A mausoleum offers something many families find deeply comforting: a resting place above the ground, sheltered from rain, snow, and soil, where loved ones can visit in any season. Still, one question comes up again and again. Once a casket is placed in a crypt, what actually happens to the person inside? This guide explains what happens to a body inside a mausoleum, how different crypts are built, why stories about “exploding caskets” circulate, and what families should ask before making this choice.
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What Is a Mausoleum?
A mausoleum is an above-ground structure built to hold the remains of the dead. Each casket rests in its own chamber, called a crypt, which is closed with a granite or marble panel engraved with the person’s name and dates. The tradition is ancient. The name comes from the grand tomb of Mausolus, a ruler in what is now Turkey, whose monument became one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Modern families generally choose from four kinds of mausoleum burial:
- Community mausoleums: Large cemetery-owned buildings with many crypts, often the most affordable way to be entombed.
- Family mausoleums: Private, free-standing buildings for a single family, sometimes holding several generations.
- Garden mausoleums: Outdoor crypt walls set in landscaped areas, with crypt fronts facing the open air.
- Lawn crypts: Concrete chambers installed just below the surface, combining some mausoleum-style protection with the appearance of a traditional grave.
Single crypts hold one casket. Companion crypts hold two, which makes them a popular choice for married couples.
The Entombment Process
Entombment usually follows a funeral or committal service held in the mausoleum chapel or at the crypt itself. Because crypts are often stacked several rows high, cemetery staff use a mechanical lift to raise the casket and slide it into place. The crypt is closed, and the engraved front panel is fixed over the opening, either that day or after it is finished a few weeks later. Some families watch the placement, while others prefer to say their final goodbyes beforehand.
Do Bodies Decompose in a Mausoleum?
Yes, but not in the same way they do in the ground. With no soil, few insects, and limited moisture, the body changes more slowly and follows a different course. Four things make the biggest difference:
- How the crypt handles air: Some crypts are sealed, while others are designed to vent air and drain moisture.
- The climate inside: Indoor mausoleums keep a fairly steady temperature, while garden mausoleums and outdoor structures go through seasonal swings.
- Embalming: Many mausoleums require embalming, which delays decomposition but does not prevent it.
- The casket: A gasketed metal casket holds in air and moisture, while a wooden or unsealed casket allows more air to move in and out.
Depending on these conditions, the body usually moves in one of two directions. Where air circulates and moisture escapes, tissues slowly dry out, much like natural mummification. Where it stays cool, damp, and low in oxygen, fats can turn into adipocere, a waxy substance often called grave wax, which can keep the body’s form recognizable for years.
Sealed Crypts vs. Ventilated Crypts
| Type | Design | Effect on the Body and Building |
|---|---|---|
| Sealed crypt | Closed airtight to block outside air and water | Traps gases and fluids, which can raise pressure inside the casket |
| Ventilated crypt | Connected to vents or air channels that carry gases outside, often with drainage | Helps remains dry out, lowers pressure, and limits odor; now common in new construction |
Ventilated, or “breathing,” crypts became more popular as builders learned from problems found in older, airtight designs.
A Timeline of Changes After Entombment
| After Entombment | General Changes |
|---|---|
| Weeks | Embalming holds off most changes, but bacteria within the body begin producing gases. |
| Months | Tissues break down and release fluids. Ventilated crypts begin drawing moisture away, while sealed caskets may build pressure. |
| Years | The body settles into either a dried, mummified state or a waxy adipocere state. |
| Decades or longer | Remains are largely skeletal or preserved, and may endure for generations. |
The Truth About “Exploding Caskets”
You may have heard that caskets can explode inside mausoleums. That description is exaggerated, but it points to a real issue. As a body breaks down, it releases gases. If both the casket and the crypt are sealed airtight, that gas has no escape, and pressure can eventually push a casket seal open or force fluids to seep out. When that happens, the crypt may need to be opened, cleaned, and repaired, and visitors may notice an odor.
Cemeteries have adopted several fixes. Ventilated crypts carry gases out of the building. Some caskets include pressure-relief valves, sometimes jokingly called “burpers.” Certain cemeteries ask that caskets placed in a mausoleum be left unsealed, and many use crypt liners or trays to contain any leakage. Thanks to these changes, problems are now rare in well-run mausoleums.
Caring for a Mausoleum Over Time
A mausoleum is meant to last for generations, which means it needs ongoing care. Staff should regularly inspect crypt fronts, seals, vents, drainage, roofs, and the building’s structure. Large community mausoleums are typically maintained by the cemetery through a perpetual care or endowment fund. With a private family mausoleum, the family is often responsible for paying for upkeep.
Questions to Ask Before You Choose
- Does this mausoleum use sealed or ventilated crypts?
- Is embalming required, and are there rules about the type of casket or whether it may be sealed?
- What does the perpetual care fund cover, and for how long?
- How does the cemetery respond if odor, leakage, or damage occurs?
- When is the mausoleum open, and is it easy to access for older or disabled visitors?
- What extra costs apply for opening and closing, engraving, vases, or future additions?
How Much Does a Mausoleum Cost?
Prices vary by region, cemetery, and the crypt’s position. Crypts at eye level, sometimes called heart level or prayer level, carry the highest prices, while those closest to the floor or ceiling are usually less expensive. A crypt in a community mausoleum often costs more than a standard burial plot, though families may avoid the cost of a burial vault and headstone. A private family mausoleum is the most expensive choice and can cost as much as a home. Always ask for an itemized price list covering the crypt, entombment fees, engraving, and maintenance.
Reasons Families Choose Above-Ground Burial
- Shelter from nature: The casket stays clear of soil, groundwater, and weather.
- Year-round visits: Indoor mausoleums offer a calm, comfortable place to visit no matter the season.
- Resting together: Companion and family crypts keep spouses and relatives side by side.
- Cultural and religious tradition: Many families and faith communities honor above-ground entombment as a meaningful custom.
- Personal preference: Some people simply feel more at peace with the idea of resting above the earth.
Many mausoleums also house columbarium niches for urns, so families who choose both burial and cremation can still remain together. To learn more about this tradition, visit our guide to mausoleum entombment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to a body inside a mausoleum?
The body still breaks down naturally, but more slowly than in the ground. Depending on airflow and moisture, it usually dries out in a process similar to mummification or forms a waxy substance called adipocere.
Can you smell anything inside a mausoleum?
A properly built and maintained mausoleum should have no noticeable odor. Smells usually occur only if a seal fails or ventilation and upkeep are neglected.
Is it true that caskets explode in mausoleums?
Not in a dramatic sense. Pressure from decomposition gases can cause a sealed casket to leak or its seal to give way, which ventilated crypts and relief valves are designed to prevent.
Is a mausoleum more expensive than ground burial?
Often, yes, especially for crypts at eye level or private family mausoleums, though families may save on a vault and headstone.
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Final Thoughts
Bodies do decompose in a mausoleum, but the process is slower, quieter, and very different from what happens in the ground. With modern ventilated crypts, attentive maintenance, and careful planning, a mausoleum can provide a dignified and enduring resting place. If you’re weighing this option, ask plenty of questions, get pricing in writing, and choose a cemetery you trust to care for your loved one for years to come.