Discover Lafayette Cemetery in New Orleans

Planning a visit to New Orleans? Then don’t miss your chance to visit Lafayette Cemetery, one of the oldest cemeteries in the city. This above-ground burial site, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, contains approximately 1,100 family tombs and more than 10,000 people. The cemetery, located in the heart of the historic Garden District, is bounded by Washington Avenue, Prytania Street, Sixth Street, and Coliseum Street.

Moreover, if you are a movie buff, parts of the cemetery may seem familiar because it is a popular setting for films filmed in New Orleans. Notable films made here include “Double Jeopardy” and “Dracula 2000.” Author Anne Rice’s Mayfair witches and the vampire Lestat even have fictional tombs here.

Lafayette Cemetery History

Built in the area once known as the City of Lafayette, the cemetery was officially established in 1833. The land was previously part of the Livaudais Plantation, and burials had taken place in the square since 1824. While the first available burial records date back to August 3, 1843, the cemetery had been in use even prior to that.

Designed by Benjamin Buisson, the cemetery features two intersecting roads that divide the property into four quadrants. In 1852, New Orleans annexed the City of Lafayette, thus designating it as the city cemetery and marking it as the first planned cemetery in New Orleans.

However, over the years, Lafayette Cemetery fell into disrepair, with many tombs being vandalized or deteriorating. Fortunately, thanks to the organization Save Our Cemeteries, extensive restoration and preservation efforts have taken place, and Lafayette Cemetery is now open for tours.

Impact of Yellow Fever

A staggering 241 burials occurred in Lafayette Cemetery in 1841, all victims of yellow fever. The outbreak in 1847 saw approximately 3,000 deaths, with around 613 individuals buried in Lafayette. The catastrophic outbreak of 1853 led to over 8,000 deaths, leaving numerous bodies at the cemetery gates. Consequently, many of those who perished were immigrants and flatboat men laboring on the Mississippi River.

Tombs in Lafayette Cemetery

In addition to the stunning architecture, Lafayette Cemetery features wall vaults, or “ovens,” lining its perimeter, much like the St. Roch and St. Louis cemetery properties, both owned by the city. Notable tombs here include the Smith and Dumestre family tomb, located in Section 2, with 37 names inscribed alongside dates extending from 1861 to 1997. Veterans of various wars, including Civil War veterans and a member of the French Foreign Legion, are also buried within these sacred grounds. Among them is Brigadier General Harry T. Hays of the Confederate Army, laid to rest beneath a monument featuring a broken column. Moreover, eight tombs refer to the deceased as “consorts,” while many tombs indicate causes of death such as yellow fever, apoplexy, and lightning strikes.

Several distinctive monuments mark the resting places of the deceased affiliated with “Woodmen of the World,” an insurance company offering a “monument benefit.” The tomb of the Brunies family, known for their jazz legacy, can also be found here. Group tombs are present for the Lafayette Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1, Chalmette Fire Co. No. 32, and Jefferson Fire Company No. 22. One unique square, known as the Secret Garden, hosts four tombs built by friends, “the Quarto,” who wished to be buried together. According to Save Our Cemeteries, the Quarto held clandestine meetings, but the last member ultimately destroyed its book of notes. The only remnants of their existence are two keys, transformed into brooches, which are now held by their descendants.

Lafayette Cemetery Hours and Tours

The cemetery is open daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., except on major holidays. Tours occur twice daily at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., departing from the gate at the 1400 block of Washington Avenue and lasting 90 minutes. It’s important to note that if fewer than three reservations are made in advance, tours will be canceled two hours before the scheduled time, and refunds will be provided.