after visiting the City Park and took a personal tour of this cemetary. Leave a Comment
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The above-ground tombs in the cemeteries of New Orleans are often referred to as "cities of the dead."
Votive candles line tombs on holidays to remind you the Dead have living relatives that still care.
Early settlers in the area struggled with different methods to bury the dead. Burial plots are shallow in New Orleans because the water table is high. Dig a few feet down, and the grave becomes soggy, filling with water. The casket will literally float. You just can't keep a good person down!
The early settlers tried by placing stones in and on top of coffins to weigh them down and keep them underground. Unfortunately, after a rainstorm, the rising water table would literally pop the airtight coffins out of the ground. To this day, unpredictable flooding still lifts an occasional coffin out of the ground in those areas generally considered safe from flooding and above the water table.
Another method tried was to bore holes in the coffins. This method also proved to be unsuitable. Eventually, New Orleans' graves were kept above ground following the Spanish custom of using vaults.
The walls of these cemeteries are made up of economical vaults that are stacked on top of one another. The rich and wealthier families could afford the larger ornate tombs with crypts. Many family tombs look like miniature houses complete with iron fences. The rows of tombs resemble streets. New Orleans burial plots quickly became known as "Cites of the Dead."
On your way into New Orleans from the airport, you can glimpse the newer Metairie Cemeteries.
Caution: The "Cities of the Dead" are alluring, but dangerous. Don't go there alone-- travel with a group or arrange to attend a tour. The narrow paths and tombs offer concealment for muggers.
Tours of the cemeteries are conducted by several tour companies; these tours are definitely unique, and are worth the memories!
IF YOU LIKE MY TIP, PLEASE GIVE POSITIVE FEEDBACK, THANKS Leave a Comment Directions: The older and more dilapidated cemeteries are St. Louis No. 1, 2 and 3, located near the French Quarter.
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They call the cemeteries in New Orleans "cities of the Dead". Surrounded by eight foot walls are tombs upon tombs upon tombs. The ones in the pictures, they call "ovens" (for obvious reasons). Some graves are crumpling away so bad, you swear you see bones. Some are untouched. All types of people are buried in these cemeteries surrounding the French Quarter....aristocrats, pirates, voodoo queens!!
Muggers have been known to take advantage of the many hiding places, so travel with a group is best. Walking tours are offered....information is everywhere! If tours aren't your thing, go in the morning and eavesdrop on one of the MANY tours that pass through. Leave a Comment Directions: St. Louis I,II, and III are all within walking distance of the French Quarter. Check your hotel for brochures.
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"ToMb iT mAY cONceRn"
New Orleans inhabitants often refer to their cemeteries as Cities of the Dead. They are quite unique but not totally uncommon. They are definitely an important part of New Orleans' heritage and are architecturally and historically significant as indicated by the fact that at least 2 of the oldest, and most notable have been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. This cemeteries consists of crypts above ground because New Orleans lies below sea level...digging graves in this area would mean striking water and floating caskets and hence, crypts are naturally above ground structures. These crypts, dating to the 18th, 19th and early 20th century, are the resting places of some of quite famous people.
See more details in Part II. Leave a Comment
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New Orleans is famous for its above-ground cemeteries and the stories behind them. The below-sea level city has a history of bodies rising out of the ground during hard rains...fitting for such a creepy place.
There are a few more notable cemeteries to try to check out while staying in New Orleans, and if you have a chance to go off and discover any others, the more fun to be had.
St. Louis Cemeteries 1&2 are both located north of the Quarter past Rampart.
#1 is the oldest in the city founded in 1798 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Sites. It is located right north of Rampart. The main attraction is the tomb of the Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau marked with XXXs and strewn with gifts for the queen.
#2 is 3 more blocks north in what is known as a sketchy part of the city. I would personally just stick with visiting #1.
The Lafayette Cemetery #1 is located in the Garden district and is most-often used in movies being filmed in New Orleans. The entrance is on Washington between Prytania and Coliseum and the Commanders Palace restaurant is right across the street.
There are of course a number of other cemeteries in the city that you can check out but these are the most noted.
It is of utmost importantance that you heed the warning of never visiting these cemeteries alone, or at night. It is not a matter of being "gutsy" and sneaking into a cemetery at night, it is that the cemeteries are one of the most dangerous places in New Orleans. If you are a lone traveler there are many cemetery tours available to you.
DO NOT go in at night. Leave a Comment
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Metairie Cemetery-very beautiful OLD graves. Would recommend 2 ways to see the cemetary-1-drive your car thru (lock doors), 2-guided tour. A whose-who is buried here Leave a Comment
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Walk past any cemetery in New Orleans, and you'll notice a fascinating feature of this city: In New Orleans, the dead are buried in above ground tombs. These tombs are elegant monuments, some dating back to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
The main reason for the above ground tombs is because of the very high water table, which precludes burying underground.
Not all of the cemeteries are open to tourists. However, there are two worth visiting:
Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 in the Garden District. You can find a number of prominent New Orleanians buried there. Designated a city burial site in 1833, Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 is placed on the National Register of Historic Places by virtue of its significant history, location, and architectural importance.
St. Louis No. 1 Cemetery, founded in 1789, is the burial ground of some of the most famous figures from the city's past. Here you will find the supposed tomb of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau: Etienne Bore, pioneer in sugar development; and, Paul Morphy, world famous chess champion and many more.
It is recommended to take a guided tour as it is said that wandering around alone on the cemetaries is not so safe, especially in St. Louis'. Leave a Comment Directions: Lafayette: Garden District, Washington Ave and Prytania St. Louis: French Quarter, 400 Basin
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