The San Francisco Columbarium & Funeral Home is a columbarium owned and operated by Dignity Memorial, located at One Loraine Court, near Stanyan and Anza Streets, just north of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California. Built in 1898 by architect Bernard J.S. Cahill, It was built to complement an existing crematorium designed by Cahill in 1895.

In 1902 the San Francisco Board of Supervisors prohibited further burials within the city. By late 1910, cremation was also prohibited.

After a time, the Columbarium was sold to the Bay Cities Cemetery Association and later to Cypress Abbey. As it passed from one organization to another it fell into disrepair. In 1980, the Neptune Society of Northern California bought it and began restoration.

On March 3, 1996, the building was added to the register of San Francisco Designated Landmarks.

Design

The Columbarium combines baroque and neoclassical features. Cahill was probably inspired by the Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago. The diameter, from the entrance to the stained glass window opposite, is . The width of the rotunda within the Inner circle is and the rotunda reaches a height of about .

The eight rooms on the ground floor bear the names of the mythological winds. Six of the ground floor rooms feature beautiful stained glass windows. The window in the Aquilo room depicting three angels in flight, is attributed equally to Louis Comfort Tiffany or John LaFarge. The first floor rooms are named after constellations. The second and third floors are simpler in design. On the grounds there is a fountain sculpture of Coit Tower. Many of the interments have creative dedications and feature personal items.

  • Ed Aulerich-Sugai (1950-1994) - artist, AIDS activist, and subject of Robert Glück's "About Ed" (2023) designed his own tomb
  • John Backus (1928–2007) – Pioneering computer scientist, creator of Fortran and 1977 Turing Award recipient
  • Ernst Baruth (1842–1906) and Otto Schinkel (1869–1907), the founders of Anchor Brewing Company
  • Frank E. Hill (1850–1906) – US Army officer during the American Indian Wars and Medal of Honor recipient
  • Thomas N. Howard (1957–2017) – Music and concert promoter-extraordinaire for Bill Graham Presents and The Howard Company
  • Harry August Jansen (1883–1955) – Professional magician, also known as Dante the Magician

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File:San Francisco Columbarium Interior.jpg|View of the Columbarium's interior

File:San Francisco Columbarium (2025)-L1007571.jpg|Room with urns

File:San Francisco Columbarium (2025)-L1007554.jpg|Angel statue on the second floor

File:SanFranColumbariumWindow.jpg|A stained glass window in the Columbarium

File:Columbariumceiling.jpg|The stained glass window in the dome ceiling

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See also

  • List of San Francisco Designated Landmarks
  • List of cemeteries in California

References

  • Location page at Dignity Memorial