This magnificent mausoleum is as much a work of art as it is a historic resting place.
Cecil E. Bryan was the master of mausoleums. Born in Illinois in 1878, Bryan began building mausoleums in 1912, after spending a year working for Frank Lloyd Wright,considered one of the most famous architects in American history.
Though Cecil E. Bryan designed more than eighty mausoleums throughout his lifetime, he considered Mountain View Mausoleum his masterpiece. So much so that when he passed away in 1951, it was there that he chose to be interred. And it’s not very hard to see why.
The mausoleum’s focal point is easily its 180-foot-long Great Gallery featuring an ornate vaulted ceiling hand-painted by artist Martin Syvertsen. The massive mural, depicting a frescoed version of the story of Christianity, took four years to complete and is nothing short of awe-inspiring.
The Mausoleum also boasts stained glass windows created by Judson Studios, surfaces fashioned from more than 64 varieties of Italian marble, and intricate tile work. Mountain View is a true hidden gem.
The Mausoleum is now part of Mountain View Cemetery, which opened in 1882. It’s long corridors, arched ceilings, marble surfaces, and intricate stained-glass windows spill rainbows of light onto the walls and floors.This magnificent mausoleum is as much a work of art as it is a historic resting place.
Mountain View serves as the final resting place for a great many figures of historical significance, including Civil War officers, the acclaimed actor George Reeves (who played Superman in the 1950s television series), former leader of the Black Panthers, Eldridge Cleaver, and Nobel Prize-winning physicist, Richard Feynman. For those considering the amazing benefits of funeral pre-planning in this beautiful sanctuary, or would like to visit arguably the most magnificent Mausoleum in the USA, Mountain View Cemetery is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mausoleum viewing hours are between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Visitors to Mountain View are asked to maintain awareness that the site is an active cemetery. Gravesite decorations are not to be altered or moved, however visitation and photography are encouraged.
