Strolling through a cemetery might not be the first thing you think about doing when you’re visiting another city, but when Lauren mentioned that when her friends come to town, one of the stops she makes with them is to one of the local cemeteries, I thought that would be a brilliant thing to photograph.
A bit morbid perhaps, but a New Orleans cemetary is like none that I’ve ever seen in the South, at least in my part of the South.
Stately and majestic tombs are lined up one after the other. No simple headstones in these cemeteries, they are something to behold. Take a look and you’ll see what I mean.
Beautiful structures with obelisk type steeples, they are amazing to look at.
Like tiny granite and marble houses. 
All different colors, shapes and sizes.
And inspired by many parts of the world, from looking at them.
Egyptian pyramids, yes? 
Aren’t they beautiful? It was awe-inspiring to walk around and photograph them.
With their aged statues adorning many of them, these angels were standing guard. 
Crosses on top of many.
These angels were my favorite, blue skies above their wings.
Even with the age showing on many of them, they are still beautiful.
I’ve never seen the likes of these in Georgia. 
These urns, I loved. Urns are some of my favorite shapes.
Another angel gracing the top.
Who could imagine that touring a cemetery could be so awe-inspiring? Now, I’m convinced.
Here’s a funny cemetery story that I can share with you from my childhood. You usually don’t think of cemeteries as being funny, but this one is.
When me and my sister were little, I was about 4, she would have been 6, my dad pastored a small church in the panhandle of Florida. Next door to our little parsonage was the church with adjoining cemetery. Naturally, my sister and I played in the cemetery with our dolls and stuff, placing them on the graves as our doll beds.
What? You never did that? OK, so we are weird, we definitely did that.
One day, and I don’t remember why we had this, but we had some of those to-go packages of ketchup with us out there playing. Somehow my sister stepped on one of them and ketchup went flying all over me from head to toe.
I ran home screaming and crying to my mom, who of course, immediately thought that I was bleeding profusely and was about to have a heart attack until it was actually determined to be ketchup all over her baby. I think she got a few gray hairs over that one, but it’s a true story. 🙂
So, you just never know when you might be hanging out in a cemetery, do you?
Rhoda, these are gorgeous! I grew up in a tiny little town in Indiana (Pop. 87) and our playground was the cemetary. There was a baby angel on one of the graves and I always loved her. When I went back to Indian a few years ago, it was one of the first places I went to see and photograph. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Rhoda-
Cute story. I can remember my own sister and I playing in a nearby cemetery when we were little. We didn’t find it creepy at all – except if there was a sunken hole near a grave – we stayed away from those sites 🙂
Your photos remind me of the cemetery scene in the movie Double Jeopardy with Ashley Judd and Tommy Lee Jones. She gets locked into a coffin in one of the mausoleums. Scary suspense!
My best- Diane
This cemetery also reminded me of the same movie! Wondered if this was where those scenes were filmed.
I thought the same thing!
I have a *weird* story about that movie… I grew up in New Orleans and one of my best friend’s mom’s name is Libby Parsons (the same name as the character Ashley Judd plays ) and her dad’s name was David (the same name as Ashley’s husband). AND they lived on the same street as the characters in the movie. It was like the writers looked in the local phone book, picked a name and street address and used it for the movie. pertty crazy
Rhoda, just FYI for you and your readers. Because so much of the area is below sea level, coffins did not readily stay in the ground but rather floated to the top. It only took a heavy rain to raise the dead. To address the problem, antebellum authorities at times prohibited interment in the ground. Thus, most south Louisianians were, and still are, buried above the earth’s surface in the little grave houses that you saw. I’ve never seen the cemeteries there, but they sure are beautiful. Thanks for sharing!
Those are beautiful photo’s. I’ve always wanted to visit that cemetary. The architecture there is so amazing. Ever since I saw the movie Double Jeopardy I’ve been trying to visit, but haven’t yet.
Thanks for sharing ……I always enjoy your Blog. Have a great weekend. erica 🙂
Oh, how I love cemeteries. Yes, I understand that is nuts. But I think you will understand. I lived 2 streets over from a huge cemetery in Kentucky. I learned to ride my bike there, I went sled riding there. I learned family history there, picnicking there too. I find them so peaceful and wonderful places. Currently I live near a cemetery and I run through it during the summer. Great pictures, too by the way.
You captured great pictures of New Orleans cemetery. I’ve been to “The Big Easy” twice but never had enough time to wander through the cemetery.
Dee
P.S. My husband also played in the cemetery as a child.
I spent the first 12 years of my life in West Monroe, LA, but sadly never went to New Orleans. Would love to have seen that city back then — that would be some 50 years ago). I did go our local cemetery with my grandmother a number of times to visit the graves of my great-grandparents, & I remember being fascinated with all the big stones and shrines. I was always cautioned not to walk on the grave areas because that was disrespectful. Your photos are lovely.
CAS
I have toured the cemeteries in NOLA too, they are beautiful. I have always loved the history of cemeteries, and never have been afraid of them. I only visit during daylight, at night I am sure they can be spooky.
These pictures remind me of the movie, Double Jeopardy. Ashley Judd is trapped in a coffin in one of the mausoleums in a New Orleans Cemetery. It always gives me the creeps!! But she shoots her way out. If you have not seen this movie, it is a good one. I love cemeteries as well. I had a chance to go to an old cemetery in Vermont and I loved one of the epitaphs…it gave the name of the deceased and then stated, died while on a trip for his health. Sorry but I found that amusing. Loving all your New Orleans posts. Looks like you made many nice memories with your mom, sis and niece.
In addition to what Sharon said, the bodies are placed in the top of the tombs where they literally bake for a year and a day, and then they are dumped on top of the others @ the bottom. Names are added as they are interred. Kinda gross, but our family has one in New Orleans.
This brings back memories for me. One of my closest friends is buried in a cemetery in New Orleans that looks so similar to this one. When I have visited her grave, I have walked around the cemetery to see who is around her. Admirals, Generals, Judges…even Ruth Chris. She surrounded by very interesting people…with some magnificent tombs. It’s very interesting to see how elaborate and detailed they are.
Rhoda, I love your pictures! I grew up in NOLA going to a school that was surrounded by cemetaries. Greenwood, Metairie, Fireman’s and Lakewood. I can definitely relate to playing in them when I was little. But, I did get chased out of one ones by an old lady with a broom.
how can something that speaks of death be so beautiful? these urns and monuments are simply lovely.
We took a guided tour to a cemetery in New Orleans; it may be the same one that you have pictured. It was fascinating; as Ricki Jill explained, some of the tombs contain remains of several people and some even generations of one family. (How’s that for family togetherneses?) We were also shown an area that surrounded the individual tombs; it was a wall of tombs, sort of like the interior of a modern-day mausoleum. Some of them were in various states of disrepair; some had chunks of the door missing so that the interior was exposed to the elements. I won’t go into his description of what happened from there, but he said that in many cases, the tomb was simply reclaimed if it wasn’t maintained and resold. A beautiful and fascinating (and sometimes disturbing) place to visit!
what an awesome photographer you are! Great pics, I love old cemeteries too. I haven’t seen any so interesting though. Loved the history of strolling through one in Charleston SC.
When I was young me and some friends went to the cemetary on halloween night, my mom knew where we were going and beat us there hiding behind a large headstone. She jumped up covered with a sheet as we approched and one of the guys took off running only to fall into one of those sunken graves.. He was a very dark mexican boy and when we got him out he was very very WHITE.. I’ll never forget that and I’m sure Henry didn’t either LOL…. This cemetary was next door to the school so we played there often….
Loved your visit to the cemetery. Thanks for sharing your pics! I am into genealogy, so cemeteries are a great source of info and I found myself wondering what the lives of the people who are buried there was like. I like to think 100 years from now some one might ask the same when they see my name carved in stone…Loved the tidbit another postere wrote about WHY the deceased are buried in the mausoleums above ground! Now THAT is an eerie thought! I have not seen the movie with Ashley Judd, but love the cemetery scen in The Phantom of the Your pics reminded me of it/hmm hubby is out of towntonight: I think it’s movie night tonight!
that was Phantom of the Opera. Great movie!
Rhoda,
What beautiful images. I love the patina on the worn angels and urns. I love looking at old cemeteries and reading the epitaphs.
Sweet story about you and your sister. Your poor mother!
Your Friend,
Deborah
Wow, those are amazing! We stayed in the Grand Canyon a couple of years ago and there was a really quaint little cemetary close by. I really wanted to go and look around but nobody would come with me. I wasn’t blogging at that time but if it was now I would’ve headed on in just to snap some pics!