Muğla Bodrum Mausoleum Memorial Museum

Considered one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World, the Maussolleion is the mausoleum of the Carian Satrap Maussollos. The Maussolleion, which the word "mausoleum" used for monuments today derived from, was built in the 4th century BC. The most important architects and sculptors of that period worked in the construction of this mausoleum. The tomb was built on a 105x242 meter-sized terrace. It consists of four main parts. There is a high podium at the bottom, a section with 36 Ionic columns on it, a 24-step roof covering this section. At the top, there are the statues of Maussollos and Artemisia in the Quadriga (four-in-hand) and the height of the monument is approximately 50 meters. The mausoleum, which stood for about 1650 years, collapsed due to an earthquake in 1304 AD. The stones of the building, which was destroyed at the beginning of the 15th century AD, were used by The Knights Hospitaller in the construction of Bodrum Castle. The remains of the Maussolleion were moved to the British Museum by 19th century travelers Lord Stradford and C. T. Newton. Between the years of 1966-1977, a Danish team led by Prof. Dr. Kristian Jeppesen conducted scientific archaeological excavations at the Maussolleion. The artifacts unearthed as a result of these excavations began to be exhibited in the Mausoleum Memorial Museum, which was organized in 1982.