A magnificent monument of Greek architecture, recognized as one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World.

Mausoleum at Halicarnassus - an ancient wonder of the world

When the word “mausoleum” is mentioned, the Lenin Mausoleum on Red Square immediately comes to mind. We are accustomed to the fact that a mausoleum is a grandiose tomb. But where did this name come from?

In the 4th century BC. In the capital of Caria, the city of Halicarnassus (southeast of Asia Minor), a magnificent tomb was built for the Carian ruler Mausolus and his wife Artemisia II. This building subsequently began to be called by the name of Mausoleum (Greek: Mausoleion) mausoleum. Construction began during Mavsol's lifetime, but he did not live to see the completion of construction. According to some sources, the construction was led by Artemisia, who loved her husband very much and dreamed of thus perpetuating his memory. That is why the Mausoleum in Halicarnassus is considered a monument to love and one of the 7 wonders of the world, along with and.

was conceived as a temple and tomb, it was built by the Greek architects Pytheas and Satyr, and the famous sculptors of that time Skopas (his works decorated the second Temple of Artemis in Ephesus), Leochares, Bricasidas and Timothy were also invited.

Mausoleum in Halicarnassus: architecture

Architecturally, there was a mixture of styles here, which made the mausoleum a unique structure, because at that time there were no analogues to it.

The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus is a magnificent tomb, which was of a very unusual shape for that time and simply gigantic in size. The base of the mausoleum was a five-tier rectangle (almost a square), lined with slabs of white marble. On top it was decorated with a sculptural frieze - 117 m long marble reliefs depicting battles between Greek warriors and Amazons.

The tomb was located in a peripterum placed on the base. It was surrounded by 39 eleven-meter columns that supported the roof in the form of a step pyramid of 24 steps. On the roof stood a marble quadriga - an antique chariot drawn by four horses. The chariot contained huge sculptures of Mausolus and his wife Artemisia. Inside the tomb stood the marble sarcophagi of the king and his wife. At the foot of the mausoleum there are marble lions and statues of horsemen.

The tomb was so different from all the tombs that existed earlier that it was called a “mausoleum” after its creator.

The mausoleum in Halicarnassus stood for almost 1800 years but was destroyed during a strong earthquake. In the 15th century, the Crusaders built St. Peter's Castle on its ruins. Preserved marble blocks were used for construction. After the expulsion of the Crusaders, the Turks built the Bodrum fortress on this site.

Mausoleum in Halicarnassus (Bodrum, Turkey) - exhibitions, opening hours, address, phone numbers, official website.

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The word “mausoleum” was first used to designate the burial place of the Carian king Mausolus in the Greek city of Halicarnassus. The luxurious royal tomb resembled an ancient temple or palace. Today, from the majestic structure of the 4th century BC. e. only ruins remained in the center of Bodrum, a Turkish resort town that arose on the site of ancient Halicarnassus. In ancient times, the mausoleum was included in the list of the Seven Wonders of the World. Knowing this fact greatly enhances the effect of walking past massive foundations and numerous stone fragments.

A little history

The best architects of Greece worked on the construction of the pyramid-shaped tomb of Mausolus. Next to the large-scale structure there was a spacious courtyard, and the building itself, standing on a high foundation, was decorated with beautiful bas-reliefs and dozens of sculptures of ancient gods (many of them can be seen in the British Museum). The mausoleum could not withstand the powerful earthquake of the 13th century, and from its remains the Knights Hospitaller built St. Peter's Castle.

What to see

The only “surviving” antique elements that can be seen at the site of the mausoleum are the stairs and burial chambers. Fragments of the entrance to Movsol's tomb with a huge granite stone blocking it, a drainage system, separate sections of walls and broken marble columns have been preserved. There are many intricate, labyrinth-like passages in the excavation area.

Today in Turkey they are actively discussing the possibility of restoring the Halicarnassus mausoleum in its original form. They also want to rebuild the nearby fortress walls and hippodrome.

The quality of the masonry is amazing - it is perfectly smooth, despite its advanced age. In addition to the place where the mausoleum stood, a small exhibition located here is also interesting, where elements of decoration and drawings are displayed, demonstrating the transformation of scientific assumptions about the appearance of the tomb. There is also a voluminous reduced copy of the mausoleum.

Practical Information

Address: Bodrum, Tepecik Mahallesi, 48440.

Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday 8:00-19:00, Monday - closed. Entrance 10 TRY. You can also buy a single ticket for 30 TRY, which gives you the right to visit St. Peter's Castle and the Museum of Underwater Archeology. Prices on the page are for October 2018.

Not far from the Turkish town of Bodrum is located one of the seven wonders of the world - the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus. It was no coincidence that it arose in this place, because in ancient times the capital of the Persian satrapy of Caria, known as Halicarnassus, was located here.

Story

The city of Halicarnassus was founded by the Greeks in the 2nd millennium BC. e. In the middle of the 1st millennium it came under the rule of the Halicarnassus mausoleum, which was built in the 4th century. BC. as a tomb for the Carian satrap Mausolus (377-353 BC) and his wife Artemisia II. Thanks to Mausolus, this building began to be called a mausoleum (Greek: Mausoleion). The construction of the tomb began during Mavsol’s lifetime, although he did not live to see the completion of 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 a monument to love. It attracts thousands of tourists.

The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus captivated the imagination of travelers for 1,800 years, but in the 13th century it was destroyed by a strong earthquake. In the 15th century, the Crusaders built St. Peter's Castle on the ruins of the mausoleum. Marble blocks from the former tomb were used to construct this building. When the Crusaders were expelled, this castle became the Turkish fortress of Bodrum. By the 19th century, all that remained of the mausoleum was the foundation and several sculptures. still stands in Bodrum today, and the stones of the mausoleum are visible in its structure. On the territory of the tomb itself you can see 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 Pytheas. An equally important role in the creation of the mausoleum was played by the likes of Skopas, Bricasides, Leochares and Timofey.

As for architecture, there was a mixture of styles in this building. In addition, the tomb of Mausolus was distinguished by its unusual shape and gigantic size. 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 white marble slabs. 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 117 m. Now some of the reliefs of the tomb are in

The tomb was located in a peripterum, 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 24 steps. At the top of the roof, the architects placed a marble quadriga. It was an antique chariot drawn by four horses. It contained sculptures of Mausolus and Artemisia. Marble sarcophagi of the royal couple were placed inside the tomb. The statues of horsemen and marble lions located at the foot of the mausoleum served as an excellent addition to the building. The Halicarnassus mausoleum was not like all the tombs that existed before it, so it was quite rightly considered a wonder of the world.

Did you know that one of the seven wonders of the world is (or rather, was) located in a noisy tourist city? To be honest, we only found out about this on the spot. And today I want to tell you how we finally visited the ruins of the famous Halicarnassus mausoleum!

Halicarnassus Mausoleum- the same age as the famous one. The building is a ziggurat (“three in one”): monument, tomb and sanctuary. By the way, such buildings began to be called “mausoleum” by analogy with this gigantic object - in honor of the cruel Mavsol, a fearless warrior and a good diplomat. At that time he was the ruler of Caria, a province of the Persian Empire.

Mausolus began the construction of his own tomb in Halicarnassus (the capital of Caria) during his lifetime ( 4th century BC). According to the king's idea, the mausoleum was to become a unique structure in the very center of the city, surrounded by palaces and temples. They were thrown into the construction of the future wonder of the world best architects and the sculptors of that time: Leochares, Pythias, Satyr, Timothy, Scopas, Briaxides.

After the death of Mavsol his work was continued beloved wife(and also my sister) Artemisia. By the way, the married couple jointly ruled Kariya for 24 long years!

Three-level mausoleum of the general 46 meters high combined several architectural styles. Brick base, lined with marble, above it - temple with 36 columns, a roof in the form of a pyramid with a couple of dozen steps... And at the top there is a giant statue of a royal couple in a chariot drawn by four horses.

Inside, the mausoleum was decorated with bas-reliefs on the theme of ancient Greek legends and myths; on the outside of the mausoleum, statues of goddesses and gods guarded it, and in the corners, giant stone warriors carried out their service.

Such magnificence did not go unnoticed. Very quickly, the unique structure in Halicarnassus was rightfully included in the list of seven wonders of the ancient world...

Majestic building stood for nineteen centuries(almost two thousand years)! Only in the 13th century the mausoleum was almost completely destroyed by a strong earthquake. A in 1522 its remains were dismantled by the Knights of St. John and used in construction.

Unfortunately, today only a handful of stones remain from the mausoleum:

2. Useful information

2.1. Where is

Halicarnassus Mausoleum located 400 meters from the center of Bodrum near the main square of Iskele Meydani.

Location on the map:

From the street, the entrance to the mausoleum looks like this:

2.2. How to get there

• On foot

Ticket for three attractions:

At the same ticket office you can also purchase a museum card, although it is only available to locals:

3. Photo walk through the mausoleum

The legendary mausoleum once stood on this very spot:

To the left of the ruins of the mausoleum is the entrance to a small museum:

Showroom:

Fragments of former splendor:

Schemes of the mausoleum:

The photo shows how the appearance of the fifth “wonder of the world” changed over time:

This is exactly what the mausoleum looked like many centuries ago. Still, it’s a great pity that such beauty has not survived to this day:

Diagram of objects on the territory of Halicarnassus (Karia). There is a mausoleum, a castle, a market square, and even an ancient theater:

Some fragments of the mausoleum are carefully hidden from the sun under canopies:

The tomb of Mausolus stood on this site:

Wall part:

Pay attention to what the masonry was like several thousand years ago:

Children will surely enjoy an excursion to the mausoleum. After all, there are many intricate passages and labyrinths on its territory:

And only a child or a very thin adult can squeeze into such a narrow passage:

Another pass:

It ends in a small room:

We did not see a single cafe on the territory of the mausoleum. But if you wish, you can organize your own picnic here:

View of Bodrum:

There is a well-groomed area with roses around the mausoleum; it’s nice to take a walk here or just sit in the shade of a tree:

4. Conclusions

The Halicarnassus Mausoleum is one of those places in which are interesting for their history, and not for their appearance. There is practically nothing to examine there: ruins, fragments of walls and bas-reliefs, stands and models on the theme: “What beauty there once was here!” But the fact itself, of course, is impressive - after all, there are not so many wonders of the world on the planet. And part of the Mausoleum is now on display in the British Museum.

Now you know the exact answer to the question: “How many wonders of the world are there in Turkey?” The correct answer is two: the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus and.

There are practically no people in this place. But it’s still better to plan an excursion in the late afternoon – at this time large excursion groups do not come here.

5. Video

Do you want to take a walk through the ancient mausoleum? Then watch the video:

The Mausoleum in Halicarnassus is a wonderful monument of ancient Greek architectural art, which went down in the history of ancient culture as one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World. Our contemporaries generally believe that the mausoleum is the tomb of great leaders.

Why was this unique structure called a mausoleum? To understand where this name comes from, you should plunge into the history of Caria, the capital of which was Halicarnassus (now Turkish Bodrum). In the 4th century BC. In the capital city of Caria, a tomb was erected for a married couple - the ruler of Caria himself, Mausolus, and his wife, who bore the name Artemisia. Therefore, over time, the structure received its name - mausoleum (from the Greek word Mausoleion).

The construction of the tomb began during Mavsol's lifetime, but the ruler did not wait for its construction to be completed - he died. According to some historical data, the construction process continued to be led by the widow Artemisia, who really loved her husband and wanted to perpetuate his memory in this way. Based on these great feelings, the mausoleum at Halicarnassus was subsequently recognized as a monument of love.

However, the mausoleum in Halicarnassus was built not only as a tomb - Mausolus and Artemisia wanted it to be both a tomb and a temple. To translate their ideas into reality, eminent Greek architects Pytheas and Satyr and sculptors Leochares, Timothy, Skopas and Bricasides - the best masters of that time - were invited. Their fruitful collaboration resulted in a mixture of architectural styles, but it did not spoil the mausoleum. On the contrary, the construction turned out to be so unusual that the Greeks had never seen buildings like it, since it was a combination of the most beautiful styles of that time - Doric, Corinthian and Ionic.

Description of the mausoleum at Halicarnassus

The builders placed the tomb in the peripterus - a building framed by a colonnade of 11-meter columns. To support the roof of the mausoleum, 36 columns were needed. The spaces between the columns were filled with various statues of mythological figures, and the roof looked like a step pyramid with 24 steps. Its crown was a marble quadriga, that is, an antique chariot with four horses harnessed to it.
Huge statues of Mausolus and Artemisia were placed in the chariot, playing the role of charioteers. This magnificent sculpture reached a height of 6 m. In the tomb room there were marble sarcophagi intended for the royal couple. The foot of the mausoleum was decorated with sculptures of horsemen and marble lions.

The tomb-temple could not be called an ordinary structure, because in fact it was an entire architectural complex of substantial size, which had its own courtyard. A rectangular stone platform measuring 19 x 11 m was installed in its center. And to get to the top of the mausoleum, it was necessary to climb a wide staircase guarded by stone lions.

The inside of the building was decorated with bas-reliefs, which reflected scenes from the legends and tales of ancient Greece. The outer walls of the mausoleum were decorated with sculptures of gods and goddesses. At the corners of the structure there were huge stone sculptures of guardian warriors. In general, the structure, called a mausoleum, a temple, and a tomb at the same time, occupied 46 m in height (from its very base to the top with a sculpture of a chariot).

The fate of the mausoleum built in Halicarnassus

353 BC was marked for Kariya by the death of Mausolus, whose corpse was cremated. At that time, the construction of the mausoleum had not yet been completed. Inconsolable Artemisia, wanting to quickly unite with the spirit of her deceased husband, drank a strange mixture prepared from the ashes of Mausolus, water and aromatic substances.
But death did not come to her after drinking such a drink - Artemisia lived for another 2 years. The body of the deceased queen was subsequently burned and buried next to her husband. This is how the ruling spouses found their final refuge, and only after that the entrance to the tomb was finally walled up with stones.

The mausoleum in Halicarnassus was distinguished by such high strength that it delighted the eyes of the ancient people throughout the 19th centuries. And in the 15th century AD it was slightly damaged by an earthquake. But the mausoleum still failed to survive the invasion of the Crusaders - they dismantled most of it and used the materials obtained in this way for the construction of St. Peter's Castle, and here - on the site of the destroyed tomb. Somewhat later, these stones were reused, only for the construction of the Bodrum fortress.

In general, the history of the Halicarnassus mausoleum is eventful. At one time, he survived the conquest of the city by Alexander the Great, and even withstood the attack of pirates who set their sights on Halicarnassus at the beginning of the 1st century. However, after the Maltese attacked the mausoleum and took away stone and marble slabs from it, only the foundation remained of the majestic structure.

What historical values ​​remain from the Halicarnassus mausoleum?

Unfortunately, the once grandiose structure has not survived to this day. Today tourists can only see the ruins that remain of it. But even in its destroyed state, the mausoleum is able to make an indelible impression on travelers. Those people who managed to go on an excursion to Bodrum were surprised that some of the walls of the Turkish fortress consisted of perfectly polished marble slabs. But they were brought precisely from ancient Halicarnassus. Parts of the unique mythological frescoes and sculptures of Mausolus and Artemisia can today be seen in the Istanbul and British Museums.

How did the British Museum, located thousands of kilometers from the ancient Greek Halicarnassus, be replenished with this amazing find? The fact is that rumors about the beauty of the remains of an ancient cultural monument, which became the decoration of Bodrum, reached a person from the English embassy in Turkey. Upon arrival at the historical site, he bought permission from the authorities to remove 12 slabs from the walls for transportation to the British Museum. When the slabs were presented to English scientists, they were able to conclude that in front of them was nothing more than a particle of the frieze of the famous Skopas.

So Sir Newton, the director of the British Museum, was finally convinced that in search of the remains of the Halicarnassian mausoleum he should go to Bodrum, where he hurried. And the first thing he had to face upon reaching the shore were two marble lions walled up in the wall of the fortress.
During the 9 months that Newton spent in Bodrum, he managed to find many fragments of the mausoleum and 4 slabs made by the ancient sculptor Skopas. But the most interesting thing awaited him ahead, because at the end of the archaeological excavations he discovered the statues of Mausolus and Artemisia, which once stood in a chariot on the roof of the mausoleum. Of course, they were split into many parts, but the find was still of considerable historical value. In addition, the persistent Englishman also found a marble head of a horse, decorated with pendants and a bronze bridle with gilding. Newton transported all these finds to his museum, and this was in 1857.

Excavations of the mysterious tomb were also carried out under the leadership of Christian Jeppesen. They ended in the 70s of the last century. All the found statues, bas-reliefs and various elements of ancient construction helped scientists recreate the appearance of the tomb. According to her design, such architectural monuments as St. George's Church in London, the Warriors' Memorial in Indiana, the City Hall in Los Angeles, etc. were built. But no matter how hard modern architects tried, they failed to convey all the grandeur that was inherent in the ancient mausoleum, built to repose the ashes of the rulers of Caria.