The 7 wonders of the world...... Part III (final part)

MANSOLEUM OF HALICARNASSUS

Built in 351 BCE, the mausoleum of halicarnassus was the tomb of the Persian satrap Mauslos, Halicarnassus was chosen as the capita city by mauslos and him and his wife Artemisia went through great lengths just to create a city whose beauty would be unmatched anywhere in the world. Artemisia who died two years after wished of creating a befitting resting place for a great king as mauslos who died in 358 BCE.

Mauslos and Artemisia's ashes were entombed in the mausoleum. It is on record that the craftsmen continued work on the structure even after the dearth of Artemisia, both for knowing the work would bring them lasting recognition and as tribute to their patronesss.

The mausoleum of Halicarnassus which was 135feet tall and beautifully decorated with fine sculpture was destroyed by series of earthquakes and was later mined for hundreds of years until, in 1494 CE, it was dismatled and the stones reused by knights of St. John of Malta to build their castle at Bodrum, where the ancient stone can still be seen today.

COLOSSUS OF RHODES

the colossus of Rhodes, constructed between 292 and 280 BCE was a statue of the god of Helios (the patron god of the island of Rhodes). The magnificent statue was commissioned after the defeat of the invading army of Demetrius in 304 BCE. The statue stood for over 56 years before it was destroyed by an earthquake in 226 BCE.

LIGHT HOUSE OF ALEXANDRIA

Commissioned by Ptolemy I. Soter, the lighthouse at Alexandria was built on the island of pharos and it stood close to 440 feet. Construction of the light house which was the third tallest human made structure in the world was completed sometimes around 280 BCE, it light, a mirror reflecting the sun's rays by the day and a fire by night could be seen as far as 35miles out to sea.

The light was badly damaged in an earthquake in 956 CE, again in 1303 CE, and 1323 CE and by the year 1480 CE, it was totally gone. The Egyptian fort quatbey now stands on the site of the pharos and was built with some of the stones from the ruins of the lighthouse.

This is the end of the 7 wonders of the ancient World Series.

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