Not far from the Turkish town of Bodrum, one of the seven wonders of the world is located - Halicarnassus Mausoleum. It arose in this place for a reason, because in ancient times there was the capital of the Persian satrapia Kariya, known as Halikarnas.
History
The city of Halicarnassus was founded by the Greeks in the 2nd millennium BC. e. In the middle of the 1st millennium, he fell under the rule of the Persian Empire. Halicarnassus Mausoleum was built in the 4th century. BC. as a tomb for the Carian satrap Mavsol (377 - 353 BC) and his wife Artemisia II. Thanks to the Mausoleum, this structure began to be called a mausoleum (Greek Mausoleion). The erection of the tomb began during the life of Mavsol, however, he did not live up to the final construction. According to legend, the construction of the mausoleum was led by Artemisia, who loved her husband very much and dreamed of perpetuating his memory. Therefore, the Halicarnassus mausoleum is often called the monument of love. It attracts thousands of tourists.
Halicarnassus Mausoleum astounded the imagination of travelers for 1800 years, but in the 13th century it was destroyed by a strong earthquake. In the 15th century, the crusaders built the castle of St. Peter on the ruins of the mausoleum. For the construction of this building were used marble blocks of the former tomb. When the crusaders were expelled, this castle turned into the Turkish fortress of Bodrum. By the 19th century, the foundation and several sculptures remained from the mausoleum. St. Peter's Castle still stands in Bodrum, and the stones of the mausoleum are visible in its structure. On the territory of the tomb itself, you can see the ruins and a small museum of the history of Halicarnassus.
Architecture
The mausoleum in Halicarnassus simultaneously played the role of a temple and a tomb. Its construction was carried out by architects from Greece, Satyr and Pithaeus. No less important role in creating the mausoleum was played by such famous sculptors as Skopas, Brikasid, Leochar and Timothy.
As for architecture, a mixture of styles was observed in this building. In addition, the tomb of Mavsol was distinguished by its unusual shape and gigantic dimensions. The area of the Halicarnassus Mausoleum was 5000 m², and the height was 20 m. The base was a 5-tier rectangle, which was lined with slabs of white marble. The building was decorated with a sculptural frieze - marble reliefs depicting the battle of the Greeks with the Amazons. The length of the described frieze was equal to 117 m. Now some of the reliefs of the tomb are in the British Museum.
The tomb was located in the peripter, which was placed on the base. He, in turn, was surrounded by 39 11-meter columns. They served as a support for the roof. The latter was designed in the form of a
stepped pyramid, consisting of 24 steps. On the top of the roof, the architects placed a marble quadriga. She was an antique chariot drawn by four horses. In it were sculptures of Mausolus and Artemisia. Inside the tomb were placed marble sarcophagi of the royal couple. Statues of horsemen and marble lions, located at the foot of the mausoleum, served as a wonderful addition to the building. The Halicarnassus mausoleum was not like all the tombs that existed before it, therefore it was rightly considered a miracle of the world.