BestMausoleum.com - Mausoleums, Monuments, Memorials of the World

Unique mausoleums built by Egyptian pharaoh Sneferu does not attract many tourists. It is pity, because Sneferu’s pyramids pre-date the latter ones constructed in Giza.  They represent a tribute to architectural searches and titanic efforts of the ancient civilizations.

Centuries after pharaoh Sneferu had been gone, his ruling was viewed as the gold age of Egypt.  He is depicted as a wise and generous ruler of the Fourth Dynasty who build up many temples and buildings. Sneferu is also a father of the ancient Egyptian fleet: fourty of his boats were importing cedar from Lebanon. Other ships would travel to further places like Livia, Nubia and Sinai.

During his life Sneferu constructed not just one but three pyramids as mausoleums. He transformed old step pyramid of his predecessor pharaoh Hunu to a true pyramid. He also built a famous personal mausoleum known as a Bent Pyramid - a unique example of early pyramid development.  Bent Pyramid has a mysterious small satelite pyramid of unknown purpose and a a small temple on eastern side of it.

Sneferu was not happy with Bent Pyramid and considered it imperfect. That is why he started a third mausoleum which is known to us as Red Pyramid. It is the 4th largest pyramid after the ones in Giza. While Sneferu’s pyramids are smaller, the total volume of stone used in Sneferu’s monuments is the larges of all pharaohs.

At the time of its completion, Red Pyramid was the tallest man made structure in the world! Many centuries later granite mausoleum’s surface became exposed to the surface. Its light crimson hue gave name to Sneferu’s final resting place.

Currently, Sneferu’s mausoleums are considered transitonal from step pyramids to the smooth ones that we are all familiar with.  It is evident, though, that Sneferu’s successful ruling dramatically expanded search for architectural solutions in construction of personal and family mausoleums.

Only for several days every year public can visit one the most remarkable places in Great Britain - Hamilton Palace Mausoleum. It is the family mausoleum that is a part of the Hamilton Palace complex which is the largest non-royal residence in the western world. Mausoleum design was developed in the middle of 19th century by David Hamilton and the whole structure was completed in 1858 by architects David Bryce and Alexander Richie. Originally, the 10th Duke Hamilton planned this Roman-style burial place to be a private mausoleum for his family members on his land in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland.

Inside the mausoleum, the 10th Duke Hamilton was buried in a sarcophagus, built in the ancient Egyptian style.  The remains of almost two dozen of his ancestors were buried in the crypt below. Later, during the big flooding from river Clyde, the human remains of this grand and unique mausoleum were moved out of this entombment and re-buried in the local cemetery.

The grand marble and granite mausoleum is not only famous of its size, although the latter is remarkable too as it occupies a site of 650 feet and reaches the height of 123 feet. Mausoleum builders “equipped” it with the longest-lasting echo of any building in the world. The visitors of the impressive mausoleum can also witness the acoustic effect that is nicknamed “whispering walls”.  If two people would stand on the opposite sides at both ends of the interior walls facing each other, they  can easily conduct a whispered conversation. Another interesting detail of the family mausoleum was a giant glass oculus on the dome. In 1970 it was emoved and replaced by a perspex version with the help of a helicopter.

Hamilton Palace Mausoleum