The city’s oldest extant cemetery, accessible only through authorized guided entry under current rules. Tour operator, schedule, and visitor policies must be verified directly.
Why It’s Worth Your Time
St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is historically and architecturally significant, but access is controlled. Use the current authorized tour information, follow all preservation rules, and do not mark tombs or leave objects. Avoid presenting folklore about Marie Laveau as established fact.
What Stands Out
- Oldest cemetery in New Orleans (1789) — Spanish Colonial above-ground vaults
- Alleged tomb of Marie Laveau — Voodoo Queen of New Orleans
- Above-ground burial required due to below-sea-level geography
- Guided tour only entry — Save Our Cemeteries runs official tours
- One of the great urban cemetery experiences in the Americas