Seven Wonders of the World - Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
When Was the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus Built?
The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was constructed around 353 BC.
Where is the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus Located?
The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus in the city of Bodrum (formally Halicarnassus,) in what is now southwestern Turkey.
What is the History of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus?
In 377 BC, Mausolus and his wife, Queen Artemisia, ruled over the city of Halicarnassus (the capital at that time) and the surrounding area. They stayed rulers for 24 years. When Mausolus died, his queen, who was also his sister (it was custom back then for rulers to marry their sister - yuck,) was heart broken. She built him the most spectacular and unique tomb and it became one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Two years after her husband's death, Artemisia died. For many centuries the mausoleum stood atop a hill, overlooking the city until earthquakes sent it crashing down. By 1404 AD, only the base of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was left - and it's still there. Near the end of the 18th century, more remains of the mausoleum were dug up and sent to the British Museum.
More About the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
What made the mausoleum so beautiful wasn't just the structure of the tomb but the decorations and statues on the outside of each level and on the roof. The mostly marble tomb was located in the center of a platform, which was about one-third the mausoleum's height of 140 feet (45 meters.) Columns separated each section of the tomb. Between each column stood life-size statues of people, lions, horses and other animals. On top of the tomb were four massive horses pulling a chariot with the images of Mausolus and Artemisia.
