File:Columbarium - sign at SW corner - Arlington National Cemetery - 2011.JPG

English: Sign at the southern entrance to Court #1 of the Columbarium Complex at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, in the United States. The sign displays a map of the six existing courts, the two plazas, the two "shelters," and the ellipse. At the top of the diagram is the planned Court #9.

The 14-acre, rectangular columbarium site is approximately 700 feet from north to south and 800 feet from east to west. The site was previously divided in an east-west direction by Nimitz Drive (now no longer in existence).

"Phase One" of the columbarium construction included Courts #1 and #2. Columbarium Court #1 opened in April 1980. It contained 5,026 niches. Court #2, which contained another 5,026 niches, opened in 1984. Each court is 118 feet wide and 175 feet long, and contains about 20,650 square feet of space. Also constructed at this time was an outdoor "shelter" and plaza between Courts #1 and #2. The shelter consists of four concrete pillars supporting a concrete square flat roof. The eastern shelter is known as "Marshall Shelter," and is named after U.S. Army General George C. Marshall. "Phase Two" of columbarium construction included Courts #3 and #4. They were both the same size as Courts #1 and #2, and opened in 1991. "Phase Three" of columbarium construction included Courts #5 and #6. They contained a combined 11,286 niches. Construction on Court #6 was complete in October 1997, and construction on Court #5 was complete in June 1998. Each court had about 10 percent more square footage than the previous courts.

In 1999, Arlington National Cemetery developed a master plan for the use of its land. The master plan included plans to build Phase Four and Five of the columbarium complex. It called for a central ellipse (planted with trees, shrubs and flowers) between Courts #3/#5 and Courts #4/#6, and for a second shelter (identical to the first) to be built on the eastern end of the complex (with its rostrum in the east).

Court #8, which has 7,672 niches, was completed in 2005. Court #7, which was the same size, was finished in 2007. The second shelter is named "Nimitz Shelter," after U.S. Navy Admiral Chester Nimitz.

In 2009, cemetery officials began planning Columbarium Court #9. Measuring 540 feet from north to south and 116 feet from east to west, the court is planned for the empty rectangular section across the access road from Courts #7 and #8. It will contain 20,200 niches and feature a landscaped fountain courtyard as the focal point.