Glossary
What is mausoleum?
A mausoleum is an above-ground building that holds caskets in crypts, and sometimes cremated remains in niches. It offers entombment as an alternative to in-ground burial, either in a large community structure or a private family mausoleum.
Community mausoleums contain many crypts and niches arranged in a shared building, indoor or outdoor, while a private mausoleum is a standalone structure built for a single family. Both provide a sheltered, visitable resting place that does not require an in-ground grave.
Within a mausoleum, a crypt is a chamber that holds a casket and a niche is a smaller compartment that holds an urn of cremated remains, so one building can serve both burial and cremation families. Entombment in a crypt is the above-ground counterpart to in-ground interment.
Pricing depends on the cemetery, whether you choose a crypt or a niche, and the space's height within the building — eye-level spaces typically cost more than those near the floor or ceiling. A private family mausoleum is far more expensive than a single crypt. Request itemized costs, including the space, opening and closing, and any engraving, to compare options against a standard plot.
Related terms
Crypt
A crypt is a chamber, typically above ground in a mausoleum, that holds a casket. Families purchase the right to entomb a body in a specific crypt, often choosing between single, companion, or stacked arrangements.
Columbarium
A columbarium is a structure or wall containing niches that hold urns of cremated remains. It is often located in a cemetery, mausoleum, or place of worship, and provides a permanent, visitable place for ashes.
Niche
A niche is a compartment in a columbarium or niche wall that holds an urn of cremated remains. Families buy the right to place an urn in a specific niche, which provides a permanent, visitable resting place without an in-ground grave.
Interment
Interment is the act of placing a body or cremated remains in their final resting place, most often by burying a casket in the ground or entombing it in a crypt. The cemetery fee to open and close the grave is commonly called the interment charge.
See also
Common questions about Mausoleum
Sources
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This definition is general information, not legal or financial advice. Laws and prices vary by state and provider. See our editorial standards.