the obelisk by STEPHEN NOYES from usa

Cremation rates are growing exponentially. Cemeteries, churches, and universities are seeing this growth and are reacting with columbaria. Eickhof Columbaria has led the way in columbaria manufacturing with our Pre-Assembled Columbaria. These columbaria are completely assembled in our manufacturing facility, and then delivered at the customer’s location. There is minimal on-site construction.

We have had great success with our large circular and ¬¬hexagonal shaped columbaria, but we saw a growing need for smaller columbaria. We answered with the Obelisk.

The Obelisk design stemmed from a custom job we completed a few years ago. The customer had a unique problem, where they only needed twelve niches and had very small ground space to work with. The end design for that project was a straight wall tower six niches high and double sided, that resembled what the Obelisk design is today.

Today, the Obelisk design rests on a 3.5’ x 3.5’ footprint and reaches a height to nearly 9’. The base is composed of two solid granite slabs, as are the two side panels and capstone. The niche fronts are individual ¾” thick granite pieces that are fastened with our concealed locking hardware. Our concealed locking hardware allows the stone to create a smooth, flush surface and access to the niche is simple, yet secure. Nine niches are located on two sides of the Obelisk, for a total of eighteen niches. Each niche holds two urns; with the bottom six niches are able to hold three urns.

The production process of the Obelisk starts in our manufacturing facility located in Crookston, Minnesota. Each shelf for every niche is cut from aluminum extrusions that we’ve designed and the vertical members of the frame are cut from cement fiber building board. Then the cabinet is assembled and mounted to the granite base. Aluminum inner closure panels are installed on the face of each niche to protect the niche from wind blown debris. After all the granite has been slotted and our hardware attached to each stone, the granite fronts are installed on the cabinet. Adjustment is made to the stone until all the joints are even and the surface is flush.

Once the stone is set on the columbarium, the Obelisk is crated and loaded onto the company’s truck. After arriving on the project’s site, where the foundation has been prepared ahead of time, a crane lifts the completed Obelisk onto the foundation and it is uncrated. The Obelisk is now complete.

The Obelisk brings versatility to columbarium design with its size and shape. Two Obelisks can fit on the same space that one grave occupies. That is room for 84 urns as oppose to one coffin. With many cemeteries’ open space dwindling, the Obelisk offers a solution for space management.

Nine niches high is the standard niche height for the Obelisk, but we offer a design as small as three niches high. This modest size gives families the opportunity to invest in a columbarium on their own.

Not only can the Obelisk act as a permanent centerpiece or landmark (as the shape has throughout history: ancient Egypt, the Washington Monument, and Thomas Jefferson’s gravestone), but we also designed the columbarium to have the ability to move in the future. Understanding that churches grow, cemeteries expand, and the unexpected happens, the Obelisk having the ability to relocate is a strong benefit.

Cremation is only going to become more predominate in the death care industry and cemeteries, churches, and families need to be prepared. The Obelisk offers a versatile option for cremation for anyone who is in search of a unique columbarium.