Mausoleum
An above-ground building that holds caskets in sealed chambers called crypts. An alternative to in-ground burial.
A mausoleum entombs a casket in a crypt rather than burying it in the earth. Some families prefer it for tradition, to avoid in-ground burial, or for the appearance of the structure. Community mausoleums hold many crypts; private mausoleums are built for one family and cost far more.
Entombment in a community mausoleum typically runs $4,000–$12,000 or more for the crypt, plus opening-and-closing and the engraving of the crypt front. A private family mausoleum can run into six figures.
- Crypt— A single chamber within a mausoleum that holds one casket. The above-ground equivalent of a grave.
- Interment— The act of placing remains in their final resting place — burial in the ground, or placement in a crypt or niche. Placing cremated remains specifically is called inurnment.
- Cemetery plot— The piece of ground you buy for a burial. Paid to the cemetery, entirely separate from funeral-home charges.
This definition is general consumer information, not legal, medical, or financial advice. Industry practices and regulations change occasionally; verify before relying on anything here for a specific decision.
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