Concept in Definition ABC

A mausoleum is a building that is done to maintain and honor the remains of an individual, family group or group of people related to each other for any reason. The word mausoleum has its origin in the monument that had been built in his name the King Persian Mausolus in his honor (the famous Mausoleum of Halicarnassus). Depending on each case, the mausoleum can vary in terms not only of size or dimensions but also with regard to the type of construction, the material, the design, etc.

One of the main purposes of a mausoleum is to protect and maintain the remains of a deceased human being. In this way, within it a space of great tranquility and silence is established where the remains (cremated or not) of the person are placed for their break eternal. The mausoleum can be built as a edification independent of others or be integrated into a church or a larger construction. For many, the mausoleum is a species grave since it is a representation different from the possibilities we have to protect and give rest to our loved ones.

Depending on those whom one seeks to honor, the mausoleums can be more or less spectacular. In this sense, this type of construction is very characteristic of royalty and the wealthiest sectors of society who prefer be kept separately from the rest not only to demonstrate the power they had in life but to establish their lineage and importance. Today, many modern cemeteries have sections especially dedicated to important family mausoleums in which numerous members are placed together as time passes.

Among the most important mausoleums in the world we can mention the pyramids of Egypt, the Taj Mahal of India, the pyramids of China, the mausoleum of Mao Zedong (or Mao Tse-Tung) in China, Lenin's mausoleum in Russia, Abraham Lincoln's mausoleum in North America and Manuel Belgrano's in Argentina, among others.