The Mausoleum at Halicanassus was built for
King Mausolus of Caria
, who ruled with his sister-wife,
Queen Artemisia
in the city of Halicarnassus on the coast of what is now Turkey.
He died in 353 B.C.
The tomb was a testament to the classical Greek architectural and artistic tradition.
Artemisia, commissioned famous Greek sculptors to create fantastic reliefs, and hired hundreds
of workers to complete it.
When it was complete three years after her husband-brother's dead the colossal structure measured over 130
feet high.
The structure was built on a hill that kept watch over the beloved city of Maussollos.
The Mausoleum was surronded by a courtyard. Statues of the Greek gods lined the walls of the courtyard.
Stone warriors guarded the building that was centered in the courtyard in the four corners.
The marble tomb was centered on the platform.
An earthquake caused the collapse of the Mausoleum in A.D.1304.
Fortunately, some of the sculpture survived and can be seen in the British Museum in London, England.
