American Horror Story is back! Coven premiered last night with a terrifying opening thanks to Kathy Bates as Delphine Lalaurie. But did you know the house is actually a haunted landmark in New Orleans?… Delphine Lalaurie was a wealthy prominent figure in the French Quarter during the 1800s until a slave set fire to the house, revealing a sinister crime scene. Author Troy Taylor explains the horrifying story here.

“A terrible fire broke out in the Lalaurie kitchen. Legend has it that it was set by the cook, who could endure no more of the Madame’s tortures… After the blaze was put out, the fire fighters discovered a horrible sight behind a secret, barred door in the attic, more than a dozen slaves here, chained to the wall in a horrible state. They were both male and female…. some were strapped to makeshift operating tables… some were confined in cages made for dogs…. human body parts were scattered around and heads and human organs were placed haphazardly in buckets…. grisly souvenirs were stacked on shelves and next to them a collection of whips and paddles. According to the newspaper, the New Orleans Bee, all of the victims were naked and the ones not on tables were chained to the wall. Some of the women had their stomachs sliced open and their insides wrapped about their waists. One woman had her mouth stuffed with animal excrement and then her lips were sewn shut…Madame Lalaurie and her family were never seen again.”

The rumor in New Orleans is that it was actually Johnny Depp who snatched up the place and he apparently plans to turn it into a museum. Check it out at 1140 Royale Street if you are in the French Quarter. The home was almost featured on Bravo’s Property Envy . (Photo: Flickr)