From today on 2400 years ago, King Mausolos who had just moved his kingdom's capital of Caria from Mylasa (now Milas) to Halicarnassos (today Bodrum), decided to built himself a monumental tomb.
The project was conceived by his wife and sister Artemisia II, and the construction might have started during the king's lifetime.
The Mausoleum was completed around 350 BC, three years after Mausolos death, and one year after Artemisia's.
- It was not only one of the wonders of the ancient world:
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We know from historians, the Mausoleum was different - so different from the Pyramid that it earned its reputation - and a spot within the list - for other reasons.
Geographically, it is closer to the Temple of Artemis...
And it was the beauty of the tomb rather than its size that fascinated its visitors for centuries.
And the beauty of the Mausoleum was not only in the structure itself, but in the decorations and statues that adorned the outside at different levels on the podium and the roof. These were tens of life-size as well as under and over life-size free-standing statues of people, lions, horses, and other animals.
The Mausoleum also holds a special place in history as it was not dedicated to the gods of Ancient Greece.
The last written document of a visitor is the one of Bishop Eustathius, he observes in his commentary on Homer, in the twelfth century, that the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus is a marvel.
For 16 centuries, the Mausoleum remained in good condition until it tumbled in an heavy earthquake in 1304 AD.
A panoramic view of the place.
Description and technical datas.
According to the description of the Roman author Pliny the Elder (AD 23-79), the monument was almost square, with a total periphery of 411 feet (125 m). It was bounded by 36 columns, and the top formed a 24-step pyramid surmounted by a four-horse marble chariot.
The structure was rectangular in plan, with base dimensions of about 40 m (120 ft) by 30 m (100 ft). Overlying the foundation was a stepped podium which sides were decorated with statues. The burial chamber and the sarcophagus of white alabaster decorated with gold were located on the podium and surrounded by Ionic columns. The colonnade supported a pyramid roof which was in turn decorated with statues. A statue of a chariot pulled by four horses adorned the top of the tomb.
The total height of the Mausoleum was 45 m (140 ft). This is broken down into 20 m (60 ft) for the stepped podium, 12 m (38 ft) for the colonnade, 7 m (22 ft) for the pyramid, and 6 m (20 ft) for the chariot statue at the top.
At the very top of the tomb was a twenty-four-step pyramid surmounted by a marble chariot twenty-five feet tall. The marble base contained a room in which both Mausolus, of whom the tomb was built for, and his wife Artemisia were to be entombed. The Mausoleum had a perimeter of 411 feet (125 meters). It was built to be known for its beauty, richness, and grace.
Like many other provinces, the kingdom of Caria in the western part of Asia Minor (Turkey) was so far from the Persian capital that it was practically autonomous. From 377 to 353 BC, King Mausollos of Caria reigned in Mylasa and moved his capital later to Halicarnassus. Nothing is exciting about Maussollos life except the construction of his tomb. The project was conceived by his wife and sister Artemisia, and the construction might have started during the king's lifetime. The Mausoleum was completed around 350 BC, three years after Maussollos death, and one year after Artemisia's.
- One of the knights named La Touret describes the plundering of the tomb in his memoires, saying:
- "First we found the stairs leading down to the burial chamber below the ground and we were breathless at the spectacular sight in front of our eyes. The second minute we started looting the place, but we didnt have much time, because they commanded us back to the castle. The next day when we came back to the same site, precious gold jewelry and pieces of fine cloth were scattered around the place ...."
