The World’s Most Famous Mausoleums

When planning a funeral for a loved one, you have a choice of burying him in a burial plot at a cemetery, or having him entombed in a mausoleum . Mausoleums have long been used around the world by different cultures for entombing bodies or cremation remains. Here is a look at a few of the world’s most famous mausoleums.

The Egyptian Pyramids

The Egyptian pyramids are some of the oldest, largest, and most recognizable mausoleums. The majority of the pyramids were built as tombs for pharaohs and their aides during the Old and Middle Kingdom periods. Egyptians developed and advanced the technique of embalming, which allowed them to preserve the bodies of the dead for funeral services and entombment in mausoleums.

The Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is an enormous mausoleum built between 1632 and 1653 in Agra, India. This mausoleum was built in memory of the favorite wife of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. It is incredibly well preserved, and very important architecturally. The Taj Mahal is the centerpiece of a large complex, which, in addition to the mausoleum, also includes a mosque, reflecting pools, ornamental gardens, and a guest house. Muslim customs forbid any elaborate decoration on or around burial plots or graves, so the bodies of Shah Jahan and his wife reside in a plain crypt within the mausoleum.

The Terracotta Army

The Terracotta Army, located in Xi’an, China, is one of the country’s most-visited tourist attractions. The Terracotta Army surrounds the mausoleum of the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty, and it was once buried underground. The mausoleum and tombs have not been unearthed, and many of the figures in the Terracotta Army are also still underground.

If you’re looking for a funeral home near Oakland because you’re planning a funeral, burial service, or cremation, come see us at Chapel of the Chimes Oakland. We operate a funeral home and crematorium, and have onsite mausoleums, private family estates, columbariums, cremation gardens, and a memorial park. To learn more about our funeral and cremation services, call us today at (510) 654-0123.