Natural Stone Urn Gravestones

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These Urn Gravestones Are Available

To bring our selection of urn gravestones a bit closer to you and to make it easier for you to choose a suitable urn gravestone, we would like to introduce our range in more detail as follows:

Standing Urn Headstones

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Memorial Stones for Urn Burial Plots

Urn burial plots, as mentioned, are small burial spaces where only urns can be interred. Similar to traditional graves for casket burials, urn burial plots are typically adorned with a memorial stone. This can be placed immediately after the interment.

Many people choose urn burial plots because they are particularly low-maintenance and their design is less costly.

A small yet impactful memorial stone can also highlight such a plot and create a dignified place of remembrance.

Types of Urn Burials

Urn Grave Markers for Single Graves

Single graves are primarily used for coffin burials, though urns can also be interred there. After a coffin burial, it takes about six months for the ground to settle and for stonemasonry work to be carried out. However, after an urn burial, there's no need to wait to set up an urn grave marker; it can be done immediately.

You can also place an urn grave marker on a single grave as a supplement to the main gravestone, or you can mark the urn placement in addition to the main gravestone with an urn grave marker in the form of an urn grave plate or a so-called grave pillow. This way, you have the opportunity to honor the uniqueness of the deceased and create a dignified memorial with a personally chosen gravestone.

Choose the shape, material, and design elements to select the urn grave marker that best reflects the deceased. This gives the grave a special character and makes it a place of loving remembrance.

Urn Grave Markers for Double Graves

Double graves are often used by families and serve as a place of solace and remembrance for multiple generations. They are typically adorned with a large double gravestone.

If there is no space left on the main gravestone or if you wish to commemorate the deceased with individual grave adornments, you can also place an additional urn grave marker alongside the main gravestone. Alternatively, you can mark the urn placement in addition to the main gravestone with an urn grave marker in the form of an urn grave plate or a so-called grave pillow.

An urn grave marker for a double grave can appropriately fill the space and lend the grave a special dignity.

Lying Stones as Urn Grave Markers

It doesn't always have to be a traditional urn grave marker. You can also embellish a grave with an urn grave marker in the form of a pillow stone. This type of urn grave marker is placed on top of the grave.

Pillow stones come in a variety of shapes, such as heart, star, leaf, or book shapes.

Stelae as Urn Grave Markers

Unlike a lying pillow stone, a stela is a standing stone pillar. When choosing a stela, keep in mind that usually only the inscription for one name can fit. Urn grave markers in the form of a stela stand out with their tall, slender shape and are especially suitable for limited space.

Due to their height, they draw attention in any cemetery and can be creatively designed to be quite unique.

Original Messerschmidt Urn Gravestone References

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An Overview of Different Types of Urn Graves

In cemeteries in Germany, urn graves are generally categorized into plot-based graves and row graves. Both types allow for urn burial and the placement of an urn grave marker.

Plot-based graves, as the name suggests, are graves where one can choose the location. These graves can be extended after the rest period and can remain in family possession for several decades. They also offer the flexibility for personalized design and the placement of an urn grave marker.

Row graves are graves allocated sequentially by the cemetery administration, and the usage period cannot be extended. These graves also allow the placement of grave or urn markers.

The principle of plot-based and row graves can be applied to different types of graves suitable for urn burials. Below, we introduce these grave types:

Burial Urn Grave

A burial urn grave is an earth-integrated grave, which due to its small size of about 1 square meter, only permits the burial of urns.

Typically, a burial urn grave is marked with a traditional urn grave marker. However, markers in the form of a slab or a pillow stone are also possible. The rest periods of burial urn graves depend on the applicable regulations of the respective cemetery administration, usually ranging between 20 and 30 years.

The costs for a burial urn grave as a row grave are lower than those for a plot-based grave. Costs for the urn grave marker will depend on its size and the labor involved.

Columbarium

A columbarium typically refers to a small memorial hall or area within a building where urns can be placed. Many cemeteries also use the term to describe urn chambers embedded in a free-standing urn wall. Columbariums can be found in many German cemeteries and are often adjacent to crematoria.

Usually, urn chambers are sealed with a stone plate after the urn is placed. These plates often display the name, birth, and death dates of the deceased, which are engraved. In some columbariums, instead of stone plates, glass plates are used, allowing the decorative urns to remain visible.

Due to their smaller size, stone plates used for columbarium urn markers are generally more affordable than those for ground graves.

Tree or Forest Graves

Over the past decades, nature-friendly burials have become increasingly popular in Germany. Many cemeteries now offer burials at the base of a tree or in natural forest areas.

With this type of grave, the urn is placed directly at the base of a tree. Placing a traditional urn grave marker is not possible in these settings.

However, there are alternatives to traditional urn markers, such as the grave stele. These steles can be found near the tree in some cemeteries and may feature the names of those buried at that particular tree, making it a special form of urn marker in a broader sense.

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What Kind of Stone Should My Urn Grave Marker Be Made Of?

Variety of Headstone Materials

Something for Every Taste: An Overview of Different Gravestone Materials and Their Surface Finishes

Basalt Urn Memorial Stone

Once ejected to the Earth's surface by volcanoes as molten magma, basalt has hardened into one of the most resilient rocks. Historically referred to as black marble, basalt is known for its subtle and classic coloring in dark gray and black tones. Its fine-pored structure gives the urn memorial stones an elegant and modern appearance. Basalt urn memorial stones are weather- and frost-resistant, making them particularly easy to maintain and long-lasting.

Urn Gravestones Made of Diorite

Diorite is one of the hardest and oldest types of rock in Germany. It was formed millions of years ago from liquid magma deep within the Earth.

This process resulted in a fine- to medium-grained structure, giving dioresite urn gravestones a harmonious appearance. Its black to dark gray coloration provides a calm and powerful presence.

Numerous monuments from ancient times are made of diorite, attesting to our ancestors' trust in the durability of this stone. Timeless and unyielding, a diorite urn gravestone is a steadfast monument to our memories.

Granite Urn Headstones

Granite is one of the particularly hard and durable stones. You can choose between urn headstones made of gray granite with dark gray flecks, yellow granite in warm yellow tones, or the so-called Kösseine granite with blue to blue-gray coloration.

A vibrant surface texture gives these urn headstones their distinctive character, making each piece unique. Granite offers numerous design possibilities and remains popular in modern art due to its sleek appearance.

It is weather-resistant, frostproof, and low-maintenance. Due to its high-quality composition, granite urn headstones allow for the creation of unique and timeless mementos of our connection.

Urn Tombstones Made from Jura Limestone

With its elegant appearance, Jura limestone was a popular building material as far back as Roman times and is also found in numerous medieval structures. Jura limestone has a high density and, being a soft sedimentary rock, is excellent for surface design.

Elements such as angels or wings are particularly striking on urn tombstones made from Jura limestone, with the warm base tone giving these tombstones an elegant and serene appearance.

Urn Tombstone made of Grey Limestone

Limestone is widespread around the world and is available in various colors. The dark grey variant is especially popular for its elegant and timeless appearance.

Thanks to its high density and yet soft structure, limestone urn tombstones can be crafted in diverse ways and are excellent for artistic design. This way, unique monuments can be created from the limestone to honor our memories.

Sandstone Urn Headstones

Sandstone was formed over 150 million years ago from the deposition of weathered stones and sand grains. Over time, it hardened into one of Germany’s most popular and durable natural stones, renowned since the early Middle Ages for its use in magnificent buildings.

Particularly beautiful examples of this sedimentary rock can be found in the Schweinstal near Kaiserslautern. Here, stone is extracted from ancient rock formations, and later crafted into high-quality monuments. Schweinstal sandstone is known for its reddish-brown base color, which appears in a range of shades. As a result, sandstone urn headstones convey a sense of warmth and comfort even on cold days. On sunny days, the sunlight brings out a subtle sparkle in the stone.

Urn Grave Stones Made from Shell Limestone

In the waters of our ancient past, shell limestone formed from deposits of shellfish and calcareous plants. It encapsulated numerous shells as fossils, serving as a unique witness to our prehistoric times.

Similar to limestone, the base color of shell limestone is light, with shades varying from gray, brown to yellowish-brown. Particularly popular here are urn grave stones made from local Crailsheim shell limestone with a bluish-gray to brownish hue and a homogeneous, dense structure. As a high-quality and very durable stone, shell limestone has been used for centuries in various buildings and monuments.

Urn Grave Markers Come in Various Styles

Simple Urn Grave Markers

Simple urn grave markers communicate their message directly: Honoring the memory of the beloved deceased. Through their unadorned design, the quality of the material takes center stage and exudes an elegant and stylish presence.

The subtle use of decorative elements can add impactful and personalized accents, beautifully adorning the grave marker in a restrained manner. Choose a simple urn grave marker that stands the test of time – enduring for many decades.

Traditional Urn Gravestones

Traditional urn gravestones can also be customized. Among the traditional design elements such as crosses, angels, or Madonnas, we offer a wide range of variations so you can choose the design that suits you best.

Custom Urn Headstones

In the design of an urn headstone, there are countless possibilities to honor the uniqueness of the deceased. The combination of material, symbolism, shape, color, and detail work creates a stylish urn headstone that is both individual and unique. Choose an urn headstone that is as unique as the person it commemorates.

Exceptional Cremation Headstones

A visual masterpiece! Exceptional cremation headstones are a true adornment to any cemetery. Whether it’s the choice of form or the design elements – dare to choose the extraordinary and make a statement with a unique cremation headstone!

Urn Headstones with Inscriptions - What Are the Options?

Only with the inscription of the urn headstone does the urn headstone truly become unique. In addition to the name and birth and death dates, symbols or phrases are commonly engraved on urn headstones. Adding images to urn headstones is also an option. Traditionally, the inscriptions were chiseled into the urn headstone.

At Messerschmidt Headstones, we use a modern technique for designing urn headstones. The text is sandblasted onto the urn headstone to gently embed it into the stone. For a precise appearance, the sandblasted text is later painted and not hand-painted. In designing our urn headstones, we use modern and contemporary methods to serve you better.

When selecting the appropriate inscription for the urn headstone, you can choose from various fonts, font sizes, images, and symbols. You can also express your grief with a carefully chosen phrase, making the urn headstone a unique monument to your loved one.

Urn Gravestones with Symbol

Decorative symbols are commonly used on gravestones. These symbols can have religious or secular backgrounds. They often express the feelings that the bereaved associate with the deceased. Additionally, such a symbol can be used as a reminder of a characteristic of the deceased.

Urn Gravestone with Angel
Messengers of God are popular elements for the sculptural or pictorial design of artistic urn gravestones. Especially marble urn gravestones are well-suited for the sculptural detailing with angels – providing the stonemason with optimal design possibilities to portray the heavenly messengers in detail.
Urn Gravestone with Cross
The cross, as the central element of the Christian faith, can be integrated in various forms – from simple to modern, from subtle to dominant. Get inspired by the various possibilities for designing a tasteful urn gravestone.
Urn Gravestone with Madonna
Mary, the Mother of God, can provide comfort on urn gravestones in many different forms, whether figuratively or pictorially designed. In her peaceful and kind appearance, she offers the bereaved aesthetic solace and assurance.
Urn Gravestones with Image
Nothing can evoke the unique memory of the deceased as vividly as a picture of the person. We are happy to advise you on the different options and design forms available.

In addition to the options mentioned here, many other options are available in our range. Please contact us, and we will be happy to help you find the right combination for you!

How much does an urn gravestone cost? / How expensive is an urn gravestone?

Of course, every headstone is a unique piece, which is why we can only provide a price range. An urn headstone costs between €1200 and €1800. If the urn headstone is to be supplemented with a border, an additional €1200 - €1600 will be added.
The border constitutes the majority of the installation work.

In total, you should expect to spend between €2400 and €3400 for an urn headstone with a border.

If the stone is to be elaborately designed, this will naturally incur additional costs. You can get a more precise idea using our urn headstone cost calculator. Feel free to contact us for a specific quote.

Which Stone for an Urn Grave Marker?

Urn gravestones can be made from sandstone, limestone, granite, diorite, or basalt.
The right stone for your gravestone depends on your taste and the personality of the deceased.

Depending on the form of the urn gravestone, either a lighter or darker stone may be more suitable for your urn gravestone. All types of stone are suitable for urn gravestones, durable, and low-maintenance.

We are happy to advise you on which stone would be best used for an urn gravestone.

How to Purchase a Memorial Headstone Online?

You no longer need to visit a local stonemason to purchase an urn grave marker.

We offer expert and straightforward advice online via PC or over the phone. The grave marker can be easily designed from the comfort of your sofa with our help.

We are always available for you and keep you updated on the progress of your order.

For you, it's no different from purchasing your urn grave marker from a local stonemason.

How is an urn grave marker inscribed or designed?

When it comes to urn headstones, there are various design possibilities. Starting with the shape and material of the urn headstone and border, through to the inscription, and including additional design elements such as ornaments, lanterns, and more.

The shape of the urn headstone is often personalized based on the deceased. Therefore, motifs such as angels, hearts, crosses, or natural elements are common.

Also, the inscription on the urn headstone can be traditionally engraved, appliquéd, or complemented with an embedded picture of the deceased.

We are happy to assist you with the proper design of the urn headstone.

What type of urn gravestone should I choose?

Choosing the right cremation headstone largely depends on the personality of the deceased and your taste.

Materials like basalt, limestone, sandstone, diorite, or granite are all suitable for crafting cremation headstones. The choice can, for instance, be influenced by a color that reminds you of the deceased.

Family members often draw inspiration from the character traits or significant life aspects of the deceased.
For example, for a sailor, a ship's wheel could be incorporated as a motif in the design of the cremation headstone.

We are happy to advise you on choosing the right cremation headstone.

Special Designs for Urn Headstones

Often, grief and remembrance of a loved one cannot be expressed in words. A symbol or image on the urn headstone can convey much more. Memories of the deceased can often be vividly captured on an urn headstone.

Symbols and figures are not only expressions of our remembrance and loyalty, but also serve as elegant decoration for the urn headstone. Whether carved into the headstone as reliefs or attached as bronze or stainless steel appliqués on the urn headstone, these symbols can tell us something about the beloved person and our connection with them.

Christian symbols on urn headstones, such as a fish, a cross, or praying hands, express our faith in God and our confidence in resurrection. The cross is one of the most popular Christian symbols on urn headstones. It reminds us of the suffering Jesus endured for us and provides hope for an eternal life after death.

Flower symbols on urn headstones, such as lilies or roses, express our eternal loyalty and love. Flowers represent the transience of life, but in their blooming form on an urn headstone, they also symbolize beauty and vitality.

The heart is by far the most well-known and popular symbol of love. With a heart on an urn headstone or an urn headstone in the shape of a heart, we can express our eternal loyalty and bond more clearly. An urn headstone adorned with a heart requires no further words. It clearly conveys the love that keeps the departed unforgettable.

These are just a few examples of possible decorative designs for an urn headstone. Feel free to browse through our shop for more urn headstone motifs or contact us personally. We are happy to help you choose the appropriate urn headstone!