13 May /13

Mausoleum

Great rulers might hope to be remembered for their victories in battle, but some have become best known for their place of burial. Visitors to Bodrum in Turkey can still see the remains of one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was built for Mausolus, who ruled an area of what is now Greece and Turkey in the 4th century BC. The word mausoleum came to be used to describe a burial chamber for any person of distinction but it didn’t enter English usage for almost 2,000 years. While the tomb of Mausolus lies in scattered ruins the Taj Mahal, perhaps the most celebrated of all mausoleums, is still impeccably preserved.