Halicarnassus was the capital city of a small kingdom along the Mediterranean coast of Asia Minor. Its location is what we know today as Bodrum, Turkey, an Aegean resort and yachting port.
After the death of the city's founder, Mausolus, in 353 B.C., his wife, Artemisia, succeeded him and invited Greek craftsmen and sculptors to build a tomb for him. The large and elaborate structure was so famous that it was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Today, the word "mausoleum," which we associate with all stately tombs, derives from Mausolus's name.
The mausoleum sat in an enclosed courtyard and the mostly marble tomb sat on a stone platform, flanked by stone lions, in the courtyard's center. Statues depicting gods and goddess lined the walls of the outer courtyard and stone warriors mounted on horseback guarded each corner. A part of the tomb was covered with relief sculpture depicting scenes from Greek myths. On top of each side of the tomb were nine columns with a statue between each of the 36 columns.The pyramid-shaped roof was on top of a solid block, and atop this was a sculpture of Mausolus and Artemisia riding a chariot pulled by four horses.
Several of the statues from the castle, sections of the reliefs that decorated the wall of the building, portions of the stepped roof, a broken stone chariot wheel and the statues of Mausolus and Artemisia that stood on the rooftop are on display in the Mausoleum Room at the British Museum in London, England.
