Saint Louis Cemetery Is The Oldest Cemetery In New Orleans And It S Hauntingly Beautiful

New Orleans is known for a lot of things. People come from all over the world to experience our incredible cuisine, walk down our historic streets, and marvel at our breathtaking architecture. Our cemeteries are just another unique attraction to add to the list, and it can be quite the experience to take a peaceful stroll through them. There’s one in particular that everyone should visit, and that’s Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1.

There are a lot of cemeteries in New Orleans, but none are as famous as Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1.

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Opened in 1789, it’s the oldest cemetery in New Orleans, and served as the main burial ground after the city was redesigned after the fire of 1788 destroyed most of New Orleans.

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Hauntingly beautiful, Saint Louis Cemetery is the final resting place of many notable New Orleanians including Etienne de Bore, New Orleans’ first mayor, and Homer Plessy from the historic 1896 civil rights case.

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Even actor Nicholas Cage has purchased a tomb, pictured below.

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It’s easy to see why Mark Twain referred to New Orleans’ cemeteries as Cities of the Dead.

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You could easily spend hours here, looking all all the graves.

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One could easily get lost in such a place.

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Perhaps one of the most famous New Orleanians buried here is that of Marie Laveau, the Voodoo priestess. Many visitors to her grave leave offerings in hope that she will bless them.

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In 2015, Saint Louis Cemetery was closed to the public. To enter this historic cemetery, you’ll need a licensed tour guide.

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Click here to schedule your tour of Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1.