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A mausoleum is a crypt, tomb, vault, in short, a burial chamber! At school I learnt of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and that the Pyramids in Egypt were large, magnificent tombs. However, I rarely heard the actual word ‘mausoleum’. A mausoleum is an aboveground interment structure housing crypts and niches for cremated remains. Queen Artemisia of Halicarnassus (the capital of a kingdom on the Mediterranean coast of Asia Minor), erected a large temple-like edifice as the final resting place for her husband King Mausolus who died in 353 BC. The word mausoleum is derived from his name.
Family vaults Perhaps the most famous Australian family vault is that of Governor Lachlan Macquarie, who is commonly known as The Father of Australia. This tomb is actually located on the Isle of Mull (Scotland). Only the wealthy can afford private mausolea. Sydney’s Rookwood Cemetery boasts several elaborately adorned family vaults. The Watson Vault is quite prominent but the Frazer Mausoleum, completed in 1894, is actually the largest family vault on site. You will sometimes find private family vaults in rural areas. An example of this is the Seppelt Mausoleum in the Barossa Valley, South Australia, a very ornate building with Doric columns. Completed in 1927, it is located on a hilltop affording excellent views of the surrounding area. Many cemeteries do not permit family mausoleums due to the inability to guarantee the quality of construction. Liability may be incurred on the cemetery at a future date should the building fail and no family be available or willing to carry out repairs.
Community Vaults These vaults are large buildings designed to provide above ground interment for a number of people. Sharing the costs with other individuals makes a community vault more affordable than a private mausoleum and eliminates the need to purchase expensive monuments. Also, families do not have to meet additional expenses in the future should a monument fall into disrepair. What is a crypt? Crypts are designed to hold casketed remains. At The Necropolis in Melbourne, crypts are constructed of durable, poured-in-place, reinforced concrete and connected to drainage and ventilation systems. Crypts may be available at up to six different designated levels. These are the prayer, heart, eye, meditation, sanctuary and heavenly levels. The most popular levels are the heart and eye level. Crypts can be purchased as a single position, a true companion (where the interments are positioned head to toe and separated by a special partition), or a pair, where the coffins are interred side by side. In keeping with worldwide trends, the Karrakatta Mausoleum in Perth offers a wide range of crypt options including single occupancy, companion, family or tandem, couch style and the slide-over concept. Other special features include family rooms and white marble memorial panels. The crypts are of polished granite and in the colours Rosa Porrino, Esperance Pink and Blue Pearl. What is the process of interment in a mausoleum crypt? Once a funeral is completed, the coffin or casket is placed in the crypt. The crypt is sealed and a marble, granite or bronze memorial shutter is then placed over the seal. The crypt is always sealed on the same day as the interment. The face of the crypt is inscribed with a memorial plaque for eternal remembrance. Is embalming necessary for interment within crypts? This depends entirely on where the mausoleum is erected. For example, NSW health authorities deem it compulsory. In some states however, whether or not to embalm the deceased remains the choice of the next of kin. Can a body be moved from a grave to a mausoleum crypt? Yes, provided that the all health and legal obligations are adhered to. When an exhumed body is interred in a mausoleum, the casket must be enclosed in an ensure-a-seal casket envelope or equivalent device. This is to guard against insects and other unwanted organisms gaining access to the mausoleum.
Is time a factor when purchasing a mausoleum crypt? Once an interment has taken place in a mausoleum crypt, the remains of the deceased are interred forever. For instance, a preservation fund has been established at The Necropolis in Melbourne to ensure the mausoleum is maintained for all time. If a crypt remains unused for 25 years from the date of purchase, the owner of the crypt may renew the ownership and then pay the current renewal fee. Trends Mausolea have been a popular memorial choice since before the time of Christ. Interment in a vault was a convention in some European nations, particularly Italy, as well as the Americas. With the growing shortage of land available for cemetery use, a mausoleum allows for a maximum number of entombments in a minimum space. Australian communities are embracing the concept. In contemporary mausoleums you can expect: Canberra Cemeteries The Trustees of Canberra's Cemeteries are committed to providing the community with beautified burial areas and the Canberra Public Cemeteries Trust is proud to be able to offer this significant facility situated in the middle of Canberra's first public cemetery at Woden.
The early 1930s plan for Woden Cemetery included the provision of areas for special buildings at a later date and the cemetery was designed to both reflect our heritage and allow for future enhancement of the landscaped gardens. Now, 70 years later, we are lucky to have a beautified area surrounded by large and noble trees in which to build a unique mausoleum which will stand as a proud centrepiece to honour future generations. The ‘Christ the Redeemer’ Mausoleum has been carefully planned and is being built to offer a special burial alternative to the broader Canberra and surrounding community.
Crypt Options • 8 family vaults (each with 8 crypts) Electrical links to crypts may provide an eternal flame Located at the Enfield Memorial Park, South Australia’s soon to be completed first major mausoleum will include two family rooms, each containing up to 10 crypts that will be made available to two individual family groups. They will provide families with the option of personalising the décor of the rooms. Canberra’s first mausoleum opened in 2001 in the historic Woden cemetery. Preston Cemetery in Victoria is planningthe third stage to its mausoleum complex which will extend the number of crypt spaces to be in excess of 8000, making it the largest in Australia. One of the more exciting aspects of mausoleums is the wonderful artwork, including sculpture, that is exhibited within them. The interesting design and ornamentation of many mausolea around Australia is simply stunning. For instance the Mausoleum of the Resurrection, in the Catholic Cemetery at Rookwood, is one such multi-award winning structure. C O N T A C T S Rookwood Independent Cemetery |
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