1.5 The mausoleum of Halicarnassus (Turkey)
7 Wonders of the world old (series 1)
The mausoleum of Halicarnassus was a monumental white marble Tomb, considered one of the Seven wonders of the ancient world. It was built in honor of Mausolus (in Greek, Μαύσωλος -Mausōlos), King of Caria.
According to historians, the life of Mausolus has nothing remarkable except for the construction of his tomb. The project was conceived by Artemisia II of Caria, his wife and first cousin of second degree. The construction was begun during the reign of Mausolus and was completed around 350 BC, 15 days after his death and a year after the death of Artemisia.
This monumental tomb building was entrusted to the architectssatyrs and Piteos, who built a rectangular structure of 30 by 40 m, about her 117 ionic columns in two rows holding the ceiling step pyramid-shaped, and the latter the statue of a chariot with the effigies of the King and Queen, altogether reaching about 50 m high. To complete this wonder, the best Greek sculptors of the period carved figures and reliefs on its structure. The total number of statues amounted to 444, approximately.
It withstood invasions and destruction of the city by Alexander the great, the barbarians and Arabs, but ultimately it was destroyed by an earthquake in the year 1404.
In 1522 the Knights of St. John used the remains to the repair of the Castillo San Pedro at Halicarnassus. During this time, there were a series of tunnels beneath the building, carrying the coffin of the deceased Kings. The tomb was looted by thieves and that today because there are no remains of it.
The upper statue and a frieze was saved, today you can admire in the British Museum in London.
