Inside the Chapel Mausoleum

Granite is the most preferred mausoleum building material. That is certainly the way it should be. When building for eternity, 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 are worth considering. While marble may not age well in the weather, it 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.

Modern chapel mausoleums usually contain some sort of altar, often placed at the center of the mausoleum. Altars also double as mini-columbariums. Urns are placed on shelves inset around the perimeter of the altar, or in compartments within the altar. The altar also serves as a repository for family mementos and keepsakes such as a silver platter set in the top of the altar and protected by a thick pane of glass, as in the photograph accompanying this article. Take a good look at the photograph and you’ll see a variety of textures and colors, including, of course, the vibrant colors of the stained glass windows. All the elements work together to create a welcoming effect.

The rise in cremation increases the longevity and usability of chapel mausoleums since cremains (cremated remains) take up much less space than caskets. Generations of a family are assured a space in a private mausoleum. My personal observation regarding visitation to either a mausoleum, or a more traditional burial location, is that visitation often skips a generation: the grief that follows a death sometimes means that immediate family members do not want to visit a person who has recently died, but they find it much easier to visit a grandparent or a great grandparent. Chapel mausoleums make that possible.

Text and photograph © Douglas Keister Visit Doug’s Author Page.
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