Mausoleum at Halicarnassus – Wiki

Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, also spelled Halikarnassos, is regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It was the tomb of Mausolus, the ruler of Caria, in southwestern Asia Minor. The monument was built in his capital city, Halicarnassus, between 353 and 351 BCE by his sibling and wife, Artemisia II. The Mausoleum was designed by Greek architects Pythius and Satyros.

Built from about 353 to 350 BCE, five well-known sculptors worked on the exquisite structure. Each sculptor was responsible for one side. Bryaxis (north side), Timotheus (south side), Scopas (east side), and Leochares (west side). The Mausoleum’s structure consisted of three parts: the square base at the bottom, thirty-six columns (nine on each side) in the center, and a pyramid on top with twenty-four steps. The entire structure was covered in ornate carvings and large statues.

The funerary monument was demolished in the fifteenth century, and its stones were used to create the castle St Peter. Halicarnassus, now called Bodrum, is a popular Turkish tourist destination. The monument was ranked among the seven wonders of the world as a result of its beauty and the sculptures and ornaments that graced it. It was the major architectural monument of Halicarnassus, and it dominated a small hill that overlooked the harbor.