What is the purpose of mausoleums?
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person’s remains is called a cenotaph.
What are the different types of mausoleums?
There are three main types of mausoleums in a cemetery:
- Indoor: A shared space where the crypts are located indoors.
- Garden/outdoor: A shared space where the crypts are located outdoors.
- Private mausoleums: Private spaces, where the crypts can be located indoors or outdoors.
What is the most famous mausoleum in the world?
Taj Mahal, Agra, India Built in the Indian city of Agra between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, the Taj Mahal is arguably the most famous and impressive mausoleum in the world.
Do they still make mausoleums?
Since not every family can afford to build a mausoleum, there are public ones available as well. These are typically indoor structures that allow visitors to come in to meditate or pray while viewing the sealed crypt of their loved one. Some of the larger mausoleums can hold thousands of bodies.
What is the largest mausoleum in the world?
The Zhaoling Mausoleum
The Zhaoling Mausoleum is the largest out of the 18 Tang dynasty mausoleums, known to date. It is also the largest mausoleum in the world. The mausoleum is located in the central part of Shaanxi Province, 80 km to the north of Xi’an, covering an area of about 20 hectares.
What is a mausoleum and what is its purpose?
A mausoleum is an above-ground, free-standing building that has crypts or any other type of burial compartments to hold remains. They are found in many cemeteries, yet they vary in size, design, and purpose. Some mausoleums can hold the remains of one person, while others are capable of carrying the remains of several family members.
Should I build a private or public mausoleum?
Whether indoor or outdoor, public mausoleums do not provide a private space for families to mourn. When selecting a public above-ground burial option, you may not be able to be entombed next to more than one family member. One can’t really compare the cost of building a private mausoleum with that of a typical cemetery burial.
Can a mausoleum be permanently sealed?
A single mausoleum may be permanently sealed. A mausoleum encloses a burial chamber either wholly above ground or within a burial vault below the superstructure. This contains the body or bodies, probably within sarcophagi or interment niches.
Do bodies decompose in a mausoleum?
Decomposition is a part of nature and bodies do decompose in mausoleums. However, the decomposition process is not the same as it is with in-ground burials. In a mausoleum, once a body is placed inside a crypt it slowly becomes dehydrated and begins drying out.