As Above, No Longer Below: A Brief History of New Orleans Cemeteries

Valance Street Cemetery

The City of New Orleans is famous for several distinct things, one being our above-ground cemeteries. New Orleans cemeteries are an intricate part of the city’s culture and folklore. There’s a running joke that in New Orleans there are just as many homes for the living as there are for the dead. With over 42 cemeteries in the New Orleans area, the city not only offers a great deal of real estate but an overwhelming amount of choices for your final resting place as well.

Since New Orleans is a city surrounded by water and heavily affected by hurricanes and floods, early settlers struggled with the proper way to bury their loved ones. If you strike up a conversation with an elder in the city, they’ll tell you tales of how when great floods happened, caskets would rise and float around which caused cemetery owners to seek a better solution for burials. Following Latin culture, New Orleanians began to build tombs and mausoleums to house the remains of their loved ones. The above-ground tombs and mausoleums were carefully crafted and artfully arranged, containing details of ironworks that gave them the appearance of a mystical neighborhood, earning New Orleans cemeteries the nickname: Cities of the Dead.

Now, New Orleans cemeteries no longer act as just a burial place but a main tourist attraction. Like eating beignets at Cafe Du Monde, cemetery tours are a must-do when you visit New Orleans. Besides their alluring presence and character drawing you in, there is an immense amount of history that lies within New Orleans cemeteries, literally.

Save Our Cemeteries is a non-profit organization that assists New Orleans tourists book cemetery tours, then donates the proceeds to ensure historic cemeteries remain well-preserved. Their mission is to protect New Orleans cemeteries through restoration, education, and advocacy. Each tour entails a guided excursion of the city’s most famous cemeteries, detailing their history and unique stories. What’s better than participating in a fun, learning experience that benefits a good cause?

Whether you are visiting the city or reside here, be sure to partake in a cemetery tour this spooky season. With so many locations to choose from, it will be difficult to choose what Cities of the Dead is your favorite.

Join Save Our Cemeteries for their annual fundraising event Run/Walk Through History on November 7th, 2021.

For a list of Rêve listings that are closest to famous New Orleans cemeteries click here.