Lafayette Cemetery Tours

Lafayette Cemetery showing signage, a memorial and a cemetery
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History lessons andphotographic opportunities abound in this famous cemetery, a final restingplace for New Orleans residents since 1833.

Covering a block inthe Gardens District of NewOrleans, a National Historic Landmark District, the cemetery's grid-like layoutmirrors the layout of the surrounding city. The cemetery took its name from theoriginal settlement of Lafayette, which over time was annexed by the boomingcity of New Orleans. Lafayette Cemetery No. 2 began in 1850 and is located justnorth of here.

Walk through thegates of the cemetery and slip back in time. Two avenues form a neat crossthrough the graveyard, making it easy to navigate. Wander through the rows oftombs and crypts. Their epitaphs trace the city’s history, from its Creolebeginnings, through periods of plague and war. Just like New Orleans, thisnon-denominational cemetery is a true melting pot the remains of immigrantsfrom over 25 countries are buried here.

The cemetery featuresvarious types of graves, from the simple “ovens,” or wall vaults, which linethe perimeters, to family tombs and group memorials. Keep an eye out for themonument to the deceased “woodmen of the world,” and the shared crypt of thecity’s “destitute orphan boys.” Interestingly, thisis regarded as one of the most haunted burial grounds in the United States.Make sure you take your camera you may photograph more than you planned on.Over the decades visitors have reported sightings of ghostly figures, feelingcold spots and hearing strange scraping sounds amongst the tombs. Little wondergothic fiction author Anne Rice has used the cemetery as a setting for severalof her novels.

Be careful where youstep as subsidence over the years has caused some of the monuments to sink,while others have been dislodged by the roots of ancient trees, giving thecemetery an eerie feel. The grounds have appeared in a number of films,including Interview with the Vampire and Double Jeopardy.

LafayetteCemetery is lovingly maintained by the Save Our Cemeteries Group, which runsinformative one-hour tours from Mondays to Saturdays. The cemetery is openevery day except Sunday. The St. Charles streetcar stops close by, and if youstill have an appetite after your visit, one of the city’s most popularrestaurants, Commander's Palace, is right across the road.

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Reviews of Lafayette Cemetery

4.3
Top Destination
5 - Excellent
380
" "5 - Excellent 43.47826086956522%
4 - Good
396
" "4 - Good 45.30892448512586%
3 - Okay
86
" "3 - Okay 9.839816933638444%
2 - Disappointing
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" "2 - Disappointing 1.2585812356979404%
1 - Terrible
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" "1 - Terrible 0.11441647597254005%

2/5 - Disappointing

Verified traveler
Jan 23, 2020

Closed for repairs.

3/5 - Okay

Verified traveler
Dec 10, 2019

Closed, even though we saw no workers or activities going on. Seems like it could have been opened on days when nothing was being done.

3/5 - Okay

Verified traveler
Nov 29, 2019

Only able to see from outside. Closed indefinitely.

2/5 - Disappointing

Verified traveler
Nov 26, 2019

Closed for maintenance work

3/5 - Okay

Verified traveler
Nov 8, 2019

unfortunately it was closed to the public when we went. it would have been nice if out tour would have notified us. we were on the garden district/cemetery tour

2/5 - Disappointing

Verified traveler
Oct 26, 2019

Found the cemetery but they were filming something in the cemetery so it was closed ☹️

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