Metairie Cemetery, New Orleans image via Wiki Commons

Does a tour through the “City of the dead” perk your interest? New Orleans is known for the way locals use over-ground mausoleums to entomb the dead, instead of the traditional below-ground burial used to other states.

If you’re visiting “the Big Easy,” then you have to visit the cities cemeteries, it’s an eerie experience you won’t forget in a hurry. Take a tour in New Orleans through these sanctuaries of the dead.

St. Louis Cemetery No. 3

The cemetery is for the artists. St. Louis Cemetery No. 3, found on Esplanade Avenue close to City Park, Bayou St. John, and the historic New Orleans Museum of Art. This cemetery is one of the city’s largest and home to the final resting place of Storyville photographer E. J. Bellocq.

Take a tour through the cemetery, or wander around yourself and gaze in wonder at the Masonic designs and detailed Greek Orthodox vaults. Accessing this site is possible through the French Quarter via the #91 Jackson-Esplanade bus line.

Metairie Cemetery

Finding a cemetery in New Orleans isn’t as challenging as you think. Hop on one of the Canal St. streetcars marked “Cemeteries” and ride it to the end of the line where you’ll find Metairie Cemetery. After jumping off the tram, take a short walk to the original entrance of the site, at the corner of Pontchartrain Blvd. and Metairie Road. Continue reading →