cemeteries

The above-ground tombs in the cemeteries of New Orleans, "cities of the dead," are decorative, rusty ironwork, bleached by the sun. Crosses and statues on tomb tops cast contrasting shadows adding a sense of mystery.

Burial plots are shallow in New Orleans because the water table is high. Dig a few feet down, and the grave becomes soggy, filling with water. The casket will literally float. Over the years, various methods were tried: stones were placed in and on top of coffins to weigh them down and keep them underground; but after a rainstorm, the rising water table would literally pop the airtight coffins out of the ground. (Think about it...doesn't this seem perfect fodder for some crazy Freddy Krueger movie?) Even today, unpredictable flooding still lifts an occasional coffin out of the ground in places generally considered safe from flooding and above the water table.

Another method was to bore holes in the coffins, but this also proved to be unsuitable, & eventually New Orleans' graves were kept above ground following the Spanish custom of using vaults.

The walls of these cemeteries are made up of vaults stacked on top of one another. Wealthier families could afford the larger ornate tombs with crypts. Some family tombs look like miniature houses with iron fences. Rows of tombs resemble streets.

Metairie cemeteries are newer; the older, more dilapidated cemeteries are St. Louis No. 1, 2 and 3, located near the French Quarter. The paths are twisted, you'll see crumbling corners of granite, and dead ends add to the eerieness of the area. Pirates, politicians and voodoo queens are buried in these cities. Flowers, votive candles and hoodoo money (coins left for favors) are left at many of the notable graves, particularly Marie Laveau, the notorious Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. It is said that some still practice rituals at her grave; if you visit Marie Laveau's grave, you should turn around three times - either clockwise or counter clockwise - knock three times and make a wish.