The Urban Mausoleum
- At October 19, 2013
- By mausoleum
- In Doug Keister's Blog
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It is a common, but understandable, misconception that cemeteries in large urban areas like New York City no longer have space available for constructing new private mausoleums.
Read More»Mausoleum for Sale
- At July 08, 2014
- By mausoleum
- In Mausoleum Cost
- 0
Modern cemeteries offer mausoleum lots for sale to families who want to build long-lasting private mausoleums. Some lots include an already-built or previously-used mausoleum for sale. While an existing or used mausoleum works for some people, a new private mausoleum offers many significant benefits, including:
- A classic or customized design that matches your tastes
- The right size to accommodate your family
- Expert engineering that ensures your mausoleum lasts for generations
- Beautiful landscaping that complements your mausoleum’s design
Built for Eternity
- At August 06, 2013
- By mausoleum
- In Doug Keister's Blog
- 0
Before my book on mausoleums Going Out in Style: The Architecture of Eternity was published in 1997, I was known as “America’s most noted photographer of historic architecture.” My title was due in large part to three books on Victorian architecture, two books on Arts and Crafts architecture and numerous magazine assignments documenting historic architecture inside and out. My interest in funerary art and architecture, and mausoleums in particular, was a natural progression. Mausoleums, to put it simply, are the most unspoiled resource of historic architecture. If you want to see pure examples of a style of architecture, journey to a cemetery and study its mausoleums.
Unlike residences and commercial buildings that usually have a finite lifespan, mausoleums are essentially built for eternity. In the course of my architectural studies, I decided to research the age of the oldest buildings in the world. Scholars may debate what constitutes a building, but the oldest man-built structure in the world is generally recognized as Barnenez, a “passage grave” in what is now the Brittany region of northern France. Barnenez dates to around 4850 BC.
Read More»Love Is Eternal
- At September 01, 2015
- By mausoleum
- In Mausoleum Design
- 0
The grand Taj Mahal in India is, if you were unaware, a mausoleum that was built to express the love of Shah Jahan for his favorite of three wives, Mumtaz Mahal. The immense structure, created out of white marble, has stood since it was finally finished in 1632. Few on this earth possess the means to construct such a lavish expression of our love for another.
But simple means did not stop an octogenarian retired postmaster from trying his best to do the same. Faizal Hasan Quadri set out to erect a structure that would comfort the concerns of his now deceased wife; that they would die and be forgotten as they had no children to carry on their name. And so Quadri met with several architects to draw up plans for a mausoleum that would ensure immortality for the two who would one day reside within.
“I wanted to make a ‘monument of love’ in her memory. I called up an architect and assigned him the work, but I did not like his design.” It was then that Quadri recalled his younger days in Agra, where he was training for work. The glorious Taj Mahal stuck in his memory. He decided he would create a Mini Taj.
Read More»Inside the Chapel
- At August 15, 2013
- By mausoleum
- In Doug Keister's Blog
- 0
The most most preferred mausoleum building material is granite. That is certainly the way it should be. When building for eternity, practically nothing outlasts granite. It is a good choice for mausoleum exteriors because of its durability and hardness as well as its uniform color.
When selecting materials for mausoleum interiors, especially chapel mausoleums, other not-as-durable materials may be worth considering. While marble may not age well in the weather, it often works well on interiors, especially when a range of textures and colors is desired. The same goes for other masonry materials such as limestone. Marble, of course, has been the preferred material for sculpture, but it is best used when the sculpture is indoors. Again, granite trumps marble for exterior use.
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