The above ground tombs of St. Louis Cemetery is an iconic New Orleans venue for travelers.
Established in the early 1700s, St. Louis Cemetery just outside the French Quarter in New Orleans is an iconic landmark as immediately recognizable as any image of Mardi Gras.
Since New Orleans rests below sea level in a bayou, the dead cannot be buried underground. It’s suggested early zombie lore arose from the city’s voodoo rich history and the fact that the colonial dead would “rise” from their graves. They were essentially floating to the surface.
The series of above ground tombs at St. Louis Cemetery Number One range in age from the 18th century to very recent internment spots. Nicholas Cage recently bought and pre-built his own tomb-to-be not too far from the famous resting place of New Orleans Voodoo Queen Mary Laveau. Not only is St. Louis Cemetery a protected historic site in New Orleans, it’s also an official Catholic cemetery and hallowed ground.
Sadly, in many cases, the graves are so old that no surviving family members exist to maintain them. So, those tombs are crumbling into fragments. The end result is an eerie, humbling and sad stop that reminds you of your mortality and the potential loneliness of existence.
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Of course, New Orleans lends itself to spooky stories between its would-be ghosts and voodoo dolls. So, the cemetery’s natural creep factor keeps it on many travelers’ to do list.
Below you’ll find some collected images I took during a long stroll through the grounds and around the crumbling tombs:
