Lafayette Cemetery No. 1

Cemetery · Garden District

Lafayette Cemetery No. 1

Cemetery · Garden District

1427 Washington Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130

Highlights

Historic cemetery with above-ground tombs and statuary

1427 Washington Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130 Get directions

nola.gov

@atlasobscura

Famous Cemeteries in New Orleans

"The lovely tree-filled grounds of Lafayette Cemetery were established in 1833, and it is the oldest of the city-owned and operated cemeteries in New Orleans. More than 7,000 people are buried in the cemetery, which occupies a space roughly equivalent to a single city block. The cemetery was named for the old city of Lafayette, now incorporated into New Orleans, and was added to the National Register of Historic places in 1972. Known for their distinctive above ground burials and particularly lovely monuments, New Orleans’ historic cemeteries are all worth exploring, including Saint Louis Cemetery #1 (home to the tomb of “Voodoo Queen” Marie Laveau), St. Louis Cemetery #2, and the racetrack-shaped Metairie Cemetery. If you love the show The Originals, then you might recognize this cemetery as the home of the witches. All the scenes that take place in a cemetery were filmed here. Update as of November 2020: Lafayette #1 is currently closed for repairs." - ATLAS_OBSCURA

https://www.atlasobscura.com/lists/famous-cemeteries-in-new-orleans

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@afar

"Embark on a Cemetery Crawl New Orleans' cemeteries are part of the city's culture as well as its landscape—and St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is the oldest and most famous. Opened in 1789 on the edge of the French Quarter, the cemetery is home to the tomb of Marie Laveau, a free woman of color who earned a reputation as the city's most powerful voodoo queen in the 1800s. Her tomb is littered with tributes (money, alcohol, candy, trinkets) left by those who hope the queen will grant their desires from beyond the grave. In the Garden District, Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 made a cameo in several movies, including Interview with a Vampire and Double Jeopardy . Save Our Cemeteries, a non-profit dedicated to cemetery restoration and preservation, runs tours of both St. Louis No. 1 and Lafayette No. 1."

The Best Things to Do in New Orleans

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What to Do in New Orleans

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@cntraveler

The Best New Orleans Tours, from Cemeteries to Street Art

"Spend two hours walking around the Garden District and one of NOLA's most grand burial grounds with guides whose love of history and New Orleans' rich culture rings out loud and clear. It's okay to geek out seeing the current and former homes of larger-than-life figures like Trent Reznor, Nicolas Cage, and Anne Rice. History buffs are much better suited for this tour than ghost hunters and Goths." - Paul Oswell

https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/best-tours-in-new-orleans

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Bebe Finnell

Google

Wandering through the Garden District in New Orleans feels like stepping into another time, where ornate architecture, history, and atmosphere combine into a living story. My self guided walking tour brought me face-to-face with Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 one of the city’s most hauntingly beautiful landmarks. The first challenge was maneuvering my arm through the ornate wrought iron gate just to capture the photos. The ironwork itself felt like an introduction to the cemetery’s artistry, elegant yet impenetrable, guarding centuries of memory. Inside, the above ground tombs rise like miniature marble houses, their aging façades streaked with time and weather. Cracks spider through the stone, moss clings to corners, and names long forgotten peek out from fading inscriptions. Each tomb seemed to whisper a different story of families, of traditions, of the city itself. What truly set the mood were the leaves scattered across the grounds. The fall foliage was in the process of transforming the cemetery into something cinematic, as if nature itself had decided to stage a production just in time for Halloween. The golden and rust colored leaves draped the tombs, carpeting the pathways, and casting long shadows in the afternoon light. It was equal parts reverent and theatrical walking through felt like being part of a quiet, ongoing ritual where life, death, and art intermingle. A self-guided tour means you can linger, pause, and let the weight of history settle in. And trust me, with every photo and every corner turned, Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 delivers an unforgettable sense of beauty in decay.

Maui World Travelers

Google

The Lafayette Cemetery # 1 was the last stop on our French Quarter Phantom's Garden District Tour. While this can't compare to the Recoleta Cemetery's (Buenos Aires) grandeur, it was still interesting to see but our guide's information was the best part. THE GROUNDS: High walls surround the city block-sized cemetery which opened in 1833 and is full of mausoleums and tombs of all styles, shaded by old magnolia trees. A lack of greenery and poshness is its only downfall. We learned that there is a proper way to be buried in the Big Easy due to the area's shallow water table, the rules of family interment, and the gruesome facts of "natural cremation". While some of its residents were well-known, none of their names rang a bell for me. A few mausoleums stood out, including a white one made out of metal that inspired author Anne Rice in her book Interview With The Vampire, one of my least favorite movies, LOL. One grave in particular wasn't properly dug which resulted in human remains surfacing above ground and are still visible today. OVERALL: A definite highlight of our tour but not the most compelling graveyard we've been to.

Nicholas P

Google

I came here before they were temporarily closed but I wanted to share some pictures. I loved seeing the craftsmanship because as you can see not all of them look the same. It’s like the perfect cemetery for a horror movie or show, walking around here at night would give you creepy, spine chilling vibes. It was free to visit and we didn’t do any tours. We drove here but parking was limited.

Wil Westall

Google

Beautiful private cemetery. Lots of people were trying to get in but it is locked and you must call and have family there is the only way I believe.

Olivia Jackson

Google

Unfortunately it was closed when we tried to go see it, but it looked cool from the gate! Would still recommend walking by and taking a peak inside.

Louis and Elaine

Google

The cemetery is closed to entry. You may occasionally see people coming or going but they are there to maintain the tombs. You can see quite a bit through the locked iron gates if you walk around the perimeter. The Lafayette Cemetery Number One is the oldest cemetery in what was the City of Lafayette. Lafayette was later incorporated into New Orleans. The above ground tombs are varied and in some ways quite beautiful.

Jamie L. Lemay

Google

We only had 20 minutes to explore before the cemetery closed, but it was a worthy experience. There were a couple of guided tours happening nearby and we heard a few interesting tidbits of info. Definitely a quintessential point of interest in NOLA.

isarel ochoa

Google

Lafayette Cemetery No.1 is beautiful. Lafayette is surrounded with tall wonderful big trees. You can walk around outside the cemetery under the shade, you can enjoy the historic age white brick tall wall also see four metal gates. You see through the gates and take look at the victorian gothic victorian mausoleum. I can’t say to much come check it out.