Lafayette Cemetery No 1

Lonely Planet review

Established in 1833 by the former City of Lafayette, this cemetery is divided by two intersecting footpaths that form a cross. Fraternal organizations and groups, such as the Jefferson Fire Company No 22, took care of their members and their families in large shared crypts. Some of the wealthier family tombs were built of marble, with elaborate detail rivaling the finest architecture in the district. But most tombs were constructed simply of inexpensive plastered brick.

You'll notice many German and Irish names on the aboveground graves, testifying that immigrants were devastated by 19th- century yellow-fever epidemics. Not far from the entrance is a tomb containing the remains of an entire family that died of yellow fever.

The cemetery was filled within decades of it opening, and before the surrounding neighborhood reached its greatest affluence. By 1872, the prestigious Metairie Cemetery had already opened and its opulent grounds appealed to those with truly extravagant and flamboyant tastes.

An unusual event occurred at Lafayette Cemetery in July 1995, when author Anne Rice, who lives just a few blocks away, staged her own funeral here. She hired a horse-drawn hearse and a brass band to play dirges, and she wore an antique wedding dress as she laid down in a coffin - because, she said, she wanted to experience her funeral before she was dead. (The newsworthy stunt coincided with the release of one of Rice's novels, so it wasn't pure frivolity.)

As with all the cemeteries in New Orleans, there is no security and sometimes lone visitors might be at risk within the secluded grounds. A good way to see the cemetery is to join a tour, or coincide your visit with a tour so that you're not alone on the grounds. The gates close early - don't get locked in!