[St. Louis 1] is the mother cemetery ... the Vieux Carré of the dead; as confused and closely packed a quarter as the living metropolis ...

Grace King, 1895

City of the Dead

The history of buildings, people and cultuaral traditions at the cemetery provides many interesting facts. Early travelers referred to this as a 'City of the Dead' because the density of tombs reminded them of the urban city just outside the gates.

St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is over 200 years old. Follow the links to discover the tombs, customs and people in this famous cemetery.

• Overview - Short history of St. Louis Cemetery No. 1
• Tombs - Explanation of tomb types
• Burial Custom - How the tombs are used and re-used
• Jazz - Many 'Jazz Greats' are buried in the cemeteries of New Orleans
• Key People - The site map highlighted by well-known 'residents'
• Color Me - What color would your tomb be?
• Listen - Listen to family and visitors at St. Louis Cemetery No. 1
• Tomb Search - Search for specific tombs by name or number