“Rest eternally in this sacred space.” That inscription whispers from the stones of Columbaria Courtyard 3. This isn’t just a final resting place. It is a carefully designed space for quiet reflection.
Columbaria Courtyard 3 is within Lakewood Cemetery. Lakewood Cemetery was founded in 1871. New England businessmen and women who helped build Minneapolis envisioned Lakewood. They wanted a peaceful and beautiful setting for the city’s community members.
Lakewood’s design incorporates curvilinear paths winding through wooded rolling hills. Graves are set in simple rows. The cemetery was planted as an arboretum. It features a wide range of trees. The park-like design was intended for quiet reflection and modest recreation.
Lakewood Cemetery is closely linked to the development of Minneapolis’ Grand Rounds. The cemetery donated land for Lyndale Park and the Grand Rounds parkways system.
Lakewood Cemetery features significant structures. There is a Grand Army of the Republic monument built in 1889. The Byzantine-style Memorial Chapel was designed by Harry Wild Jones in 1910. There is also a Modernist-style Memorial Mausoleum and Columbarium designed in 1965. In 2012, the Garden Mausoleum was added.
The Memorial Chapel is modeled after the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. Its interior was inspired by St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice.
The Lakewood Cemetery Association hired Harry Wild Jones to design a chapel with a crematorium and columbarium. Jones visited crematoria in five Western cities.
The Lakewood Association awarded a separate design contract for the interior finishes to J&R Lamb Studios. Charles R. Lamb headed the studio. Ella Condie Lamb was also part of the creative team.
Lamb recruited mosaic artisans from Italy to fabricate over ten million pieces of marble, colored stone, and glass. The mosaic work took nearly three years to install.
The chapel features a double dome. Light from the clerestory windows creates a shimmering effect. Every part of the building’s design is layered with symbolism. The dome rests on four arches. The circle symbolizes heaven. The square represents earth. The dome is decorated with twelve angel figures representing departing spirits.
The transition from the circular dome to the square floor area includes curved triangular wall sections. These are known as pendentives. The Lambs placed mosaic portraits of women representing Faith, Hope, Memory, and Love here.
The building’s exterior is constructed with pink ashlar granite. It features a red tile dome. There are virtually no flat ceilings in the building. All horizontal surfaces are vaulted.
A renovation updated the chapel’s mechanical systems and added an expanded crematory. The chapel is used for funeral and memorial services. It also hosts musical performances and other cultural activities.
Lakewood Cemetery is the final resting place for many notable people. These include Hubert H. Humphrey and Paul Wellstone.
Take a moment to appreciate the serenity of Columbaria Courtyard 3. Notice how the space encourages quiet contemplation. Consider the lives commemorated here.