Nicolas Cage pyramid tomb in New Orleans cemetery.

Nic Cage Has a Burial Pyramid in New Orleans

Nic Cage Has a Burial Pyramid in New Orleans

Atlas Obscura
Your Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders
March 18 2015 8:45 AM

Nicolas Cage’s Pyramid Tomb: The Actor’s Eccentric Burial Plans

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Acclaimed, derided, and meme’d actor Nicolas Cage has long been known for his eccentric behavior both in front of the camera and in the real world. Cage looks to continue this legacy into death as well, thanks to the odd pyramid mausoleum he purchased in a famed New Orleans graveyard. Though, the locals don’t seem to be as impressed by his curious behavior.

Cage has a history with the city of New Orleans, having purchased both the infamously haunted LaLaurie Mansion and the historic Our Lady of Perpetual Help Chapel. Both properties were foreclosed on in 2009 after a tax debacle. Subsequently, Cage purchased his unnamed tomb in the city’s beloved St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, home to the grave of another of New Orleans’ supernatural heavies, Marie Laveau.

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The empty grave is a stark, 9-foot-tall stone pyramid that stands in obvious contrast to the blockier, aboveground burial sites that have been crumbling away in the cemetery for over two centuries. There is no name on the pyramid yet, but it is emblazoned with the Latin maxim “Omni Ab Uno,” which translates to “Everything From One.” As ever, the actor himself has chosen to remain silent about his reasoning for the flamboyant tomb, but given that there are countless pyramid tombs in cemeteries across the world, it may have simply been a stylistic choice.

Whatever his reasons, the Cage pyramid has already become an iconic part of the cemetery, much to the chagrin of many New Orleans locals who are furious that he was able to obtain a plot in the cramped graveyard. Many have even accused the tomb of damaging or removing other, centuries-old burials to make room. Yet despite public outcry, the pyramid stands.

New Orleans may not like Nic Cage, but it’s clear that he likes New Orleans.

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Eric Grundhauser is a head writer and editor at Atlas Obscura. He lives in Brooklyn with his comic book collection. Follow him on Twitter.