Tour: St. Louis Cemetery I (Sold Out Ticketed Event)
Established in 1789 by Carlos IV of Spain, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is the oldest existent cemetery in New Orleans. The cemetery is the final resting place of many prominent New Orleans families, particularly the Creole population. In addition, there are society mausoleums for various benevolent organizations representing the French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and African-American population. The cemetery is a reflection of the city’s rich multi-ethnic history and architectural treasures. This tour includes wonderful examples of the artistic talent of free-people-of-color who were skilled stone workers and marble sculptors. The cemetery is closed to tourists, except to those participating in an authorized tour. The tour will be conducted by a licensed guide of Save Our Cemeteries, a preservation organization founded in 1974. It is one of the oldest cemetery preservation societies in the country and was established in response to the possibility that these historic cemeteries would be destroyed due to a changing urban environment.