Catacombs in the United States: Rare, But They Exist

The United States lacks the vast, ancient underground burial networks—true catacombs—found in Rome or Paris. The practice of interring the dead in subterranean galleries never took root here. However, a few notable sites echo the concept:

New Orleans, Louisiana

Famous for above-ground tombs due to a high water table, the city also has the St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 Catacombs, a small underground complex of crypts and chambers for notable residents.

Cincinnati, Ohio

Spring Grove Cemetery houses the Catacombs, completed in 1855. Corridors lined with vaulted niches hold caskets in a deliberate imitation of European models.

Colma, California (near San Francisco)

Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery includes a section of underground vaults and crypts used for both burial and entombment, functionally similar to traditional catacombs.

These are isolated, limited examples—not the sprawling, interconnected labyrinths of the Old World. Modern U.S. burial favors ground-level plots and mausoleums.