St. Louis Cemetery No. 1
7.7Friend Score / 10Known forcemeterymarie laveaunicolas cage tombvoodoo
The city's oldest surviving cemetery (1789) — above-ground tombs including Marie Laveau's and the future resting pyramid of Nicolas Cage. The Archdiocese closed it to unescorted visitors after vandalism, so entry is by licensed guided tour only, about $33 adult, roughly 45 minutes, daily. Fascinating, but it's a paid tour or nothing.
Key facts
| Hours | Daily 09:00–15:45 |
|---|---|
| Price | $$ |
| Phone | — |
| Website | — |
| Nearest transit | Canal Street streetcar to Basin Street, then a short walk; it's at the Quarter's edge near Basin St. Station |
| Time needed | About 1 hour including check-in (tours run ~45 minutes) |
| Best time to go | Morning tours beat the heat — there's zero shade among the tombs |
| Last verified | July 12, 2026 |
Friend Score
7.7/10- Value6.5
- iconic7.5
- Freshness9.2
- Crowd level6.0
- Authenticity8.5
- Accessibility7.5
Frequently asked questions
- Can I visit St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 on my own?
- No — the Archdiocese closed it to the general public after repeated vandalism, and you must enter with a licensed tour. Book through the official tour operator or an authorized company; unticketed visitors are turned away at the gate.
- Why are the tombs above ground?
- Partly the high water table, partly Spanish and French burial custom. The oven-vault system means tombs are reused across generations — your guide will explain the surprisingly practical mechanics, which is half the tour's fun.
- How much does the St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 tour cost?
- Standard adult tickets run around $33, with discounts for seniors, kids, and military, and after-dark tours from about $49. Tours run daily roughly 9am to 3:45pm and last about 45 minutes.
- Is the cemetery tour worth $33?
- If you care about New Orleans history, burial culture, or Laveau lore, yes — the guides are good and the place is singular. If you just want atmospheric tomb photos, the Garden District's Lafayette Cemetery area scratches a similar itch for less.
- Is St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 wheelchair accessible?
- The paths are old, uneven shell-and-gravel — manageable but bumpy for wheelchairs, with the gathering point at the Basin Street entrance. Contact the tour operator ahead; they accommodate where they can.
- How do I book the official cemetery tour?
- Book online in advance at cemeterytourneworleans.com (the Archdiocese-sanctioned operation) — tours cap group sizes and popular times sell out. Same-day walk-up works only when slots remain.
- Is the Nicolas Cage pyramid actually there?
- Yes — a nine-foot stainless-looking pyramid tomb he bought for his eventual use, sitting oddly among the 18th-century vaults. It's on every tour route and gets more photos than Marie Laveau.
- Is Marie Laveau really buried in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1?
- The tomb long identified as hers is here, and it's the tour's centerpiece — though historians still debate the details. Don't mark the tomb with Xs; that tradition is vandalism and part of why the cemetery closed to the public.
Nearby in Ask New Orleans
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- Peychaud's BarBar0.54 km · 7 min walk
- Preservation HallAttraction0.58 km · 7 min walk
- The Historic New Orleans CollectionMuseum0.6 km · 8 min walk
Where to stay near St. Louis Cemetery No. 1
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