In Russia, it is customary to betray the deceased to the earth. Most of the dead are buried in coffins in cemeteries, a small percentage of the dead sleep forever in sarcophagi placed in crypts. But cremation is a relatively new trend. The Russian public is only getting acquainted with this format of funeral. And it is not surprising that not everyone knows that a columbarium is a construction for placing urns with the ashes of the deceased.
Historical reference
It is believed that columbaria were invented in ancient Rome. It was near the eternal city that the first construction of this type was discovered. On the Appian Way there is a columbarium, erected by order of the emperor Augustus in the 1st century BC. e. This amazing discovery was made by archaeologists as early as 1726. The paradox is that, translated from Latin, columbaria is “dovecote”. It is not known for certain who and when gave exactly this name to the place for resting the ashes, however it has taken root and is used today. What is noteworthy: in many European countries, columbaria have long been widespread and sometimes are in great demand than ordinary grave sites.
Columbaria is a worthy alternative to traditional burials
Cremation has a number of advantages. This procedure allows you to avoid soil pollution, postpone the date of burial for any period after death, transport the remains with minimal hassle and expense to any distance. Nowadays it is very difficult to find a
cemetery that is not crowded with
graves. Columbarium also allows you to significantly save the burial area. For a cemetery, this is a kind of skyscraper that allows you to place on the site where there could be one grave, several dozen urns with ashes. The care of the burial site is also facilitated - it is enough to periodically wipe the memorial tablet and, if desired, decorate it with a small amount of flowers.
Varieties of designs
Columbaria are open and closed. In the first case, we are talking about street walls with niches, in the second - about full-fledged mausoleums, that is, buildings inside which cells stretch from floor to ceiling for placing urns with ashes. Some designs involve concreting compartments after filling, while others can install
glass display cases, inside of which expensive things can be placed. There are also columbaria for family graves - in them one cell can hold up to four urns of close relatives. As well as land in the cemetery, each columbarium and place in it has its own serial number. And this means that the resting place of the right person can be found without difficulty. On niches after the farewell ceremony, it is customary to install plates that serve as monuments. They indicate the name, years of life, a small epitaph or drawing at the request of the customer. Such
signs are made by many funeral services agencies, the material and design is chosen by the customer.
Where to look for a columbarium?
There are walls for the ashes of the dead and mausoleums in those cities where they have their own crematoriums. They are located in large cemeteries, but it is quite possible that very soon separate “grief parks” will appear in our country, just like in European countries. Columbarium is a special option for storing the remains and a completely different way of honoring the memory of the dead. In Europe, for example, ordinary cemeteries are more like parks. This is a well-groomed territory, thought-out infrastructure for visitors. In a number of Russian cities it is already planned to organize closed territories for the installation of columbaria of a completely new type. Since it’s easier to take care of burial places, the organizers of these mournful places are going to offer their customers a perfectly clean area, places for organized
remembrance of the dead and rest, awnings from the rain and even playgrounds.
How much is a columbarium?
The price of a disposal cell depends on many factors. A significant role is played by the status of the cemetery itself - how popular and favorably located it is. In regions where cremation is popular, there are a certain number of free places in municipal cemeteries. The process of burial in columbaria is somewhat different from the traditional version. First, relatives of the deceased must order cremation and pay for all related services (preparation of the deceased, a ceremony of farewell, urn and others) provided by the crematorium. Then you need to get permission from the cemetery administration for burial, choose a cell in the columbarium, pay for it and the burial procedure itself, as well as a memorial tablet. Crematoriums usually give urns, inside of which are capsules with ashes, personally in the hands of relatives. Then the vessel can be brought to the cemetery and buried. The average cost of columbaria (space for one urn) in our country is about 10 thousand rubles. But keep in mind that you may be required to pay annually care for the burial site and the adjacent territory (from 1-2 thousand rubles a year). Of course, the cost of a niche in a columbarium in the center of the capital at one of the prestigious cemeteries is several times higher, but do not forget that the residents of many cities of our country have the opportunity to use free cells altogether.