The lovely tree-filled grounds of Lafayette Cemetery were established in 1833, and it is the oldest of the city-owned and operated cemeteries in New Orleans.

More than 7,000 people are buried in the cemetery, which occupies a space roughly equivalent to a single city block.

The cemetery was named for the old city of Lafayette, now incorporated into New Orleans, and was added to the National Register of Historic places in 1972.

Known for their distinctive above ground burials and particularly lovely monuments, New Orleans’ historic cemeteries are all worth exploring, including Saint Louis Cemetery #1 (home to the tomb of “Voodoo Queen” Marie Laveau), St. Louis Cemetery #2, and the racetrack-shaped Metairie Cemetery.

If you love the show The Originals, then you might recognize this cemetery as the home of the witches. All the scenes that take place in a cemetery were filmed here.

Update as of November 2020: Lafayette #1 is currently closed for repairs.