Belevi Mausoleum

The Mausoleum of Belevi, a large tomb built in 301 BC in Belevi, located near the Selçuk district of Izmir, is also known as Mausolea. King Lysimachus, who was one of Alexander the Great's commanders and founded a great empire with Ephesus as its capital, built Belevi Mausoleum for himself. However, Lysimachus, who died during a war with the Seleucids in 281 BC, could not be put in his own tomb and was buried in the battlefield.

After the war, the region completely fell into the hands of the Seleucid Empire. The Belevi Mausoleum, which remained empty for a long time, was restored by Antiochus Theos II, one of the Seleucid kings, for his own use. King Theos died in 246 BC at the age of 40 and was buried in the Belevi Mausoleum in Ephesus.

The Mausoleum of Belevi, which was mainly influenced by the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, is built on a large rock and has a height of 10 meters. The sarcophagus, which was removed from the burial chamber carved out of the rock, is now exhibited in the Selçuk Museum. The frescoes that decorate the walls of the mausoleum and depict various battles and mythological events are exhibited in the Izmir Archaeology Museum.

If you happen to be in Selçuk one day, do not neglect to see the Belevi Mausoleum. We wish you a pleasant vacation in advance.