Bodrum - Mausoleion

The ancient city of Halikarnassos was traversed by a main street running from its east end to the fine Myndos Gate (Gümüsli Kapi) with its tower at the west end. In this street, in the center of the town, stood the famous Mausoleion or Mausoleum, which from the time of Augustus became a general term for a large tomb. Its architect was Pytheos. Under the direction of Satyros the rectangular tower-like structure, 46m/150ft high, was decorated with magnificent friezes by the most celebrated Greek sculptors of the day. Erected in 351 B.C. it survived in good condition until the 12th century A.D. Thereafter it may have been damaged by earthquakes and was then gradually pulled down, being finally destroyed in 1552 when the remaining stone was used to strengthen the castle against Ottoman attack. Dressed stones from the Mausoleum can be seen in the castle, the town walls, and at the bottom of an old well in the town. A reconstruction of the monument is planned.

The first reliefs recovered from the Mausoleum were taken to London in 1846; in 1863 C. T. (later Sir Charles) Newton positively identified the site of the monument and removed much sculpture from the Mausoleion and the castle to the British Museum. Excavations were carried out by Danish archeologists in 1966/67.