The Seven Wonders: The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus Requires javascript The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus The Mausoleum at the ancient city of Halicarnassus was the tomb of the king, Mausolus. (Copyright Lee Krystek, 2011) In 377 B.C., the city of Halicarnassus was the capitol of a small kingdom along the Mediterranean coast of Asia Minor. It was in that year the ruler of this land, Hecatomnus of Mylasa, died and left control of the kingdom to his son, Mausolus. Hecatomnus, a local satrap to the Persians, had been ambitious and had taken control of several of the neighboring cities and districts. Then Mausolus during his reign extended the territory even further so that it eventually included most of southwestern Asia Minor. Mausolus, with his queen Artemisia, ruled over Halicarnassus and the surrounding territory for 24 years. Though he was descended from the local people, Mausolus spoke Greek and admired the Greek way of life and government.

He founded many cities of Greek design along the coast and encouraged Greek democratic traditions. Mausolus's Death Function: Tomb for the City King, Mausolus Destroyed: Damaged by earthquakes in 13th century A.D. . Final destruction by Crusaders in 1522 A.D. Size: 140 feet (43m) high. Made of: White Marble Other: Built in a mixture of Egyptian, Greek and Lycian styles Then in 353 B.C. Mausolus died, leaving his queen Artemisia, who was also his sister, broken-hearted (It was the custom in Caria for rulers to marry their own sisters). As a tribute to him, she decided to build him the most splendid tomb in the known world. It became a structure so famous that Mausolus's name is now associated with all stately tombs throughout the world through the word mausoleum. The building, rich with statuary and carvings in relief, was so beautiful and unique it became one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World . Artemisia decided that no expense was to be spared in the building of the tomb.

She sent messengers to Greece to find the most talented artists of the time. These included architects Satyros and Pytheos who designed the overall shape of the tomb. Other famous sculptors invited to contribute to the project were Bryaxis, Leochares, Timotheus and Scopas of Paros (who was responsible for rebuilding the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, another of the wonders). According to the historian Pliny Bryaxis, Leochares, Timotheus and Scopas each took one side of the tomb to decorate. Joining these sculptors were also hundreds of other workmen and craftsmen. Together they finished the building in the styles of three different cultures: Egyptian, Greek and Lycian. The tomb was erected on a hill overlooking the city. The whole structure sat in the center of an enclosed courtyard on a stone platform. A staircase, flanked by stone lions, led to the top of this platform. Along the outer wall of the courtyard were many statues depicting gods and goddesses. At each corner stone warriors, mounted on horseback, guarded the tomb.

A map of the city of Halicarnassus drawn by the archeologist J D Barbi� du Bocage in 1802 showing the tomb in the middle of the city. At the center of the platform was the tomb itself. Made mostly of marble, the structure rose as a square, tapering block to about one-third of the Mausoleum's 140 foot height. This section was covered with relief sculpture showing action scenes from Greek myth/history. One part showed the battle of the Centaurs with the Lapiths. Another depicted Greeks in combat with the Amazons, a race of warrior women. On top of this section of the tomb thirty-six slim columns rose for another third of the height. Standing in between each column was another statue. Behind the columns was a solid block that carried the weight of the tomb's massive roof. The roof, which comprised most of the final third of the height, was in the form of a stepped pyramid with 24 levels. Perched on top was the tomb's penultimate work of sculpture craved by Pytheos: Four massive horses pulling a chariot in which images of Mausolus and Artemisia rode.

The City in Crisis Soon after construction of the tomb started Artemisia found herself in a crisis. Rhodes, an island in the Aegean Sea between Greece and Asia Minor, had been conquered by Mausolus. When the Rhodians heard of his death, they rebelled and sent a fleet of ships to capture the city of Halicarnassus. Knowing that the Rhodian fleet was on the way, Artemisa hid her own ships at a secret location at the east end of the city's harbor. After troops from the Rhodian fleet disembarked to attack, Artemisia's fleet made a surprise raid, captured the Rhodian fleet, and towed it out to sea. Video: In Honor of the King: The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus Artemisa put her own soldiers on the invading ships and sailed them back to Rhodes. Fooled into thinking that the returning ships were their own victorious navy, the Rhodians failed to put up a defense and the city was easily captured, quelling the rebellion. Artemisa lived for only two years after the death of her husband. Both would be buried in the yet unfinished tomb.

According to Pliny, the craftsmen decided to stay and finish the work after their patron died "considering that it was at once a memorial of their own fame and of the sculptor's art." The Mausoleum overlooked the city of Halicarnassus for many centuries. It was untouched when the city fell to Alexander the Great in 334 B.C. and was still undamaged after attacks by pirates in 62 and 58 B.C.. It stood above the city ruins for some 17 centuries. Then a series of earthquakes in the 13th century shattered the columns and sent the stone chariot crashing to the ground. By 1404 A.D. only the very base of the Mausoleum was still recognizable. Destruction by the Crusaders Crusaders, who had little respect for ancient culture, occupied the city from the thirteen century onward and recycled much of the building stone into their own structures. In 1522 rumors of a Turkish invasion caused Crusaders to strengthen the castle at Halicarnassus (which was by then known as Bodrum) and some of the remaining portions of the tomb were broken up and used within the castle walls.

Indeed, sections of polished marble from the tomb can still be seen there today. Another interpretation of the Mausoleum. Copyright Lee Krystek, 1998 At this time a party of knights entered the base of the monument and discovered the room containing a great coffin. Deciding it was too late to open it that day, the party returned the next morning to find the tomb, and any treasure it may have contained, plundered. The bodies of Mausolus and Artemisia were missing, too. The Knights claimed that Moslem villagers were responsible for the theft, but it is more likely that some of the Crusaders themselves plundered the graves. Before grounding much of the remaining sculpture of the Mausoleum into lime for plaster, the Knights removed several of the best works and mounted them in the Bodrum castle. There they stayed for three centuries. At that time the British ambassador obtained several of the statutes from the castle, which now reside in the British Museum. Remains Located by Charles Newton In 1846 the Museum sent the archaeologist Charles Thomas Newton to search for more remains of the Mausoleum. He had a difficult job.

He didn't know the exact location of the tomb, and the cost of buying up all the small parcels of land in the area to look for it would have been astronomical. Instead, Newton studied the accounts of ancient writers like Pliny to obtain the approximate size and location of the memorial, then bought a plot of land in the most likely location. Digging down, Newton explored the surrounding area through tunnels he dug under the surrounding plots. He was able to locate some walls, a staircase, and finally three of the corners of the foundation. With this knowledge, Newton was able to figure out which additional plots of land he needed to buy. Marble from the tomb can still be seen in Bodrum Castle even today. (Released into public domain by Horvat) Newton then excavated the site and found sections of the reliefs that decorated the wall of the building and portions of the stepped roof. Also, a broken stone chariot wheel from the sculpture on the roof, some seven feet in diameter, was discovered. Finally, he found two statues which he believed were the ones of Mausolus and Artemisia which had stood at the pinnacle of the building. Ironically, the earthquake the toppled them to the ground saved them.

They were hidden under sediment and thus avoided the fate of being pulverized into mortar for the Crusaders castle. Today these works of art stand in the Mausoleum Room at the British Museum. There the images of Mausolus and his queen forever watch over the few broken remains of the beautiful tomb she built for him. Copyright 2011 Lee Krystek. All Rights Reserved. The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus: A Wonder of the Ancient World | Ancient Origins 19 May, 2015 - 17:08 dhwty The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus: A Wonder of the Ancient World (Read the article on one page) The word mausoleum is nowadays defined as “a special building made to hold the dead body of an important person or the deceased bodies of a family”. This word is derived from the name Mausolus, for whom the original ‘Mausoleum’ was built. Located in modern day Bodrum, Turkey, the Mausoleum is one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Ancient World’. Due to this status, the Mausoleum is one of the most well-known structures in the ancient world.

After the Great Pyramid of Giza, this is the longest surviving Wonder, having stood for more than a millennium and a half. The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was built for Mausolus, the second ruler of Caria from the Hecatomnid dynasty (and nominally a Persian satrap) who died in 353 BC. As the man who refounded Halicarnassus, Mausolus was entitled to receive cultic honours and a tomb on the central square of his city, in accordance with Greek custom. The person in charge of this project was Mausolus’ grieving widow, Artemisia II, who, incidentally, was also his sister. Statue of Mausolus at the British Museum, 2012. ( Wikimedia Commons ) The design of the Mausoleum is said to have taken its inspiration from the early 4 th century BC Nereid Monument of Lycian Xanthos, albeit on a much grander scale.

The Greek architects Satyros and Pytheos were said to have been invited by Artemisia from Greece to design the overall shape of the Mausoleum, whilst the sculptors Byraxis, Leocharis, Timotheus, and Scopas of Paros were in charge of the decorations of the monument. Working under them were hundreds of other workmen and craftsmen. The end result was a wonder built in the styles of three different cultures – Greek, Lycian and Egyptian. Ancient Wonder of the World: Egypt Approves Plan to Rebuild Pharos of Alexandria A partial reconstruction of the e Nereid Monument at Xanthos in Lycia ( Wikimedia Commons ) Perhaps for maximum visibility, the Mausoleum was built on top of a hill overlooking the city. A stone platform was first built, and was enclosed with a courtyard. The top of this platform was reached by a flight of stairs flanked by stone lions. Along the outer walls of the courtyard were statues of various gods and goddesses, whilst mounted stone warriors were stationed at each corner. At the center of the platform was the Mausoleum itself.

Whilst the building was constructed of bricks, it was covered with white Proconnesian marble, giving it a splendid look. Detail of the Amazon Frieze from the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus: combats between Amazons and Greeks. 2012 by Carole Raddato. ( Wikimedia Commons ) The first 1/3 of the Mausoleum was a square, tapering block covered with relief sculptures. These reliefs included standard images from the Greek repertoire, including the Centauromachy (the battle between the Lapiths and centaurs) and the Amazonomachy (the battle between the Greeks and Amazons). The next 1/3 of the monument consisted of a set of 36 Ionic columns. Between each column was a statue, and a solid block was constructed behind the columns to bear the bear the weight of the structure’s roof. This roof, which covered the final 1/3 of the building, was a step pyramid with 24 levels, topped with a sculpture of Mausolus and Artemisia riding a four-horsed chariot.

Whilst the conquest of Alexander the Great several decades later brought the Hecatomnid dynasty to an end, the Mausoleum outlived the dynasty for over a millennium. During the 13 th century, a series of earthquakes destroyed the columns, and brought the stone chariot crashing to the ground. By the early 15 th century, only the base of the structure was recognisable. By the end of the same century, and again in 1522, following rumors of a Turkish invasion, the Knights of St. John used the stones from the Mausoleum to fortify the walls of their castle in Bodrum. Additionally, much of the remaining sculptures were ground into lime for plaster, though some of the best works were salvaged and mounted in Bodrum castle. Several of these statues were later acquired by the British ambassador for the British Museum. Photos of the Mausoleum or Halicarnassus, 2013. ( Wikimedia Commons ) The location of the Mausoleum was subsequently lost, and was only rediscovered during the 19 th century by Charles Thomas Newton, who was working for the British Museum.

Newton was successful in his quest, and managed to locate some walls, a staircase, and three of the corners of the foundation. In addition, Newton also discovered sections of reliefs that decorated the wall of the building, portions of the stepped roof, a broken chariot wheel from the sculpture on the roof, and two statues believed to have been in that chariot. These objects were then taken to London, where they are still on display in the British Museum, though the Turkish authorities are seeking to have them repatriated. They are the last remnants of a once spectacular monument that had the ancient world in awe. Pages Mausoleum of Halicarnassus - the full story London, British Museum: Reiter vom Mausoleum 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.

The Mausoleum overlooked the city of Halicarnassus for many centuries. It was untouched when the city fell to Alexander the Great in 334 B.C. and still undamaged after attacks by pirates in 62 and 58 B.C.. It stood above the city ruins for some 17 centuries. Then a series of earthquakes shattered the columns and sent the stone chariot crashing to the ground. By 1404 A.D. only the very base of the Mausoleum was still recognizable. Crusaders, who had occupied the city from the thirteen century onward, recycled the broken stone into their own buildings. In 1522 rumours of a Turkish invasion caused Crusaders to strengthen the castle at Halicarnassus (which was by then known as Bodrum) and much of the remaining portions of the tomb was broken up and used within the castle walls. Indeed sections of polished marble from the tomb can still be seen there today. In 1846 the Museum sent the archaeologist Charles Thomas Newton to search for more remains of the Mausoleum. He had a difficult job.

He didn't know the exact location of the tomb and the cost of buying up all the small parcels of land in the area to look for it would have been astronomical. Instead Newton studied the accounts of ancient writers like Pliny to obtain the approximate size and location of the memorial, then bought a plot of land in the most likely location. Digging down, Newton explored the surrounding area through tunnels he dug under the surrounding plots. He was able to locate some walls, a staircase, and finally three of the corners of the foundation. With this knowledge, Newton was able to figure out which plots of land he needed to buy. Newton then excavated the site and found sections of the reliefs that decorated the wall of the building and portions of the stepped roof. Also a broken stone chariot wheel, some seven feet in diameter, from the sculpture on the roof was discovered. Finally, he found the statues of Mausolus and Artemisia that had stood at the pinnacle of the building. Today these works of art stand in the Mausoleum Room at the British Museum. There the images of Mausolus and his queen forever watch over the few broken remains of the beautiful tomb she built for him. one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

The monument was the tomb of Mausolus, the tyrant of Caria in southwestern Asia Minor, and was built between about 353 and 351 BC by Mausolus' sister and widow, Artemisia. The architect was Pythius (or Pytheos), and the sculptures that adorned the building were the work of four leading Greek artists: Scopas, Bryaxis, Leochares, and Timotheus. 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. Fragments of the mausoleum's sculpture that are preserved in the British Museum include a frieze of battling Greeks and Amazons and a statue 10 feet (3 m) long, probably of Mausolus. The mausoleum was probably destroyed by an earthquake between the 11th and the 15th century AD, and the stones were reused in local buildings.

I have lying, over me in Halicarnassus, a gigantic monument such as no other dead person has, adorned in the finest way with statues of horses and men carved most realistically from the best quality marble. King Maussollos in Lucian's "Dialogues of the Dead" Note: The color painting at the top of the page is of artistic nature and does not necessarily represent an accurate reconstruction of the Wonder. Painting by Mario Larrinaga. Similar to the Great Pyramid , we are now visiting the burial place of an ancient king. Yet the Mausoleum is 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 years. Location In the city of Bodrum (f.k.a. Halicarnassus) on the Aegean Sea, in south-west Turkey . History When the Persians expanded their ancient kingdom to include Mesopotamia, Northern India, Syria, Egypt, and Asia Minor, the king could not control his vast empire without the help of local governors or rulers -- the Satraps.

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 and moved his capital 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. For 16 centuries, the Mausoleum remained in good condition until an earthquake caused some damage to the roof and colonnade. In the early fifteenth century, the Knights of St John of Malta invaded the region and built a massive crusader castle. When they decided to fortify it in 1494, they used the stones of the Mausoleum. By 1522, almost every block of the Mausoleum had been disassembled and used for construction.

Today, the massive castle still stands in Bodrum, and the polished stone and marble blocks of the Mausoleum can be spotted within the walls of the structure. Some of the sculptures survived and are today on display at the British Museum in London . These include fragment of statues and many slabs of the frieze showing the battle between the Greeks and the Amazons. At the site of the Mausoleum itself, only the foundation remains of the once magnificent Wonder. Description 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. The beauty of the Mausoleum is 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 statues were carved by four Greek sculptors: Bryaxis, Leochares, Scopas, and Timotheus, each responsible for one side. Because the statues were of people and animals, the Mausoleum holds a special place in history as it was not dedicated to the gods of Ancient Greece. Since the nineteenth century, archeological excavations have been undertaken at the Mausoleum site. These excavations together with detailed descriptions by ancient historians give us a fairly good idea about the shape and appearance of the Mausoleum.

A modern reconstruction of the shorter side of the Mausoleum illustrates the lavish nature of the art and architecture of the building... a building for a King whose name is celebrated in all large tombs today -- mausoleums. The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus Copyright Lee Krystek, 1998 In 377 B.C., the city of Halicarnassus was the capitol of a small kingdom along the Mediterranean coast of Asia Minor. It was in that year the ruler of this land, Hecatomnus of Mylasa, died and left control of the kingdom to his son, Mausolus. Hecatomnus, a local satrap to the Persians, had been ambitious and had taken control of several of the neighboring cities and districts. Mausolus in his time, extended the territory even further so that it finally included most of southwestern Asia Minor. Mausolus, with his queen Artemisia, ruled over Halicarnassus and the surrounding territory for 24 years. Mausolus, though he was descended from the local people, spoke Greek and admired the Greek way of life and government.

He founded many cities of Greek design along the coast and encouraged Greek democratic traditions. Then in 353 B.C. Mausolus died, leaving his queen Artemisia, who was also his sister (It was the custom in Caria for rulers to marry their own sisters), broken-hearted. As a tribute to him, she decided to build him the most splendid tomb in the known world. It became a structure so famous that Mausolus's name is now associated with all stately tombs through our modern word mausoleum. The building was also so beautiful and unique it became one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Artemisia decided that no expense was to be spared in the building of the tomb. She sent messengers to Greece to find the most talented artists of the time. This included Scopas, the man who had supervised the rebuilding of the Temple to Artemis at Ephesus. Other famous sculptors such as Bryaxis, Leochares and Timotheus joined him as well as hundreds of other craftsmen. The tomb was erected on a hill overlooking the city. The whole structure sat in an enclosed courtyard. At the center of the courtyard was a stone platform on which the tomb itself sat.

A staircase, flanked by stone lions, led to the top of this platform. Along the outer wall of this were many statues depicting gods and goddess. At each corner stone warriors, mounted on horseback, guarded the tomb. At the center of the platform was the tomb itself. Made mostly of marble, the structure rose as a square, tapering block to about one-third of the Mausoleum's 140 foot height. This section was covered with relief sculpture showing action scenes from Greek myth/history. One part showed the battle of the Centaurs with the Lapiths. Another depicted Greeks in combat with the Amazons, a race of warrior women. On top of this section of the tomb thirty-six slim columns, nine per side, rose for another third of the height. Standing in between each column was another statue. Behind the columns was a solid block that carried the weight of the tomb's massive roof. The roof, which comprised most of the final third of the height, was in the form of a stepped pyramid. Perched on top was the tomb's penultimate work of sculpture: Four massive horses pulling a chariot in which images of Mausolus and Artemisia rode.

Soon after construction of the tomb started Artemisia found herself in a crisis. Rhodes, an island in the Aegean Sea between Greece and Asia Minor, had been conquered by Mausolus. When the Rhodians heard of his death they rebelled and sent a fleet of ships to capture the city of Halicarnassus. Knowing that the Rhodian fleet was on the way, Artemisa hid her own ships at a secret location at the east end of the city's harbor. After troops from the Rhodian fleet disembarked to attack, Artemisia's fleet made a surprise raid, captured the Rhodian fleet, and towed it out to sea. Artemisa put her own soldiers on the invading ships and sailed them back to Rhodes. Fooled into thinking that the returning ships were their own victorious navy, the Rhodians failed to put up a defense and the city was easily captured quelling the rebellion. Artemisa lived for only two years after the death of her husband. Both would be buried in the yet unfinished tomb.

According to the historian Pliny, the craftsmen decided to stay and finish the work after their patron died "considering that it was at once a memorial of their own fame and of the sculptor's art." The Mausoleum overlooked the city of Halicarnassus for many centuries. It was untouched when the city fell to Alexander the Great in 334 B.C. and still undamaged after attacks by pirates in 62 and 58 B.C.. It stood above the city ruins for some 17 centuries. Then a series of earthquakes shattered the columns and sent the stone chariot crashing to the ground. By 1404 A.D. only the very base of the Mausoleum was still recognizable. Crusaders, who had occupied the city from the thirteen century onward, recycled the broken stone into their own buildings. In 1522 rumors of a Turkish invasion caused Crusaders to strengthen the castle at Halicarnassus (which was by then known as Bodrum) and much of the remaining portions of the tomb was broken up and used within the castle walls. Indeed sections of polished marble from the tomb can still be seen there today.

At this time a party of knights entered the base of the monument and discovered the room containing a great coffin. The party, deciding it was too late to open it that day, returned the next morning to find the tomb, and any treasure it may have contained, plundered. The bodies of Mausolus and Artemisia were missing too. The Knights claimed that Moslem villagers were responsible for the theft, but it is more likely that some of the Crusaders themselves plundered the graves. Before grounding much of the remaining sculpture of the Mausoleum into lime for plaster the Knights removed several of the best works and mounted them in the Bodrum castle. There they stayed for three centuries. At that time the British ambassador obtained several of the statutes from the castle, which now reside in the British Museum. In 1846 the Museum sent the archaeologist Charles Thomas Newton to search for more remains of the Mausoleum. He had a difficult job. He didn't know the exact location of the tomb and the cost of buying up all the small parcels of land in the area to look for it would have been astronomical.

Instead Newton studied the accounts of ancient writers like Pliny to obtain the approximate size and location of the memorial, then bought a plot of land in the most likely location. Digging down, Newton explored the surrounding area through tunnels he dug under the surrounding plots. He was able to locate some walls, a staircase, and finally three of the corners of the foundation. With this knowledge, Newton was able to figure out which plots of land he needed to buy. Newton then excavated the site and found sections of the reliefs that decorated the wall of the building and portions of the stepped roof. Also a broken stone chariot wheel, some seven feet in diameter, from the sculpture on the roof was discovered. Finally, he found the statues of Mausolus and Artemisia that had stood at the pinnacle of the building. Today these works of art stand in the Mausoleum Room at the British Museum. There the images of Mausolus and his queen forever watch over the few broken remains of the beautiful tomb she built for him. The mausoleum of Halikarnassos (near Bodrum in modern day Turkey) is one of the ancient seven wonders in the world.

The monument was according to some sources still standing in the 12th century AD. Between 1856 and 1858 Sir Charles Newton and in 1865 G.M.A. Biliotti excavated the ancient ruins. An nowdays the British Museum in London now houses some examples of sculpture and relief's from the mausoleum. On the original site there is nothing left but ruins. On this page I present my series of photographs of the frieze of the mausoleum which I have in the British Museum taken in July 1999. All images contain a short description of the depicted scene. The relief's depict a battle between the Amazons and the Greek and were sculpted around 350 BC by four different artists. For more information on the story behind the images see the link to the Perseus Project below. The frieze can be read like a cartoon, hence the title of this article. The scenes are dramatic and dynamic The images on this page are displayed in the order that they are displayed in the British Museum. The names refer to the inventory number of the British Museum.

You can either click on of the links below or go to the site map to see thumbnail images of each fotograph. MAUSOLEUM AT HALICARNASSUS 1924 01391 B udrum is a small Turkish port, with a ruined castle of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, beautifully situated on the coast of the Gulf of Kos at the south-west angle of Asia Minor. The district was known in ancient times as Caria, and though nominally a province, or satrapy, of the great empire of Persia, its situation, shut of3! between the mountains and the sea at the extreme limits of the empire, secured for it a measure of independence. In the first half of the fourth century BCE the country was ruled by an active and warlike prince, Mausolus, who fixed his capital on the site of Budrum, anciently called Halicarnassus. On his death, in the year 353 BCE, his devoted widow, Artemisia, resolved to perpetuate his memory and appease her own sorrow by erecting for him the most splendid tomb ever known, and sent to Greece to secure the services of the most renowned artists of the age.

The names of the architects were Satyros and Pythios. The sculptors who were to adorn the structure were Scopas, the greatest Greek sculptor of the centuryï¿½famed above all for his power to express in stone the most passionate emotions and the most vivid movementï¿½Timotheos, Bryaxis, and Leochares, of whom less is now known, but who in their own age were considered second only to Scopas. Queen Artemisia reigned for only two years, and then died, consumed by wasting grief for the loss of her husband. The tomb was then still unfinished, but the artists resolved to complete it as a labour of love "for their own fame and a record of their skill." The result was a work of such magnificence and splendour that it ranked as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and its name, the Mausoleum, has come generally to be employed to denote any elaborate sepulchre. Descriptions of the building have been handed down to us by more than one ancient writer, but, unfortunately, these are ambiguous and permit of interpretation in various ways, and the dimensions as recorded are suspected by some authorities.

There is thus considerable difference of opinion with regard to many details of the Mausoleum, and a large number of widely differing reconstructions have been produced. Generally speaking, however, the building was rectangular, with the short sides on the north and south; the lower storey, in which was the tombchamber, was solid; bans of sculpture ran round all four sides. Above this was a colonnade of thirty-six columns- of the Ionic order of rich golden-white marble, which was surmounted by a pyramid of twenty-four steps, and on the top of the pyramid was a chariot with four horses. The total height was one hundred and forty feet. What appeared to ancient sightseers the most remarkable feature of the building was the impression of lightness; the massive pyramid, poised on top of the slender colonnade, appeared to float in air. There is reason to believe that down to the twelfth century, or even later, the building survived practically undamaged. But in 1402 the Knights of St. John took possession of Halicarnassus and began to build on the site their castle of St. Peter.

To obtain the necessary building materials they pulled down the remains of the ancient city, and probably about this time the superstructures of the Mausoleum were destroyed. In 1472 the building was in ruins, and the last of these ruins was destroyed in 1522, when Sultan Suleiman was preparing his great expedition to drive the Knights out of Asia Minor and Rhodes. The Grand Master of the Order of St. John, realising the military importance of the castle at Budrum, ordered it to be put in repair. For this purpose the Knights broke up the base of the Mausoleum and burnt the marble blocks for lime. While doing this they broke into a large square chamber elaborately adorned with slabs and bands of marbles of different colours, with battle scenes sculptured in relief. The story goes that the finders at first admired these, and then broke them up. They then penetrated into an inner chamber containing a sarcophagus. As night was coming on they returned to the castle, and in the morning when they returned they found that this tomb had been robbed during the night by unknown pirates or brigands.

Thus the grave of Mausolus, after remaining inviolate for over eighteen centuries, was finally destroyed. Shortly afterwards the Knights of St. John were driven from Budrum by the Turks, and all recollection even of the site was lost. Although this wholesale destruction is recorded of the Knights, yet at times a desire seems to have prevailed to preserve and save some fragments of the priceless sculptures which otherwise would have been fed to their lime-kilns. At some unknown date a slab of carved frieze was sent to Genoa; other slabs were built into the walls of the castle into which a number of marble lions were also inserted. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries Western travellers and merchants passing through Budrum observed these fragments, and it was rightly concluded that they must have been taken from the Mausoleum. In 1846 Lord Stratford de Redeliffe, then British Ambassador at Constantinople, obtained permission of the Sultan to remove to the British Museum twelve slabs forming part of the large frieze showing the combat of Greeks and Amazons. In 1856 Sir Charles Newton was allowed to remove the lions and also to excavate on the actual site.

The excavation revealed little more than the foundations and ground plan, and it was evident that the Knights had destroyed everything above ground. Scattered about in the vicinity of the site, however, were discovered a large number of fragments of architecture and sculpture, which with great labour were brought to England and put together in the Mausoleum Room of the British Museum. The most striking of the sculptures thus recovered are the fragments of the chariot group which surmounted the pyramid. The top step of the pyramid has been preserved, showing a horse's hoof in position. Large portions of the colossal bodies of the marble horses, decked out with harness of gilded bronze still remain, and it is conjectured that the two portrait statues of Mausolus and Queen Artemisia stood originally in the chariot, thus crowning the whole edifice. The portrait of Mausolus can be identified from his coins. It shows a bearded man, in the prime of life, richly robed, and with an expression of quiet dignity. The head of the companion statue is injured, so the identification as Artemisia, though extremely probable, is not certain; nor is it universally accepted that the statues did originally stand in the chariot.

Some authorities have preferred to suppose that they formed part of the groups of statuary scattered about and within the building, of which numerous fragments have been found. The other decorations of the Mausoleum take the form of three long bands of sculptured frieze which ran round the building, though the level at which they were applied cannot be determined. It has, however, been observed that the least important of the threc a frieze representing Greeks and Centaurs, of which very little remains - is less carefully finished than the others. Probably, therefore, it was placed high up, at some distance from the spectator's eye. Of the other two friezes one is narrow and of very fineworkmanship, but it survives only in small fragments. The subject is a chariot race. The third is the best preserved of all. Twelve complete slabs were taken out of the walls of the castle in 1846; four additional slabs, the finest of all, and hundreds of fragments were discovered during the excavations; and yet one other slab was obtained from a palace in Genoa in 1865. Thus pieced together, the frieze occupies the whole length of the room in the British Museum.

As was the invariable custom with Greek architectural ornaments, the whole frieze was originally bright with colour: blue background, red flesh, white, green, and gold drapery. The weapons of the combatants and harness of the horses were of bronze, and the holes for this metal embellishment may be observed along the whole length. The figures are slenderly proportioned and broadly spaced out against the background, which thereby gives due eSect to a certain fondness for oblique lines which is visible in the pose of the figures, nearly all of which are either lunging forward or drawing back with one leg straightened out down to the ground-line. The result is a wonderful spring and movement beating rhythmically along the whole length of the frieze. Never has the rush of battle been rendered with more vigour. Sculptures London, British Museum: Loewen vom Mausoleum 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. The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was built in approximately 353 B.C., and it was said to be one of the finest buildings in all of Halicarnassus. The Mausoleum's construction was ordered by Queen Artemisia to be a tomb and monument of King Mausolus. After his death, Queen Artemisia resolved to build him the most immaculate tomb the world had ever seen. She sent for the most gifted artist of that time period. Sculptors like Scopas who had helped rebuild the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, and others such as Timotheus Bryaxis and Leochares. The architects who answered Artemisiaï¿½s call were Satyros and Pythias. In building the tomb no effort was made to out do the pyramids. Two years after her husband's death and the construction of the tomb began, Queen Artemisa died. At this time the tomb was still incomplete, however the sculptors resolved to finish their work.

The tomb became known as the mausoleum, and the word has passed into our language, as a word used to describe a large tomb. Earthquakes destroyed the Mausoleum in the fifteenth century, shattering the columns and sending the chariot crashing down. By 1404 AD only the square base remained intact, the rest of the stone was used by the Crusaders for building material. It was the Crusaders who discovered what was in the base of the monument, and it was during this time that a group of Crusaders ransacked the tomb stripping it of all its treasure. In 1897 a British archeologist named Newton began to excavate the remains. He found fragments of the chariot and uncovered statues of both Mausolos and Artemisia. The remains can be found in the Mausoleum Room of the British Museum. The Mausoleum overlooked the city of Halicarnassus for many centuries. It was untouched when the city fell to Alexander the Great in 334 B.C. and still undamaged after attacks by pirates in 62 and 58 B.C.. It stood above the city ruins for some 17 centuries.

Then a series of earthquakes shattered the columns and sent the stone chariot crashing to the ground. By 1404 A.D. only the very base of the Mausoleum was still recognizable. Crusaders, who had occupied the city from the thirteen century onward, recycled the broken stone into their own buildings. In 1522 rumours of a Turkish invasion caused Crusaders to strengthen the castle at Halicarnassus (which was by then known as Bodrum) and much of the remaining portions of the tomb was broken up and used within the castle walls. Indeed sections of polished marble from the tomb can still be seen there today. In 1846 the Museum sent the archaeologist Charles Thomas Newton to search for more remains of the Mausoleum. He had a difficult job. He didn't know the exact location of the tomb and the cost of buying up all the small parcels of land in the area to look for it would have been astronomical. Instead Newton studied the accounts of ancient writers like Pliny to obtain the approximate size and location of the memorial, then bought a plot of land in the most likely location. Digging down, Newton explored the surrounding area through tunnels he dug under the surrounding plots.

He was able to locate some walls, a staircase, and finally three of the corners of the foundation. With this knowledge, Newton was able to figure out which plots of land he needed to buy. Newton then excavated the site and found sections of the reliefs that decorated the wall of the building and portions of the stepped roof. Also a broken stone chariot wheel, some seven feet in diameter, from the sculpture on the roof was discovered. Finally, he found the statues of Mausolus and Artemisia that had stood at the pinnacle of the building. Today these works of art stand in the Mausoleum Room at the British Museum. There the images of Mausolus and his queen forever watch over the few broken remains of the beautiful tomb she built for him. Today, the massive castle still stands in Bodrum, and the polished stone and marble blocks of the Mausoleum can be spotted within the walls of the structure. Some of the sculptures survived and are today on display at the British Museum in London. These include fragment of statues and many slabs of the frieze showing the battle between the Greeks and the Amazons.

At the site of the Mausoleum itself, only the foundation remains of the once magnificent Wonder. Mausoleum at Halicarnassus Facts Mausoleum at Halicarnassus Facts Mausoleum at Halicarnassus Facts The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was built by Artemisia after her husband Mausolus died. Mausolus and Artemisia had ruled over Halicarnassus and the region surrounding it for 24 years. When Mausolus died in 353 BC, Artemisia was reported to have been so broken-hearted she hired the most talented artists to create the most magnificent tomb in the world. The finished tomb was 147 feet tall and sat on a hill overlooking Halicarnassus. Interesting Mausoleum at Halicarnassus Facts: The city of Halicarnassus where Mausolus and Artemisia ruled is now known as Bodrum, Turkey. The word mausoleum originates from the name Mausolus. The term mausoleum became the name used for tombs built above ground from that time on. Mausolus' wife Artemisia was also his sister.

It was common in those days for rulers to marry their sisters. Artemisia hired famous Greek artists to build the tomb. Two Greek architects Pytheos and Satyros designed the shape of the tomb. There were also a variety of artists who contributed various cultural influences to the tomb, including Greek, Lycian and Egyptian. Artemisia died two years after Mausolus, before the tomb was completed. At the top of the tomb there was a sculpture created by Pytheos. The carving depicted Mausolus and Artemisia in a chariot being pulled by four massive horses. Other Greek artists that worked on the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus include Bryaxis, Scopas of Paros, Timotheus and Leochares. Most of the mausoleum was made of marble. It was surrounded by a courtyard. A staircase was built leading up the platform where the mausoleum stood. There were stone lions flanking the staircase. There were scenes of Greek and Amazon warriors and their battles in scriptural relief (very similar to the images in coins - slightly raised) on the walls of the mausoleum.

Alexander the Great took over the city in 334 BC but the Mausoleum was left untouched. When pirates attacked the city in 58 and 62 BC, the Mausoleum was again left undamaged. In the 13th century, earthquakes toppled the columns of the Mausoleum and the stone chariot was destroyed In the 13th century crusaders took over the city. They used many parts of the Mausoleum to construct their buildings. If you visit the castle at Halicarnassus you can still see pieces of the tomb that were used to strengthen the castle walls. By 1401 AD, all that was left was the base of the tomb. In the 1800s an archaeologist names Charles Newton discovered the remnants of the mausoleum. He found the statues of Mausolus and Artemisia and a piece of the wheel of the chariot. They can be seen at the Mausoleum Room in the British Museum. The mausoleum was raided by crusaders in approximately 1522 and any treasures or the bodies of Mausolus and Artemisia were gone.

Some people think that Mausolus and Artemisia were cremated and placed in urns in the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. Some think they were buried in coffins. There is no proof for either theory. The Antipater of Sidon, who was in charge of listing the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, chose to include the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. His reason was that he considered it to be an aesthetic triumph. Related Links: Mausoleum at Halicarnassus Mausoleum at Halicarnassus ► More 7 Wonders of the Ancient World The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The Mausoleum is a tomb that was built for King Mausolos, the Persian ruler of Caria, during the fourth century. This spectacular and unique tomb was built by his wife, Queen Artemisia, who was also his sister. It is believed that the construction of a tomb was started before the death of the King, but it was completed two years after he passed away. A Tribute The splendid tomb was a tribute to her husband King Mausolos by the Queen.

Great talented artists from Greece were called to build this wondrous structure. This piece of art was created by four major Greek sculptors- Scopas from Paros, Leochares, Timotheus and Bryaxis. It was built on a hill from where the city of Halicarnassus could be seen. The tomb is situated in an enclosed courtyard. The tomb sits on a raised stone platform which is at the centre of the courtyard. The beautiful decorations and statues built outside each level of this monument are spectacular. Disasters This marvelous monument survived many natural disasters for 16 centuries. But eventually it was destroyed and ruined by a series of earthquakes. The information about this great monument is described by a Roman writer, Pliny the Elder. Some of the marble fragments can still be seen today, but most of the findings of this splendid monument are preserved at the British Museum in London. Many Dimensions There are three major parts to this mausoleum. A monument, columns and a pyramid (resembling a Greek temple). This great monument was an oblong structure that has 36 columns. The pyramid was located on the top which had a perimeter of 440 feet. The height of the tomb was 135 feet.

The monument tomb was mostly made up of marble and had a huge rectangular base. Walls and watch towers were built on the sides. On top of the podium, or rectangular base, 36 columns were built, nine on each side. Each section of the monument is separated by a column. In each column, a statue was placed. The whole structure consisted of 36 statues of gods and goddesses. The height of some of the statues is 5 feet or more. The solid blocks that were placed at the end of the columns carried the weight of the ceiling. A work of beautiful art was carved on the top of the ceiling. The roof of the stone pyramid was in the form of 24 steps. A huge statue of four horses pulling a chariot was built on the top of the pyramid. Diversity This statue had figures of Mausolos and Artemisia. The whole structure consisted of three different styles. Greek, Carian and Egyptian designs were incorporated in the art work. The high podium represented the architectural style of Carian civilization. The Greek temple like structure resembled the structures made by the Greeks and the pyramid shaped section of the tomb represented Egyptian civilization.

This monument is considered as one of the Seven Wonders of the World due to its size and great architectural work. 7 Wonders of the Ancient World Mausoleum of Halicarnassus Built | World History Project 353 to 350 BC Mausoleum of Halicarnassus Built The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus or Tomb of Mausolus was a tomb built between 353 and 350 BC at Halicarnassus (present Bodrum, Turkey) for Mausolus, a satrap in the Persian Empire, and Artemisia II of Caria, his wife and sister. The structure was designed by the Greek architects Satyros and Pythis. It stood approximately 45 meters (135 ft) in height, and each of the four sides was adorned with sculptural reliefs created by each one of four Greek sculptors — Leochares, Bryaxis, Scopas of Paros and Timotheus. The finished structure was considered to be such an aesthetic triumph that Antipater of Sidon identified it as one of his Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Source: Wikipedia Added by: David Maxwell In 377 B.C., the city of Halicarnassus was the capitol of a small kingdom along the Mediterranean coast of Asia Minor. It was in that year the ruler of this land, Hecatomnus of Mylasa, died and left control of the kingdom to his son, Mausolus. Hecatomnus, a local satrap to the Persians, had been ambitious and had taken control of several of the neighboring cities and districts. Mausolus in his time, extended the territory even further so that it finally included most of southwestern Asia Minor. Mausolus, with his queen Artemisia, ruled over Halicarnassus and the surrounding territory for 24 years. Mausolus, though he was descended from the local people, spoke Greek and admired the Greek way of life and government. He founded many cities of Greek design along the coast and encouraged Greek democratic traditions. Source: UnMuseum Added by: David Maxwell In 377 B.C., the city of Halicarnassus was the capitol of a small kingdom along the Mediterranean coast of Asia Minor.

It was in that year the ruler of this land, Hecatomnus of Mylasa, died and left control of the kingdom to his son, Mausolus. Hecatomnus, a local satrap to the Persians, had been ambitious and had taken control of several of the neighbouring cities and districts. Mausolus in his time, extended the territory even further so that it finally included most of southwestern Asia Minor. Mausolus, with his queen Artemisia, ruled over Halicarnassus and the surrounding territory for 24 years. Mausolus, though he was descended from the local people, spoke Greek and admired the Greek way of life and government. He founded many cities of Greek design along the coast and encouraged Greek democratic traditions. The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus One of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. A print from Wonders of the Past, Volume I, 1933-1934.

(Photo by The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images) Share By Jen Rosenberg, Contributing Writer The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was a large and ornate mausoleum built both to honor and hold the remains of Mausolus of Caria. When Mausolus died in 353 BCE, his wife Artemisia ordered the construction of this vast structure in their capital city, Halicarnassus (now called Bodrum) in modern Turkey . Ultimately, both Mausolus and Artemisia were buried inside. The Mausoleum, considered one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World , retained its grandeur for nearly 1,800 years, until earthquakes in the 15th century destroyed part of the structure. Eventually, nearly all of the stone was taken away to be used in nearby building projects, particularly for a Crusader castle. Who Was Mausolus? Upon the death of his father in 377 BCE, Mausolus became the satrap (a regional governor in the Persian Empire) for Caria. Although only a satrap, Mausolus was like a king in his realm, ruling for 24 years.

Mausolus was descended from the indigenous herdsmen of the area, called Carians, but appreciated Greek culture and society. continue reading below our video 10 Best Universities in the United States Thus, Mausolus encouraged the Carians to leave their lives as herdsmen and embrace the Greek way of life. Mausolus was also all about expansion. He moved his capital city from Mylasa to the coastal city of Halicarnassus and then worked on a number of projects to beautify the city, including building a large palace for himself. Mausolus was also politically savy and was thus able to add several nearby cities to his realm. When Mausolus died in 353 BCE, his wife Artemisia, who also happened to be his sister, was grief stricken. She wanted the most beautiful tomb built for her departed husband. Sparing no expense, she hired the very best sculptors and architects that money could buy. It is unfortunate that Artemisia died just two years after her husband, in 351 BCE, not seeing the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus completed. What Did the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus Look Like?

Built from about 353 to 350 BCE, there were five famous sculptors that worked on the exquisite tomb. Each sculptor had a portion that they were responsible for -- Bryaxis (north side), Scopas (east side), Timotheus (south side), and Leochares (west side). The chariot on top was created by Pythis. The structure of the Mausoleum was made up of three parts: a square base on the bottom, 36 columns (9 on each side) in the middle, and then topped by a stepped pyramid that had 24 steps. All of this was covered in ornate carvings, with life-size and larger-than-life statues abounding. At the very top was the piece de resistance -- the chariot. This 25-foot-high marble sculpture consisted of standing statues of both Mausolus and Artemisia riding in a chariot pulled by four horses. Much of the Mausoleum was made out of marble and the entire structure reached 140 feet high. Although large, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was known more for its ornate sculptures and carvings.

Most of these were painted in vibrant colors. There were also friezes that wrapped around the entire building. These were extremely detailed and included scenes of battle and hunting, as well as scenes from Greek mythology that included such mythic animals as centaurs. The Collapse After 1,800 years, the long-lasting Mausoleum was destroyed by earthquakes that occurred during the 15th century CE in the region. During and after that time, much of the marble was carried away in order to build other buildings, most especially a Crusader fortress held by the Knights of St. John. Some of the elaborate sculptures were moved into the fortress as decoration. In 1522 CE, the crypt that for so long had safely held the remains of Mausolus and Artemisia was raided. Over time, people forgot exactly where the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus had stood. Houses were built on top. In the 1850s, British archaeologist Charles Newton recognized that some of the decorations at Bodrum Castle, as the Crusader fortress was now called, could have been from the famous Mausoleum.

After studying the area and excavating, Newton found the site of the Mausoleum. Today, the British Museum in London contains statues and relief slabs from the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus. Mausoleums Today Interestingly, the modern word "mausoleum," which means a building used as a tomb, comes from the name Mausolus, for whom this wonder of the world was named. The tradition of creating mausoleums in cemeteries continues around the world today. Families and individuals build mausoleums, both large and small, in their own or others' honor following their deaths. In addition to these more common mausoleums, there are other, larger mausoleums that are tourist attractions today. The world's most famous mausoleum is the Taj Mahal in India. Mausoleum at Halicarnassus - World History For Kids - By KidsPast.com Written for the KidsKnowIt Network by: Brandon Guymon The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was an incredibly fancy tomb built for King Mausolus of Halicarnassus.

Mausolus' tomb was so fancy that his name has been used to make the word mausoleum, which means “fancy tomb.” Mausolus’ wife, Artemisia, built the mausoleum after his death. The Mausoleum was built between 353 BCE and 350 BCE. The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Constructed of highly polished marble, the Mausoleum was a four-sided structure that stood 45 meters (148ft.) tall. Each side had multiple sculptures that were created by four of the most famous sculptors in Greece. Tall columns supported each side of the pyramid-shaped roof. The roof was adorned by a life-sized sculpture of a chariot and horses. Halicarnassus was a city in the Persian Empire; however, Mausolus embraced Greek Culture and the Greek way of life. When he moved his capital city to Halicarnassus, he had the city designed by Greek architects and built in a Greek style.

He even had a castle built so he could look out over the ocean and out over the land; coincidentally, these were the directions in which Mausolus’ enemies could attack his new city. He built the walls strong enough that they could withstand the attack of a new invention, the catapult. Mausolus was a regional governor of the Persian Empire, but he remained mostly independent of the Persian Empire. He was independent enough that he acted like a king and was called a king, though the Persian Emperor sent people to check up on him. When Mausolus died, his wife, Artemisia, paid a lot of money to have the Mausoleum built near the castle of Halicarnassus. She hired the same architect that designed a famous temple of Artemis in the Greek city of Ephesus to design the Mausoleum. She hired four famous sculptors, one for each side, to make sculptures for the sides and top of the Mausoleum. The entire structure was covered with bas-relief scenes from Greek Mythology and freestanding sculptures. Sculpted lions guarded the stairs leading up from the ground to the platform on which the Mausoleum stood. Horse mounted warriors guarded the corners.

On the platform between the columns were sculptures of many different gods and goddesses. The top third of the building was shaped like a pyramid. The top of the roof was crowned with a massive chariot in which Mausolus and Artemisia rode. The whole structure was designed to show the world for all time just how rich Mausolus and Artemisia were. The Mausoleum survived the city being taken over by Alexander the Great, it survived an attack by pirates, and it was still standing in the 1200s CE. In the 1200s, a writer name Eustathius of Thessalonica wrote, “it was and is a wonder,” so the Mausoleum was still there. Sometime between when Eustathius saw the Mausoleum and 1402 when the Knights of St. John arrived, the Mausoleum was destroyed by an earthquake. The Knights of St. John completed the destruction of the Mausoleum by using the broken pieces to build their castle. Many pieces of the Mausoleum can still be seen in the ruins of the Knights' castle.

In conclusion, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was and elaborate tomb constructed by the wife of a vain king to prove to the world just how much money he could waste. The tomb was so overly elaborate that King Mausolus’ name has been used to describe a fancy tomb: Mausoleum.

Question: For which ancient ruler was the Mausoleum at Harlicarnassus built ?
Answer: MAUSOLUS