A mausoleum is a large, decorated tomb or sepulchre. The word comes from King Mausolus of Caria’s lavish burial monument. Examples include the Taj Mahal and the Royal Mausoleum in Frogmore, England. Mausoleums are prevalent in Europe and former European colonies and often contain columbaria.
A mausoleum (plural mausoleums or mausoleums) is a large, free-standing, and often decorated tomb or sepulchre. The word comes from the name of King Mausolus of Caria, for whom his wife Queen Artemisia of Caria commissioned a lavish burial monument at Halicarnassus in Asia Minor (modern Bodrum in Turkey). At the time, the mausoleum of Mausolus was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, but today very little remains of it, except the fragmentary sculptures held in the British Museum in London.
Another ancient mausoleum is located in Ravenna, Italy, and houses the remains of Galla Placidia, sister of Rome’s last emperor Honorius, who was considered one of the most powerful women in the ancient world. For a mausoleum, the structure is a rather sober building and has little in common with the later ostentatious trend of elaborate architectural design coupled with ornate interior decorations. Its structure is a Latin cross, surmounted by a simple dome.
Later examples of mausolea include the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, commissioned by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to commemorate the life of his favorite wife and third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The building in Agra is perhaps the largest mausoleum ever built and is famous for its magnificent white dome and white marble, which is inlaid with semi-precious stones. It is considered the pinnacle of Mughal and Muslim architecture and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.
Another famous mausoleum is the Royal Mausoleum located in Frogmore, England which contains the tombs of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Completed in 1871, the mausoleum, designed by Ludwig Gruner of Dresden, is in the shape of a Greek cross, with walls of Portland stone and the cross, or cross, of Australian copper. It measures 70 feet (21 meters).
The less ornate but more common mausoleums are walled structures, often with a door to allow visitors access, but are sometimes sealed. Mausoleums are found, of course, all over the world, but they are especially prevalent in Europe, and in those countries Europeans formerly owned colonies. They typically feature an above-ground burial chamber or burial vault that sits beneath the outer structure of the mausoleum and houses the body or bodies. They often contain columbaria, niches or alcoves that serve to house the ashes of the deceased.
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