A 19th-century townhouse in the French Quarter, LaLaurie Mansion was home to the socialite, slave-owner, and killer Marie Delphine Macarty LaLaurie. According to local legend, on April 10, 1834, a fire broke out at the house on Royal Street during a party and local residents came to help put out the blaze. When they entered the house, they found several instruments of torture, including iron chains and collars, which Madame LaLaurie used to punish and even murder her slaves. Some say the house is haunted by their ghosts.
The mansion is privately owned, and visitors are not permitted to go inside. Most people visit as part of a New Orleans walking tour or guided ghost tour, where guides tell the story of Madame LaLaurie's treatment of her slaves along with tales of other dark happenings in the city.
The residence is not open to the public and you cannot purchase LaLaurie Mansion tickets.
Nicolas Cage owned the house for several years in the early 2000s.
Visit at night for extra scare factor.
The tale of Madame LaLaurie was featured in the series American Horror Story: Coven.
The house is located at 1140 Royal St. in the French Quarter, on the corner of Governor Nicholls St. It is easily accessible on foot, as part of a guided walking tour, by taxi, or by bus (take line 5 or 55 to Decatur and Barracks).
LaLaurie Mansion is a private residence, so you can only look at the house from the outside. Walking tours visit the house daily.
St. Louis Cemetery No.1 is a short walk from LaLaurie Mansion and is a fascinating place to explore. The oldest graveyard in New Orleans, people come here to see the tombs of some of NoLa's most famous residents, including voodoo queen Marie Laveau. Entry to the cemetery is typically restricted to those taking part in a prebooked walking tour. It's currently closed to the public, so while tour groups still visit, they take place outside the gates.
