No sight is probably more foreign and more haunting than the Cities of the Dead in New Orleans. For people who are not from this area, seeing tombs above ground can be a bit odd. However, in New Orleans, it is required because the area lies under sea level so an underground burial is not possible. The Cities of the Dead are very interesting. Most are adorned with beautiful sculptures and other artworks. Many also will be lined with flowers or even votive candles showing that the dead are still mourned by those alive. The Cities of the Dead are arranged throughout the cemeteries in New Orleans. Those along the walls are the lower costing, stacked vaults. It is the ones out on their own that draw the most attention because of their beauty and richness. Those who could afford to buy a plot in the cemetery took great care to provide their deceased loved ones with a beautiful final resting place. The older cemeteries, like the ones in the French Quarter often have many graves with stones that are crumbling, but they also have many of the most interesting ones as well. Some famous graves, like that of Marie Laveau, are especially popular to visit. Many people even leave trinkets or gifts on her grave in the hopes of a little voodoo magic. A visit to New Orleans is not complete with a walk through the Cities of the Dead to pay your respects to those who have passed.
