St Louis Cemetery No 1
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About
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Why go
- Above-ground tombs packed onto one city block, holding many thousands of the dead.
- Voodoo figures among the graves of the city's Franco-Louisiana families.
- Tombs and layout that recall Paris's Père-Lachaise cemetery.
Opening hours
Today09:00 – 21:00Show all
Don't miss
- Delphine LaLaurieThe serial killer Delphine LaLaurie is among the notable burials here. On the map
- Paul MorphyOne of the earliest world chess champions is buried here. On the map
- Benjamin LatrobeThe architect who built the city's waterworks is among the notable burials. On the map
- Marie Laveau's Glapion family cryptMarie Laveau, the well-known Voodoo priestess, is probably buried in the Glapion family crypt. On the map
- The Protestant sectionReserved for people of Protestant faith, with few mausoleums and mostly no vaulted tombs.The northwest part of the cemetery On the map
Know before you go
- The Archdiocese closed the cemetery to the general public in 2015, when vandalism was rising.
- Families who own a tomb there can apply for a pass to visit.
- The park service gives free tours here; Save Our Cemeteries and commercial businesses offer paid tours.
Tips for your visit
- Visitors are warned not to come alone, since criminals have been known to target lone tourists.
- The cemetery is on the north side of Basin Street, a two-block walk from the French Quarter and eight blocks from the Mississippi River.
Best time to visit
- Most tours leave early in the morning, while a couple of paid tours start at 1 PM on weekdays.
Interesting facts5
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It is included on the National Register of Historic Places.
Saint Louis Cemetery - Wikipedia -
Alkemia Perfumes made a scent named after the cemetery.
Saint Louis Cemetery - Wikipedia -
Ernest N. Morial, the city's first African-American mayor, is among the burials.
Saint Louis Cemetery - Wikipedia -
Bernard de Marigny, a playboy who introduced craps, is among the notable burials.
Saint Louis Cemetery - Wikipedia -
The cemetery was a filming location for the series The Originals.
Saint Louis Cemetery - Wikipedia
Shorts
History
Esteban Miro introduced above-ground burial, a method popular at the time. Above-ground burial only became nearly universal after 1830. The tombs stand above ground because the water table is too high to dig. Burials have continued here without a break since the cemetery was founded.
- 1788A great fire leads to the city being rebuilt.
- 1789The cemetery opens as the city's main burial ground, replacing the older St. Peter Street Cemetery.
- 1823A first extension opens three blocks away.
- around 1830After epidemics, the city allows only above-ground graves inside its limits.
Sources: Saint Louis Cemetery - Wikipedia · New Orleans/Tremé - Wikivoyage (see) · Saint Louis Cemetery - Wikipedia · Cimetière Saint-Louis de La Nouvelle-Orléans - … · checked 18 Oct 2026
Questions and answers
Is there a fee to tour St Louis Cemetery No 1?
The park service gives free tours here. Paid tours are also offered; check the current price with the tour operator before you go.
Is St Louis Cemetery No 1 open to the general public?
The Archdiocese closed the cemetery to the general public in 2015, when vandalism was rising. Families who own a tomb there can apply for a pass to visit.
How far is St Louis Cemetery No 1 from the French Quarter?
It lies one block beyond the inland edge of the French Quarter, on the north side of Basin Street. It is eight blocks from the Mississippi River.
Is it safe to visit St Louis Cemetery No 1 alone?
Visitors are warned not to come alone, because criminals have been known to target lone tourists.
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