When you think of New Orleans, you might think of delicious food, boozy cocktails, and great Jazz music. But there is another side to the city filled with haunted buildings and lurid history which can be found down every alleyway and around every corner. New Orleans is filled with spectral energies and terrifying stories of evil, murder, and all things that go bump in the night.
The city itself is known as one of the most haunted places in America, and buildings such as the LaLaurie Mansion have made a name for themselves among ghost hunters and interested visitors alike. You can check out some of the most haunted places in New Orleans on tours like
The Haunted Crawl, and you just might spot a real ghost or two along the way. Before you visit, you can read about the haunted houses and buildings that dot the French Quarter and can be found throughout the city, then plan a trip to visit them for yourself!
The Most Haunted Places in New Orleans
Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop
The building itself was originally started in 1722 and is currently regarded as “the oldest structure used as a bar in the United States” according to the official website. A variety of paranormal experiences are associated with the bar, including those who have said to have seen the ghost of Jean Lafitte himself and eerie red eyes that appear from dark corners. TripAdvisor re-views report the building is definitely haunted, and it is a piece of New Orleans history worth checking out.
LaLaurie Mansion
This New Orleans haunted house is steeped in legend and dark truth that will send chills up any visitor’s spine. Madame LaLaurie is known as one of the most frightening people in American history, thanks to her terrifying antics that took place in her mansion for years. According to the New Orleans Historical website, after a fire uncovered mutilated slaves inside the mansion, Madama LaLaurie’s depraved ways were uncovered, but the house is said to still be filled with phantoms and restless spirits. It is known as the New Orleans Haunted House after it’s story being an integral part of American Horror Story: Coven.
Saint Louis Cemetery #1
Often referred to as “The City Of The Dead,” this cemetery is known for its graves that sit above the ground in a state of disintegration and collapse. The French Quarter official website mentions that the cemetery itself was built in 1789. It is no wonder it falls under one of the most haunted spots in the city, considering it is filled with the bodies of those who lived and loved in New Orleans and whose spirits still wander the hallowed ground in search of respite.
Beauregard-Keyes House
Several stories circulate about apparitions seen by employees, and the website Very Local New Orleans notes there is even a binder that holds reports taken by a house director of phantom sightings. A violent shooting that took place in 1908 is said to be another source of spectral unrest on the property.
Ursuline Convent
If you take a popular New Orleans ghost tour such as the Haunted Crawl, you will learn about many strange and haunted destinations in the city like the Ursuline Convent. The convent is the basis for local Vampire lore, which tells the story of women sent to become brides in the city during the eighteenth century. The legend says they arrived with casket-shaped chests containing their personal effects and were hence dubbed the “Casket Girls.” When they were married off, their chests they had left behind were opened, but nothing was found inside. It was believed that they had brought with them a fleet of vampires who descended on the city. Many ghost hunters and curious visitors stop by the convent to observe the third story shutters which were said to be nailed shut by holy nails to keep the undead inside.
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Saint Germain House
While the Comte de Sainte Germain is known by historians to be a man who lived in the 1700s, local lore knows him as New Orleans’ very own resident vampire. It is said he reappeared in the early 1900s under a different name and title but still very much the same in appearance and personality, and attacked a woman who managed to escape to expose his bloodlust. While details vary, reports of seeing the Comte still walking the Earth abound, and this popular destination fills people with fear and wonder as they gaze at the dwelling of the undead.
Sultan’s Palace
This popular New Orleans haunted house has a gruesome backstory that is more steeped in legend than truth, though the legend might have lured other specters to inhabit the space. According to the stories, a Sultan was said to have purchased the house and moved in with a large group of men, women, and children who threw extravagant private parties. According to an article published by WGNO ABC, the legend tells of a massacre which saw everyone living there killed horribly, and one man buried alive. The stories vary about whether it was the Sultan or his brother who met the most gruesome end, his hand sticking out of the ground clawing for freedom. While the story has been deemed a terrifying myth, it has solidified this spot as a haunted destination and still boasts some odd paranormal activity in the form of moved or missing objects.
The Jimani House
A bar with a tragic backstory, this local spot is another stop along ghost tours in the city such as The Haunted Crawl. In 1973 the bar was firebombed, according to the official website, and 32 souls were lost due to the incident. At the time, it was the deadliest known attack against the LGBTQ community. Since then, patrons have heard voices or felt unseen presences throughout the bar which provide chills in the form of something other than the cold drinks.
Conclusion
New Orleans is a hotspot of paranormal activity and frightful hauntings. You can explore each of these local destinations Beauregard-Keyes House along with other French Quarter haunted buildings on The Haunted Crawl, and see for yourself why they are some of the most haunted places in New Orleans. Get that sage and your cameras ready, because chances are you will likely find yourself face to face with someone, or something, from the other side.
What are the Most Haunted Places in New Orleans?
- Lafitte’s Black Smith Shop
- Lalaurie Mansion
- Saint Louis Cemetery #1
- Beauregard-Keyes House
- Ursuline Convent
- Saint Germain House
- Sultan’s Palace
- The Jimani House