The St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is the oldest and most famous cemetery. Opened in 1789, it replaced the city's older St. Peter Cemetery, which is no longer in existence, as the main burial ground when the city was redesigned after a fire in 1788.

It sits only 8 blocks away from the Mississippi River on the north side of Basin Street not far from the city's famous French Quarter.

The cemetery spans just one square block but is the resting place of many thousands. A Protestant section (generally not vaulted) lies in the northwest section. Many notable New Orleanians are buried in the cemetery, and the renowned Voodoo priestess Marie Laveau is believed to be interred in the Glapion family crypt.

Effective March 1, 2015, the Roman Catholic Diocese of New Orleans, which owns and manages this cemetery, has closed it to the general public, ostensibly because of the rise in vandalism there. However, in a controversial move, the diocese is now charging tour companies for access ($4,500 per year or lesser amounts for short periods). Families who own tombs can apply for a pass to visit.