Art & Architecture
The architecture of the buildings, mausoleums, and larger monuments in a cemetery such as Bellefontaine most often displays influences from Classical, Romanesque, Gothic, Egyptian or even some forms of modern architecture. Bellefontaine Cemetery has examples of each influence, making it a wonderful site to study Western architecture.
Don’t miss the architectural wonder of the Wainwright Tomb (#26) on the tour, designed by Louis Sullivan and called the “Taj Mahal” of St. Louis. Below are examples of some of the different styles of architecture present at Bellefontaine:
Classical - Modeled after Greek and Roman temples, with their many columns, pediments and strong symmetry, buildings in the Classical style were very popular throughout the 1800s. See the Milliken Mausoleum (#30) on the tour.
Romanesque - They are distinct with massive size, squared-off surfaces, rounded arches, and rusticated stonework. See John J. Mitchell (#39) on the tour.
Gothic - Characterized by arches and vaults that are beautiful and pointing to heaven. See Adolphus Busch (#10) and Kate Brewington Bennett (#19) on the tour.
Egyptian - Egyptian architecture has long had an influence on monuments, possibly because most of the pyramids were built as tombs. See the Spink Family Mausoleum (#31) on the tour.
Modern Art - As the United States moved into the 1900s, we began to express our own taste in architecture. Art deco and other styles began popping up. See the Brown Brothers Mausoleum (#29) on the tour and the Severrson Monument near Cascade Lake.
Suggested Activities:
- Have the students draw their favorite monument and explain its architectural style.
- Have the students design a mausoleum. Which style of architecture appeals to them most? What symbols will they use?
Reading & Writing on Death & Dying
Reading Activities
- Chicken Soup for the Soul (6th Bowl) There are 13 stories on death and dying — Middle School
- Zindel’s Begonia for Miss Applebaum — Middle School
- Edgar Lee Master’s Spoon River Anthology — High School
- Kevin Amsler’s Final Resting Place — Famous St. Louisans
Writing Activities
- Write their own obituary – one for this year – one if they died 25 years from now or 50 years from now
- Write fun obituaries for cartoon characters
- Select a famous person buried at Bellefontaine Cemetery and write a paper or report about that person — this could become an interesting field trip, having students present their material on the grave site at the cemetery.
- Write epitaphs: an inscription on a tombstone in memory of the one buried there. Here is an example:
Beneath this stone
a lump of clay
lies Arabella Young
who on the 11th day of May
began to hold her tongue
1794-1863
