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GC153.JPG

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Lakeside Columbarium Cypress Lawn Memorial Park Colma, California Cypress Lawn’s Lakeside Columbarium was designed by San Francisco architect Bernard J.S. Cahill (1866-1944), in 1927 . Cahill specialized in mausoleum design and mortuary architecture and is responsible for many of the structures at Cypress Lawn. The Lakeside Columbarium was one of Cahill’s last great creations. He drew his inspiration from the Palace of the Roman Emperor, Diocletian, located in the port city of Spaleto (modern Split) in Yugoslavia. With 10,000 niches, Cahill’s columbarium was to be to the largest building of its type in the world. Unfortunately, the onset of the Great Depression halted work and only part of the interior space was finished. With today’s rising cremation rates (near 50% in California), the Cypress Lawn Board of Directors are contemplating the completion of Cahill’s magnificent plan.