St. Louis Cemetery #1 - New Orleans, LA (The Gravesite of Marie Laveau)

300 North Claiborne Ave.

New Orleans, LA 70112

29.959107,-90.071276

www.arch-no.org

As unique as New Orleans food, architecture and overall way of living, so are its cemeteries. Used in many types of artwork and for backdrops in numerous movies, there is definitely a certain lore that cannot be found anywhere else. Huge ornate crypts lined in rows seem to come alive at times, with a unique amount of personal touches often added to them. Obviously, the wealthier the family, the more luxurious and decorative the tombs were. Above ground burials in New Orleans are the basic norm. Most people think the sole reason for this is due to the low-lying land, as no one wants to see the deceased pop out the ground after the first good flood. Although that is a major reason, this method of burial is equally associated with French and Spanish tradition.

Strolling through any given cemetery in the city, it appears that there is no such thing as a new cemetery or even a new grave for that matter, as everything seems to be so old. One of the reasons for this is, quite simply, the fact that they are all that old! Burial land in New Orleans lessens while people continue dying. As time goes, the gap grows! Most families have been forced to recycle most tombs, which is another advantage to having above ground crypts. Poor old Grandma Edna has been at rest for forty years. She was loved, she will be missed, but she needs to scoot over and make room for Uncle Normand. Bluntly put, but it is true; the older remains are often shoved down a back compartment to allow a new casket to be put in its place.