What is a columbarium?

A columbarium is a specially designed structure that provides a permanent resting place for cremated remains. It consists of compartments or niches where urns containing ashes can be placed, allowing families and friends to memorialize their loved ones in a designated space. This form of memorialization is particularly important for those who wish to store or display the ashes of the deceased in a respectful manner.

The other options, while related to funeral practices, do not accurately describe a columbarium. Traditional burial spaces, areas for outdoor memorial services, and facilities for preparing bodies serve different purposes within the scope of funerary practices but do not pertain to the specific concept of a columbarium, which is solely focused on the storage of cremated remains.