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Mausoleum At Halicarnassus

The Mausoleum at Halicanarssus is an ancient tomb for a king. It is located in the city of Bodrum in south west of turkey. King Mausollos of Caria concentrated mainly on the production of his tomb. The tomb was being made by his sister and wife, Artemisia.

The Mausoleum was completed around 350 BC, three years after Maussollos death, and one year after Artemisia's. The Mausoleum remained in good condition for 16 centuries until an earthquake caused some damage to the roof and it collapsed.

Location

The Mausoleum is located in Bodrum, Turkey on the Aegean Sea in south-west Turkey. The tomb was on a hill overlooking the entire city. The Mausoleum sat on a closed courtyard, and sat in the middle of it. 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.

History

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 Mausollos 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 Mausollos death, and one year after Artemisia's.

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