Allegheny Cemetery Mausoleums, Pittsburgh, PA
Allegheny Cemetery, the sixth oldest rural cemetery in America, memorializes more than 124,000 souls. Some of the oldest graves are from the French and Indian War, and have been moved here from their former burial site at the Trinity Cathedral in downtown Pittsburgh. Allegheny Cemetery is the final resting place of many of Pittsburgh’s notables. This picturesque cemetery is a member of the National Register of Historic Places.
Burial at Allegheny Cemetery
Today, Allegheny Cemetery consists of 300 acres, 100 of which are still available for interment. With ample space, in-ground burial is a popular option at this cemetery. Families who are looking for single, double, or family lots at Allegheny Cemetery can choose from one of several sections:
- Garden of the Four Seasons: An obelisk capturing the spirit and beauty of the changing seasons stands at the center of this section. The obelisk contains niches for cremated remains, and is surrounded by 2,500 burial spaces. This is the most recently developed section of the cemetery.
- Garden of Peace: A serene bronze Christus stands guard over this section of the cemetery. The Garden of Peace includes 5,000 burial spots for traditional burial and cremated remains, but space is limited in this section.
- Estate Lots: Allegheny Cemetery offers several areas throughout the property for families who wish to place upright memorials to commemorate a lost loved one.
Community, Private, and Family Mausoleums at Allegheny Cemetery
Allegheny Cemetery offers two community mausoleums for individuals or families who wish mausoleum interment.
- Chapel of the Angels: A beautiful and inspiring chapel featuring natural light and a patterned granite floor, this community mausoleum is designed to create a sacred and reflective atmosphere for year-round visitation. The bronze crypt fronts depict angels that can be used for memorialization.
- Temple of Memories: Built in 1961 and enlarged several times since, this indoor mausoleum accommodates 8,000 crypt spaces and 1,200 urn niches. The Temple of Memories incorporates stained glass and exquisite marble, and it contains the Raymond F. Moreland Memorial Chapel.
Families who want private mausoleums or family mausoleums are welcome at Allegheny Cemetery. The cemetery features a range of prestigious private and family mausoleums, and works with mausoleum construction firms to create a family mausoleum or private mausoleum that meets any custom desires and specifications.
Notable private and family mausoleums at Allegheny Cemetery include:
- Wharton Mausoleum: The Wharton mausoleum features a Classical Revival style with early Victorian embellishments. This mausoleum, built around 1860, is burrowed into the picturesque hillside, with a “snowball” bush to soften the scene, and lend a touch of romance to this mausoleum’s rich patina.
- Moorhead Mausoleum: The Moorhead mausoleum features architecture that is uniquely funerary. Designed by Pittsburgh architect Louis Morgenroth in 1862, this mausoleum starts with a basic Gothic Revival form, but incorporates a number of Classic Revival elements. This was the grandest mausoleum in Allegheny Cemetery for a number of decades.
- Byers Mausoleum: Allegheny Cemetery’s Byers mausoleum is a small-scale Grecian Doric temple. This 1902 mausoleum features columns that are perfectly symmetrical, with the exception of the gap in front of the doorway, just wide enough for a funeral procession to carry a casket into the mausoleum.
- Bindley Mausoleum: Continuing the ancient civilization trend, the Bindley mausoleum is a replicate interpretation of the Pantheon. The Bindley’s Pantheon, built in 1907, features Corinthian columns and softly rusticated granite block walls, making this an impressive and elegant structure to behold.
Allegheny Cemetery stands as one of the oldest and most important cemeteries in the country. Its mausoleums, memorials, art, and architecture tell an important story of Pittsburgh’s cultural tapestry.
