Cemeteries aren’t anything necessarily special to New Orleans, but our cemeteries certainly stand out. Rows and rows of above-ground tombs create for a unique aesthetic you don’t see just anywhere else. New Orleans cemeteries are often referred to as “Cities of the Dead” because of these hauntingly beautiful tombs. We’ve found some of the most beautiful photographs of some of the oldest cemeteries in the city, so let’s take a look.

1.

The Real Cloud2013/Flickr There’s something so hauntingly beautiful about black and white photographs, and particularly photographs of cemeteries.

2.

Peyton Stanton/Flickr Lafayette Cemetery was established in 1833.

3.

Michael Estigoy/Flickr More than 7,000 people are buried here. It’s a non-segregated, non-denominational cemetery and there are immigrants from over 25 different countries buried here.

4.

SC Cunningham/Flickr It’s the oldest city-owned and operated cemetery in New Orleans. It was named for the old city of Lafayette, which was eventually incorporated into New Orleans.

5.

Mark Gunn/Flickr Lafayette Cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic places in 1972.

6.

Alyce B./Trip Advisor St. Louis Cemetery no. 1 is the oldest of the three Roman Catholic cemeteries in New Orleans.

7.

Sandra J./Trip Advisor It was opened in 1789, and replaced St. Peter Cemetery, which is no longer in existence.

8.

Scott McDonough/Flickr St. Louis Cemetery is the final resting place of well-known New Orleanians such as Homer Plessy, Marie Laveau, Delphine LaLaurie, and many more.

9.

GabbieV/Trip Advisor St. Louis No. 2 was established in 1823, and added to the National Register of Historic places in 1975.

10.

GabbieV/Trip Advisor Notable New Orleanians buried here include Danny Barker and Ernie K. Doe among many others.

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The Real Cloud2013/Flickr

There’s something so hauntingly beautiful about black and white photographs, and particularly photographs of cemeteries.

Peyton Stanton/Flickr

Lafayette Cemetery was established in 1833.

Michael Estigoy/Flickr

More than 7,000 people are buried here. It’s a non-segregated, non-denominational cemetery and there are immigrants from over 25 different countries buried here.

SC Cunningham/Flickr

It’s the oldest city-owned and operated cemetery in New Orleans. It was named for the old city of Lafayette, which was eventually incorporated into New Orleans.

Mark Gunn/Flickr

Lafayette Cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic places in 1972.

Alyce B./Trip Advisor

St. Louis Cemetery no. 1 is the oldest of the three Roman Catholic cemeteries in New Orleans.

Sandra J./Trip Advisor

It was opened in 1789, and replaced St. Peter Cemetery, which is no longer in existence.

Scott McDonough/Flickr

St. Louis Cemetery is the final resting place of well-known New Orleanians such as Homer Plessy, Marie Laveau, Delphine LaLaurie, and many more.

GabbieV/Trip Advisor

St. Louis No. 2 was established in 1823, and added to the National Register of Historic places in 1975.

Notable New Orleanians buried here include Danny Barker and Ernie K. Doe among many others.

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