In Russia, traditionally it is customary to betray the deceased. Most of the deceased are buried in graves in cemeteries, a small percentage of the dead sleeps in eternal saps in the sarcophagi placed in the crypts. But cremation is a relatively new trend. The Russian public is only getting acquainted with such a funeral format. And it is not surprising that not everyone knows that the columbarium is a structure 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Historical reference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 the order of Emperor Augustus in the 1st century BC. E. This amazing discovery was made by archaeologists in 1726. The paradox is that in translation from the Latin columbarium is "dove". It is not known for certain who and when gave this name to the place for the rest of the ashes, but it has taken root and is used today. What is noteworthy: in many European countries, columbariums have long been common and sometimes in great demand, rather than ordinary sites for graves.
Columbarium is a worthy alternative to traditional burials
Cremation has a number of advantages. This procedure allows you to avoid soil contamination, postpone the funeral date for any period after death, transport the remains with minimal hassle and expense for any distance. Today it is very difficult to find a graveyard that is not crowded with graves. Columbarium, however, can significantly save the area of burial. For the cemetery it is a kind of skyscrapers, allowing to place on the site where there could be one grave, several dozen urns with ashes. The care for burial also facilitates - it is enough to wipe the plaque from time to time and, if desired, decorate it with a small amount of flowers.
Varieties of structures
Columbaria are open and closed. In the first case we are talking about street walls with niches, in the second - about full-value mausoleums, i.e. buildings, inside of which from floor to ceiling stretch cells for placing urns with ashes. Some designs assume the concreting of the compartments after filling, while others can be installed glass showcases within which expensive items can be placed. There are also columbariums for family graves - in them one cell can hold up to four urns of close relatives. Just like the earth plots in the cemetery, each columbarium and the place in it has its own serial number. And this means that the place of repose of the right person can be found without difficulty. To the niches after the ceremony of farewell, it is customary to establish plaques that fulfill the function of monuments. They indicate the full name, years of life, a small epitaph or a picture at the request of the customer. Such plaques are made by many agencies of ritual services, material and design is chosen by the customer.
Where to find the columbarium?
Walls for placing the ashes of the deceased and the mausoleum are in those cities where there are own crematoria. They are located in large cemeteries, but it is possible that very soon in our country there will be some "parks of sorrow", just like in European countries. Columbarium is a special version of the remains and an entirely 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, a well thought out infrastructure for visitors. In a number of Russian cities already today it is planned to organize closed territories for the installation of columbariums of a completely new type. Since it is easier to care for burials, the organizers of these mournful places are going to offer their clients an ideally cleaned territory, places for organized commemoration of the dead and rest, canopies from the rain and even playgrounds.
How much does the columbarium cost?
The cost of a burial cell depends on many factors. Significant role is played by the status of the cemetery itself - how much it is popular and profitable is located. In regions where cremation is popular, there are a 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 should order cremation and pay for all related services (preparation of the deceased, solemn farewell ceremony, urn, etc.) provided by the crematorium. Then it is necessary to obtain permission from the cemetery administration for burial, select a cell in the columbarium, pay for it and the burial procedure itself, and also a memorial tablet. Crematoria usually give out urns, inside which are capsules with ashes, personally in the hands of relatives. After that the vessel can be brought to the cemetery and buried. The average cost of columbarium (a place for one urn) in our country is about 10 thousand rubles. But remember, you can be obliged to pay annually for care of the burial and adjacent territory (from 1-2 thousand rubles a year). Of course, the cost of a niche in the columbarium in the center of the capital in one of the prestigious cemeteries is many times greater, but do not forget that residents of many cities of our country have the opportunity and even use free cells.