An Art Deco Mausoleum

I am an admirer of old-style architecture, and it's not limited to beautiful urban dwellings and edifices. In fact some of the most beautiful Art Deco buildings I have ever seen are actually mausoleums. In the old north section of the Manila Chinese Cemetery can be found several of these magnificent mausoleums. They are the earthly homes to the departed ones of the rich Chinese in Manila. And since the Chinese practice ancestor worship, most of these mausoleums were built extravagantly, as a way to honor their dead. The mausoleum may also be a reflection of the family's power and social status. In effect, the larger and more beautiful structures belong to the wealthier and more affluent families.
One such grand mausoleum is The Familia Eusebio Tankeh, a glorious edifice of elegant Art Deco proportions. I admire its rich attention to the magnificent style reminiscent of the ancient gothic pantheons of Eastern Europe.
Built in 1948, the mausoleum's two front columns and vases suggest an elegant Greek influence, and inside, marble busts and angelic statues of superhuman proportions echo the Romanesque tradition. The two gothic dragons--instead of the traditional Chinese lions--serve as perpetual sentinels as if to guard the edifice from a foreign invasion. It was beautiful, a masterful creation, and a forgotten contribution to authentic high Art Deco architecture.