Let’s face it. Funeral homes aren’t known for being beautiful in the traditional sense of the word. Modern, light and airy are not words that immediately come to mind when a person thinks of a funeral home. But we are seeing a definite trend across the globe where saying goodbye to a loved one is actually more of a celebration of life vs. mourning of death. This way of honoring the dead can be seen reflected through funeral home architecture around the world.

Check out these funeral homes that show just how beautiful death can be:

Funeral Home and Garden, Pinoso Spain:

This boldly modern funeral home sits in the rolling hills of coastal southeast Spain. Outside, its shiny black edifice is complemented by long stretches of glass, shedding light on the bright and equally contemporary interior. Inside, stark white walls and simplistic design invite mourners in while taking a backseat to, however, families choose to memorialize their loved one.

Click here for more photos and information on Funeral Home and Garden.

Chicago Jewish Funerals, Chicago, IL:

The simple elegance of this Chicago funeral home is ironically what makes it so spectacular. The building’s two chapels are covered nearly floor to ceiling with windows, casting light throughout the space and offering grieving families life-affirming healing energy. The walls the building does boast are light and beautiful, one made entirely of Jerusalem stone.

Chapel of St. Lawrence, Vantaa, Finland:

Whitewashed walls, a copper roof, slate flooring, and a soaring geometrical bell tower are just a few of the striking characteristics of this Finnish funeral chapel. But the design isn’t just beautiful, it was constructed specifically with grieving families in mind. The design of the building’s acoustics and ventilation create a soothing ambiance, while a peaceful path of sacral spaces highlighted by one continuous skylight guides mourners through the chapel where they can say final goodbyes to their loved one.

Click here for more photos and information on the Chapel of St. Lawrence.

Funeral Parlor, Murtas, Spain:

Murtas, Spain is home to this unique cave-like funeral parlor. Set into the hills and complete with a series of soaring skylights, blending earth with sky was the primary objective of the design. Inside, the midday sun forms an eclipse drawn together by direct and projected light. This ambiance assists the soul as it begins its ascent to heaven — an important journey for the fundamentally spiritual Spanish culture.

Meiso no Mori Municipal Funeral Hall, Kakamigahara, Japan:

Nestled between a mountain and small lake in Kakamigahara, Japan is Meiso no Mori Municipal Funeral Hall. Designed to mirror its mountainous surroundings and the billowing clouds above, a curving, seamless concrete roof immediately catches visitors’ eyes. The unique roof shape creates a serene interior, with soft curves and airy feel. A wall of windows works in conjunction with high ceilings to invite in even more light, establishing a sublime space to give last honors to the deceased.

Click here for more photos and information on Meiso no Mori Municipal Funeral Hall.

Welkenraedt Funeral Centre, Welkenraedt, Belgium:

Create a building that appears it’s rising from the Earth — This is what the architects who designed the Welkenraedt Funeral Centre in Welkenraedt Belgium were tasked with. The structure is comprised of two main buildings that interconnect beneath a broad planted roof. The curves and finish on the bold concrete walls relay a feeling of balance and reassurance, while tall windows in several public rooms invite nature in. The space is organized in a functional, sensitive manner that best allows expression of grief and joining of family to pay respects to the deceased.

Click here for more photos and information on Welkenraedt Funeral Centre.

Do you have other examples of impressive funeral home architecture? Share them with us in the comments!