Cemeteries

Along with Spanish moss and lacy iron balconies, the cities of the dead are part of the indelible landscape of New Orleans. Their ghostly and inscrutable presence enthralls visitors, who are used to traditional methods of burial -- in the ground or in mausoleums.

Why are bodies here buried above ground? Well, it rains in New Orleans -- a lot -- sometimes to flooding. Soon after New Orleans was settled, it became apparent that Uncle Etienne had an unpleasant habit of bobbing back to the surface (doubtless no longer looking his best). Add to that cholera and yellow-fever epidemics, which helped increase the number of bodies and also the infection possibility. Given that the cemetery of the time was inside the Vieux Carré, it's all pretty disgusting to think about.

So in 1789 the city opened St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, right outside the city walls (which no longer exist) on what is now Rampart Street. The "condo crypt" look -- the dead are placed in vaults that look like miniature buildings -- was inspired to a certain extent by the famous Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris. Crypts were laid out haphazardly in St. Louis No. 1, which quickly filled up. Other cemeteries soon followed and eventually were incorporated into the city proper. Each has designated lanes, making for a more orderly appearance. The rows of tombs look something like a city, where the dead inhabitants peer over the shoulders of the living.

There are two types of these functional crypts: the aforementioned "family vaults" and the "oven crypts" -- so called because of their resemblance to bread ovens in a wall. A coffin is slid inside, and the combination of heat and humidity acts like a slow form of cremation. In a year or so, the occupant's bones are pushed to the back, coffin pieces are removed, and another coffin can be inserted. In the larger family vaults (made of whitewashed brick), there are a couple of shelves and the same thing happens. As family members die, the bones are swept into a pit below, and everyone eventually lies jumbled together. The result is sometimes dozens of names, going back generations, on a single spot. It's a very efficient use of cemetery space, far more so than conventional sweeping expanses of graveyard landscaping.

For many years, New Orleans cemeteries were in shambles. Crypts lay open, exposing their pitiful contents -- if they weren't robbed of them -- bricks, shattered marble tablets, even bones, lay strewn around. Several of the worst eyesores have been cleaned up, though others still remain in deplorable shape. Most of the restoration and cleanup efforts are spearheaded by the nonprofit Save Our Cemeteries (www.saveourcemeteries.org). Consider throwing a few, um, bones their way, especially since cemetery access is usually free. The website accepts online donations.

A faux voodoo practice continues in some of the St. Louis cemeteries, where visitors scrawl Xs on the tombs. Please don't do this; not only is it a made-up voodoo ritual, but it also destroys the fragile tombs.

Concerns were high for the fate of the iconic cemeteries during the disaster days, but "the system worked": The tombs survived unscathed, except for some high-water marks much like those borne by any other flooded structure.

For more information, we highly recommend Robert Florence's New Orleans Cemeteries: Life in the Cities of the Dead (Batture Press, 1997). It's full of photos, facts, and human-interest stories and is available at bookstores throughout the city.

Safety First

You may be warned against going to the cemeteries alone and urged to go with a scheduled tour group. Thanks to the cemeteries' location and layout -- some are in dicey neighborhoods, and the crypts obscure threats to your safety -- visitors have historically been prime pickings for muggers and so forth. Cemeteries with better security and in better neighborhoods (or accessible to cars) are probably fine. Ironically, two of the most hazardous, St. Louis No. 1 and Lafayette No. 1, are often so full of tour groups that they're fairly safe. So although this is no longer such a serious issue, a good tour is fun and informative, so why not take the precaution? If you're going to make a day of the cemeteries, think about renting a car. You won't be driving through horrendous downtown traffic, you can visit tombs farther away and at your own pace, and you'll feel safer.

Some Cemeteries You Could See on Your Own -- If you decide to visit Cypress grove, the Katrina Memorial, Metairie Cemetery or St. Louis No. 3 on your own, please exercise caution. Most of these cemeteries (such as St. Louis No. 3 and Metairie) have offices that can sometimes provide maps; if they run out, they will give you directions to any grave location you like. All have sort-of-regular hours -- figure from 9am to 4pm as a safe bet.