Mausoleums are an alternative to earth burial that places the body to rest in an above-ground crypt. Most often associated with New Orleans, where the moist ground makes it impossible to bury human remains underground for any length of time, mausoleums are usually small house-like structures that are organized in a cemetery alongside other interment options. While beautiful and stately, mausoleums do have a tendency to be more expensive, and may even come with stipulations like sharing the space with other families.
All About Mausoleums
Mausoleums are one of the oldest types of formal burial in the world—in fact, the ancient pyramids of Egypt and the Taj Mahal in India are both examples of some of the more elaborate mausoleums in human history. The term is used to describe any outbuilding in which caskets are entombed, whether it is just one casket or several crypts in which various bodies can be laid to rest.
