The Seven Wonders of the World/The Mausoleum

The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, also known as the Mausoleum of Maussollos was a tomb built in the fourth century BCE in honor of Mausolus and his wife Artemisia. The Mausoleum stood approximately 135 feet (41 meters) tall, and each wall was adorned with carvings by one of four great Greek sculptors.

Etymology: "Mausoleum"
The word "Mausoleum" is actually a combination of the original Greek words "Mausol" and "eion", or "dedicated to Mausol". Because this tomb was so grand, all other large tombs have been known as mausoleums.

Biography: Mausolus
The Mausoleum is dedicated to a man named Mausolus, who was a Persian Governor of Anatolia. In addition to creating many new cities, buildings and other large construction projects, Mausolus founded the city of Halicarnassus to be the capital of Anatolia. Mausolus, as was custom among Persian officials at the time, married his sister Artemisia. After Mausolus' death, Artemisia finished constructing the large mausoleum in his honor.