The Catholic tombs are very different in character than those of our Eastern and Northern cities. They are of bricks, much larger than necessary to enclose a single coffin and plastered over, so as to have a very solid and permanent appearance.

Benjamin Latrobe, 1819

Tomb Construction

With the exception of the low step tombs, most of the tombs in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 are designed to contain one or more above ground interments, each in an individual vault. Nearly all tombs, regardless of type or style, are constructed of soft hand made brick with a stucco skin. Only a few ambitious designs are of stone, or faced with stone, usually white marble or limestone. Individual vault openings are sealed by a movable inscribed closure tablet, typically of imported white marble. This allows easy access to the vault for repetitive burials, which was especially necessary in historic times of deadly epidemics. Contrary to common belief, the tradition of above-ground burial has more to do with French and Spanish burial customs than the city's high water table.

In the simplest step tombs, brick was constructed over the coffin allowing only single burials. However, for the majority of the tombs in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, several individual vaults were constructed with flat or barrel vaulted chambers. In many of the tombs, a stone slab, usually slate, was placed over the vault to provide a supportive floor for the next vault, or for the roof. For illustration purposes, each level or tier of vaults can be considered a floor and the caveau, if it exists, can be thought of as the basement. Tombs can be structurally described, as would an architectural building, by the number of floors (tiers) and bays over a basement (caveau) level and covered by a roof of a specific style. The openings in the tomb are created by the vault openings, which are sealed by loose brick and mortar and covered by a closure tablet made historically of marble.

Depending on the tomb style, brickwork was used to form a pediment or a high parapet over the vault openings creating an impressive tomb front. Intricately moulded cornices and pilasters of stucco were often formed over this brickwork and all brickwork was protected by stucco and limewash.

Opening quote: Benjamin Latrobe, March 8th, 1819. This quote can be found in 2 separate publications of the Latrobe’s Journals. From Samuel Wilson, Jr. ed. Impressions Respecting New Orleans by Benjamin Henry Boneval Latrobe: Diary & Sketches 1818-1820. (New York: Columbia University Press, 1951), 82. and Edward C. Carter II, John C. Van Horne, and Lee W. Formwalt, eds. The Journals of Benjamin Henry Latrobe 1799-1820 From Philadelphia to New Orleans, (New Haven: Yale University Press for the Maryland Historical Society, 1980), 241.

Text adapted from St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 Guidelines for Preservation and Restoration. The full document of guidelines can be downloaded as a pdf file. Go There.