What is typically found in a columbarium?

A columbarium is a structure specifically designed to house cremated remains, making niches for urns the key feature of this type of facility. The niches are typically small compartments or spaces that can be used to hold the ashes of individuals or families, often featuring a door that can be personalized with names, dates, or other commemorative inscriptions.

In contrast, traditional burial plots are used for interring caskets and would not be found in a columbarium. Grave markers, while they can be present in other burial settings, would not typically be associated with the structure of a columbarium itself, as they usually mark graves rather than niches. Family mausoleums serve a different purpose, as they are above-ground structures designed to house multiple caskets and are distinct from the compartmentalized design of a columbarium.