Many churches in Wisconsin have built columbaria over the years, even though state law didn’t clearly define them as distinct from mausoleums, which can only be built in cemeteries. Gov. Scott Walker and the Legislature recently updated the law to make clear that churches are allowed to build columbaria, provided they follow certain rules.
Columbaria can be buildings, free-standing structures or walls within buildings, usually located in churches or cemeteries, that contain several niches to hold urns or other containers with the cremated remains of the deceased.