After the conquest of Egypt by Alexander the Great, a city was founded, named Alexandria in his honor. The city began to actively develop and prosper and became a major center of maritime trade. Soon, an urgent need arose for the construction of the Alexandria Lighthouse.
Alexandrian lighthouse. Information and interesting facts
The island of Pharos, located 1290 meters from Alexandria, was chosen as the location for the lighthouse. The construction of the Pharos lighthouse, which later became the seventh wonder of the world, was led by the architect Sostratus, the son of Dexiphanes from Cnidus.
To ensure the supply of building materials to the island, a dam was built. The construction itself was completed at lightning speed by the standards of the ancient world, taking only six years (285-279 BC). The new building immediately “knocked out” the walls of Babylon from the list of classical wonders of the world, and took pride of place there to this day. The height of the Alexandria Lighthouse, according to contemporaries, reached 120 meters. The light projected from the tower of the Alexandria Lighthouse was visible up to 48 kilometers away.
The lighthouse had three tiers.
The first tier had a square shape with sides of 30.5 meters, oriented to the cardinal points. The total height of this tier was 60 meters. The corners of the tier were occupied by statues of tritons. The room itself was intended to house workers and guards, storerooms for fuel and food.
The middle tier of the Faros lighthouse had an octagonal shape with edges oriented according to the prevailing winds here. The upper part of the tier was decorated with statues, some of which functioned as weather vanes.
The upper tier of a cylindrical shape played the role of a lantern. It was surrounded by eight columns covered with a cone dome. The top of the dome of the Faros lighthouse was decorated with a seven-meter statue of Isis-Faria (guardian of seafarers). The powerful lamp was projected using a system of concave metal mirrors. There has been a long-standing debate about the delivery of fuel to the top of the Alexandria Lighthouse. Some suggest that delivery was carried out using lifting mechanisms along an internal shaft, while others say that the ascent was carried out using mules along a spiral ramp.
The lighthouse also had an underground part where supplies of drinking water for the garrison were located. It is worth mentioning that the lighthouse also served as a fortress guarding the sea route to Alexandria. Myself Faros lighthouse It was even surrounded by a powerful fence with bastions and loopholes.
In the 14th century, the wonder of the world, the Faros lighthouse, was destroyed by an earthquake. Currently, the appearance of the seventh wonder of the world is evidenced only by images on Roman coins and the remains of ruins. For example, research in 1996 made it possible to find the remains of the Alexandria lighthouse at the bottom of the sea.
Lighthouse on Roman coins
A hundred years after the destruction, Sultan Qait Bey built a fort in its place. And now there are initiators who want to reconstruct the Faros Lighthouse, in the place where it was originally located - on the island of Faros. But the Egyptian authorities do not yet want to consider these projects, and the Qait Bay fortress continues to guard the site of the former great structure of antiquity.
Kite Bay Fortress
The sixth wonder of the world is Alexandrian lighthouse (aka Faros Lighthouse). It was built in the 3rd century BC on.
In Egypt, on the small island of Pharos, not far from Alexandria, there was a bay that was of great importance for merchant ships. It was for this reason that the need arose for the construction of the Faros lighthouse.
Hardly anyone imagined that the outstanding structure would be included in. At night, the flames reflected by the water surface were visible at a distance of more than 60 kilometers, allowing the ships to safely pass the reefs. During the day, instead of light, a column of smoke was used, which was also visible extremely far away.
Having stood for almost 1000 years, the Alexandria Lighthouse was seriously damaged by what happened in 796 AD. When the Arabs came to Egypt (XIV century), they decided to restore the grandiose building, reaching only 30 meters from the original height.
However, the reconstruction was not destined to be completed, and by the end of the 15th century, Qait Bey, the famous sultan, founded a fortress on the foundations of the lighthouse. By the way, it still exists.
Interesting facts about the wonder of the world Lighthouse of Alexandria
During the reign of Ptolemy II in Egypt, it was decided to build the famous lighthouse. According to the plan, the implementation of the idea should have taken 20 years, but all residents saw the masterpiece much earlier. The main architect and builder of this structure is Sostratus of Cnidus.
He carved his name on the marble wall of the lighthouse, and then, applying thin plaster, wrote words glorifying Ptolemy. Naturally, after a short period of time the plaster crumbled, and the name of the outstanding master entered the centuries. So, Sostratus completed the construction of the Pharos lighthouse in 5 years, which by the standards of antiquity was generally an instant!
The Alexandria lighthouse consisted of three towers. The first, lowest, rectangular part of the monument served technical purposes. Workers and soldiers lived there, and the tools and equipment necessary to maintain the lighthouse were stored there. A second, octagonal tower rose above the first part.
A ramp wound around it to lift fuel for the fire. The third tier was a majestic cylindrical building equipped with a complex system of mirrors. It was here that the vital fire burned, spreading its light for many kilometers around.
The height of the sixth wonder of the world, the Faros lighthouse, ranged from 120 to 140 meters. At the very top there was a statue of the god of the seas, Poseidon.
Some travelers, describing the miracle that amazed them, mentioned unusually constructed statues. The first one pointed with her hand at , throughout the day, and when the sun set, her hand dropped.
The second statue chimed every hour day and night. The third constantly indicated the direction of the wind, playing the role of a weather vane.
In the 12th century AD, ships stopped using the Alexandria Bay because it became extremely muddy. This is what caused the outstanding building to fall into complete disrepair. Even later, in the 14th century, due to an earthquake wonder of the world Alexandria lighthouse completely collapsed.
In its place a fortress was erected, which changed its appearance more than once. Now that's it historical place The base of the Egyptian fleet is located and, despite various proposals, the authorities are not considering the idea of restoring the lighthouse.
if you love Interesting Facts and stories from the lives of great people - subscribe to. It's always interesting with us!
Titles and naming
original name(local):
Φάρος της ΑλεξάνδρειαςEnglish name:
Lighthouse Alexandria
Year of start of work, restructuring:
one of the 7 wonders of the world, was built in the 3rd century BC. e. in the Egyptian city of Alexandria, so that ships could safely pass the reefs on the way to the Alexandria Bay. At night they were helped in this by the reflection of flames, and during the day by a column of smoke. It was the world's first lighthouse, and it stood for almost a thousand years, but in 796 AD. e. was severely damaged by the earthquake. Subsequently, the Arabs who came to Egypt tried to restore it, and by the 14th century. the height of the lighthouse was about 30 m. At the end of the 15th century. Sultan Qait Bey erected a fortress on the site of the lighthouse, which still stands today.
Year started: approximately 283 BC.
Coordinates: 31°12′51″ n. w. 29°53′06″
- Model (photo and video)
- See the Alexandria (Faros) lighthouse in the program “I want to believe!
- About the lighthouse in the Ukrainian program
During the time of the first Ptolemies, a lighthouse was built on the island of Pharos. According to ancient and medieval authors, it was taller than the tallest pyramid. But at the time Strabo visited it, the lighthouse was no longer very different from other structures. It was half destroyed. Its highest part had collapsed, and its remains lay near the tower, which had been covered with a temporary wooden roof, "and lived in it several watchmen."
The construction of lighthouses began in ancient times and was connected, first of all, with the development of navigation. At first these were just fires located on high banks. Then there are artificial structures. The Alexandria Lighthouse was built in 283 BC. e., the construction of this gigantic, for those times, structure lasted only 5 years. But before we begin to describe this wonder of the world, we should learn a little about the geography and history of the area where it was built.
Alexandria
Alexandria, founded in 332 BC, is located in the Nile Delta, on the site of the Egyptian town of Rakotis. It was one of the first cities of the Hellenistic era, built according to a single plan. In Alexandria there was a sarcophagus of Alexander the Great, there was also a museum - the abode of muses, a center of arts and science. So, an etymological thread is laid from the muses to the modern word “museum”. Museyon is at once an academy of sciences, a dormitory for scientists, a technical center, a school, and the world’s greatest library, which contained up to half a million scrolls. A passionate scribe and a vain man, King Ptolemy II suffered because the library did not have some unique manuscripts of Greek playwrights. He sent an embassy to Athens so that the Athenians would borrow the scrolls for a while to copy. Arrogant Athens demanded a fabulous deposit - 15 talents, almost half a ton of silver. Ptolemy accepted the challenge. The silver was delivered to Athens, and the agreement had to be reluctantly fulfilled. But Ptolemy did not forgive such distrust of his bibliophilic inclinations and his word of honor. He left the deposit to the Athenians and the manuscripts to himself. But that's not the point...
The harbor of Alexandria, perhaps the busiest and busiest in the whole world, was uncomfortable. The port in this harbor was founded by Alexander the Great during his visit to Egypt in 332 BC. e. The city flourished due to maritime trade. But by the 12th century AD. e. Alexandria Bay became so filled with silt that ships could no longer use it. From then on, the period of decline of Alexandria began, about which very little is known today...
Present-day Alexandria has more than 2 million inhabitants, it stretches for 25 kilometers along a sand spit that once cut the sea bay, forming a large salt Lake. But modern Alexandria has completely different outlines. In the north-west, where there is now an elongated peninsula with a densely populated Arab quarter and the magnificent Abu al-Abbas Mosque, in ancient times there was a sea, or rather, two sea piers - the Grand Pier and the Pier of Happy Return. From the sea side they were covered by the rocky island of Pharos, which served as a natural pier.
History of the building
The Nile carries a lot of silt; very skillful pilots were required in the shallow water among the rocks and shoals. To ensure the safety of navigation, it was decided to build a lighthouse on the island of Pharos, on the approach to Alexandria. In 285 BC, the island was connected to the mainland by a dam, and the architect Sostratus of Knidos began work. Construction took only five years: Alexandria was an advanced technical center and the richest city of the then world, the builders had a huge fleet, quarries and the achievements of Museyon academicians at their disposal.
This structure, just like the pyramids, arose from the sweat and labor of slaves, and during construction the whips of the overseers also whistled. But it had two fundamental differences: firstly, the lighthouse on the island of Foros brought “public benefit”, and secondly, at the time when this last miracle of the ancient world was created, technology had reached considerable heights. The Archimedes screw and pulley, lifting devices, and various construction tools were already known. The main building materials for the lighthouse were limestone, marble, and granite. The construction was led by the famous Greek architect Sostratus of Knidos. At the end of the work, he carved the inscription on the stone of the structure: “Son of Dexiphanes Sostratus - to the guardian gods, for the benefit of those who swim.” Sostratus covered this inscription with cement and on top indicated the name of Ptolemy Soter, who was ruling at that time. Sostratus did not hope to live until the time when the plaster crumbled, and it was not in his interests to find out the ruler’s reaction to this act. After all, having done this, he risked violating the decrees of the Ptolemies. However, soon the cement crumbled, and everyone saw the first inscription. Possidip, a contemporary of Sostratus, sang it in verses that have survived the lighthouse and brought to us the name of its creator.
And this name was widely known in the ancient world. Modern scientists have found that structures like “ hanging gardens» Semiramis, there were several, and one of them was the “hanging promenade” on the island of Knidos. Its architect and engineer was Sostratus. He is credited with another grandiose construction: during the battles for Memphis, he allegedly diverted the waters of the Nile to capture the city.
Description of the lighthouse
The lighthouse turned out to be in the form of a three-story tower 120 meters high (the first and most dangerous “rival” Egyptian pyramids). At its base it was a square with a side of thirty meters, the first sixty-meter floor of the tower was made of stone slabs and supported a forty-meter octagonal tower, lined with white marble. On the third floor, in a round tower surrounded by columns, a huge fire was always burning, reflected by a complex system of mirrors. Firewood for the fire was delivered up a spiral staircase, so flat and wide that carts drawn by donkeys could drive along it to a hundred-meter height. The tower contained many ingenious technical devices: weather vanes, astronomical instruments, clocks. However, it is impossible to perceive this description, conveyed to us by one of the ancient inhabitants of Alexandria, as the only true one: each of those whose descriptions have reached us still tried to somehow embellish what they saw, since the Alexandria Lighthouse was truly a grandiose structure for the world of that time.
Among other descriptions we find the following: “The Faros lighthouse consisted of three marble towers standing on a base of massive stone blocks. The first tower was rectangular and contained rooms in which workers and soldiers lived. Above this tower was a smaller, octagonal tower with a spiral ramp leading to the upper tower." The common features of these two descriptions are visible. As a result, today the following description can be accepted as the most accurate and truthful.
The lighthouse had a height of 180 meters from base to top. This calculation was made based on the testimony of the historian Josephus. According to other descriptions, its height was only 120 meters. Ibn al-Sayha (11th century) gives the figure 130-140 meters. According to modern experts, from a purely practical point of view, such a height was unnecessary, even if we take into account that ancient lighthouses should have been higher due to the weakness of their fire. The greatest European lighthouse at the mouth of the Garonne near Bordeaux has a height of 59 meters above sea level. It was built by the Romans, taking the lighthouse on the island of Foros as a model. It remained in its original form until the 16th century, then it was rebuilt. The lighthouse on Cape Hatteras is 58 meters high, the lighthouse on the coral reefs off Florida is 48 meters high. None of the modern lighthouses reaches the height of Alexandria.
The Ptolemies built this fantastic skyscraper on a rock not only for practical purposes. First of all, the lighthouse was a symbol of the power of their empire, a symbol of wealth and greatness, like a light in the darkness. This structure had a base in the shape of a square with sides of 180-190 meters (other sources give other figures). On this foundation stood a palace with four towers at the corners. From its center rose a massive quadrangular tower 70-80 meters high, which gradually narrowed, ending in battlements. On this tower stood another, narrower, but also quite high, which ended in a stone platform. On this site there were columns in a circle supporting a cone-shaped tower, which was crowned by an 8-meter-high statue of the patron of the seas, Poseidon. According to some reports, at the top of the tower there was a statue of Zeus the Savior, and not his brother Poseidon.
At the top of the third tower, a fire was lit in a voluminous bronze bowl, the reflection of which, using a complex system of mirrors, was visible 100 miles away. A shaft ran through the entire lighthouse, around which a ramp and stairs rose. Carts drawn by donkeys drove along a wide and sloping ramp to the top of the lighthouse. Fuel for the lighthouse was delivered through the mine.
The tall lighthouse also served as an observation post. A complex system of reflectors was also used to view the sea, making it possible to detect enemy ships long before they appeared off the coast.
Death of the lighthouse
The inscription of Sostratus was seen by Roman travelers. At that time the lighthouse was still functioning. With the fall of the Roman Empire, it stopped shining, the upper tower, dilapidated over the centuries, collapsed, but the walls of the lower floor still stood for a long time.
The Alexandria lighthouse stood for 1,500 years, helping the Mediterranean “cybernetos” (as the ancient Greeks called helmsmen) navigate. The lighthouse suffered from earthquakes and weathering of the stone, but during the times of the emperors Claudius and Nero it was restored. Its fire was extinguished forever during an earthquake in the 4th century. During Arab rule in the mid-7th century, it served only as a daylight. During the time of the first Mamluk sultans (mid-13th century), the mainland moved so close to the island that the piers were covered with sand and it was no longer needed as a daylight lighthouse. At the very beginning of the 14th century, it was dismantled into stones, and a medieval Turkish fortress was erected on the ruins of the lighthouse. The bronze plates that served as mirrors were probably melted down into coins. This fortress was subsequently rebuilt more than once and still stands on the site of the world's first lighthouse.
In the 1960s, while exploring coastal waters, an unknown Italian diver, descending to a shallow depth near the Sultan's fortress, found two marble columns. During further work, a statue of the goddess Isis of Pharos, which once stood in a nearby temple, was raised from the bottom. In 1980, a group of archaeologists discovered seabed remains of the Faros lighthouse. At the same time, at a depth of 8 meters, the ruins of the palace of the legendary Queen Cleopatra were discovered...
Fire visibility range:
Description of fire, sign
Height of the structure.
The Alexandria Lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, also has another name - Faros. It owes its second name to its location - the island of Pharos, located off the coast of the city of Alexandria, which is located in Egypt.
In turn, Alexandria got its name because of the name of the conqueror of ancient Egyptian lands - Alexander the Great.
He approached the choice of a place to build a new city quite carefully. At first glance it may seem strange that the settlement area was determined by Macedon to be 20 miles from the south of the Nile Delta. If he had built it in the delta, the city would have been at the intersection of two waterways important for that area.
These roads were both the sea and the Nile River. But the fact that Alexandria was founded south of the delta had a strong justification - in this place river waters they could not clog the harbor with sand and silt that were harmful to it. Alexander the Great had high hopes for the city under construction. His plans included turning the city into a reputable shopping mall, because he successfully located it at the intersection of land, river and sea routes of communication of several continents. But such a significant city for the country's economy needed a harbor.
Its arrangement required the implementation of many complex engineering and construction solutions. An important need was the construction of a dam that could connect the sea coast with Pharos, and a pier that would protect the harbor from sand and silt. Thus, Alexandria received two harbors at once. One harbor was supposed to receive merchant ships sailing from Mediterranean Sea, and the other - ships that came along the Nile River.
Alexander the Great's dream of transforming a simple city into a thriving trade center came true after his death, when Ptolemy I Soter came to power. It was under him that Alexandria became the richest port city, but its harbor was dangerous for sailors. As both shipping and maritime trade continually developed, the need for a lighthouse became increasingly felt.
The tasks assigned to this structure were to secure the navigation of ships in coastal waters. And such care would lead to an increase in sales, since all trade was conducted through the port. But due to the monotonous landscape of the coast, the sailors needed an additional landmark, and they would have been quite happy with a signal light illuminating the entrance to the harbor. According to historians, Alexander the Great had other hopes for the construction of the lighthouse - to provide the city with security from attacks by the Ptolemies, who could attack from the sea. Therefore, to detect enemies who could be located at a considerable distance from the shore, a lookout post of impressive size was needed.
Difficulties in the construction of the Alexandria Lighthouse
Naturally, the construction of such a solid structure required a lot of resources: financial, labor and intellectual. But they were not easy to find during that turbulent time for Alexandria. But nevertheless, a favorable economic situation for the construction of the lighthouse arose due to the fact that Ptolemy, who conquered Syria with the title of king, brought countless Jews to his country and made them slaves. Thus, the lack of labor resources necessary for the construction of the lighthouse was filled. No less important historical events then were the signing of a peace agreement by Ptolemy Soter and Demetrius Poliorcetes (299 BC) and the death of Antigonus, the enemy of Ptolemy, whose kingdom was given to the diadochi.
Construction of the lighthouse began in 285 BC, and all work was supervised by the architect Sostratus of Knidus. Wanting to immortalize his name in history, Sostratus carved an inscription on the marble wall of the lighthouse indicating that he was building this structure for the sake of sailors. Then he hid it under a layer of plaster, and on it he glorified King Ptolemy. However, fate would have it that humanity would learn the name of the master - gradually the plaster fell off and revealed the secret of the great engineer.
Design features of the Alexandria lighthouse
The Pharos structure, intended to illuminate the harbor, had three tiers, the first of which was represented by a square with sides of 30.5 m. All four faces of the lower square tier were facing all cardinal directions. It reached a height of 60 m, and its corners were decorated with statues of tritons. The purpose of this room was to accommodate workers and guards, as well as to arrange storerooms for storing provisions and fuel.
The middle tier of the Alexandria lighthouse was built in the form of an octagon, the edges of which were oriented towards the wind directions. The upper part of this tier was decorated with statues, and some of them were weather vanes.
The third tier, made in the shape of a cylinder, was a lantern. It was surrounded by 8 columns and covered with a dome-cone. And on its top they erected a 7-meter statue of Isis-Faria, who was considered the guardian of seafarers (some sources claim that it was a sculpture of Poseidon, the king of the seas). Thanks to the complexity of the system of metal mirrors, the light of the fire lit on top of the lighthouse was intensified, and the guards monitored the sea area.
As for the fuel needed to keep the lighthouse burning, it was transported along a spiral ramp in carts pulled by mules. To facilitate delivery, a dam was built between the mainland and Pharos. If the workers did not do this, the fuel would have to be transported by boat. Subsequently, the dam, washed up by the sea, became an isthmus that currently separates the western and eastern harbors.
The Alexandria lighthouse was not only a lamp - it was also a fortified fortress guarding the sea route to the city. Due to the presence of a large military garrison, the lighthouse building also had an underground part necessary for drinking water supplies. To enhance security, the entire structure was surrounded by powerful walls with watchtowers and loopholes.
In general, the three-tier lighthouse tower reached a height of up to 120 m and was considered the tallest structure in the world. Those travelers who saw such an unusual structure subsequently enthusiastically described the unusual statues that served as decoration for the lighthouse tower. One sculpture pointed to the sun with its hand, but lowered it only when it went beyond the horizon, the other served as a clock and reported the current time hourly. And the third sculpture helped to find out the direction of the wind.
The fate of the Alexandria lighthouse
After standing for almost a thousand years, the lighthouse of Alexandria began to collapse. This happened in 796 AD. due to a powerful earthquake, the upper part of the structure simply collapsed. From the huge 120-meter building of the lighthouse, only ruins remained, but even those reached a height of about 30 m. Somewhat later, the ruins of the lighthouse were useful for the construction of a military fort, which was rebuilt several times. So the Faros lighthouse turned into Fort Kite Bay - it received this name in honor of the Sultan who built it. Inside the fort is historical Museum, in one of its parts there is a museum of marine biology, and opposite the fort building there are the Aquariums of the Museum of Hydrobiology.
Plans for the restoration of the Alexandria Lighthouse
From the once majestic Alexandria Lighthouse, only its base remains, but it is also completely built into a medieval fortress. Today it is used as a base for the Egyptian fleet. The Egyptians are planning to carry out work to recreate the lost wonder of the world, and some countries that are members of the European Union want to join this venture. Italy, France, Greece and Germany are planning to include the construction of a lighthouse in a project called "Medistone". Its main objectives are the reconstruction and preservation of African architectural monuments dating back to the Ptolemaic era. Experts estimated the project at $40 million - this is exactly how much will be required for the construction of a business center, a hotel, a diving club, a chain of restaurants and a museum dedicated to the Alexandria Lighthouse.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria or Faros is one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World. Construction began under Alexander the Great and was completed under Ptolemy I. Briefly described, its significance was of a strategic nature. The uniqueness of the building was explained by the non-standard height of the building.
Alexander the Great founded the city of the same name south of the Nile River Delta. To create strategically important sea trade routes, a port and a harbor were needed. The harbor was necessary due to frequent shipwrecks in that area - at night, ships crashed on the rocky terrain of the reservoir.
The lighthouse had an important functional solution - to illuminate the location of stones, guide ships towards the port and prevent an enemy attack in advance.
History of creation
Only enough could cope with such functionality high building. According to the plans, the architect Sostratus of Knidos indicated the height of the lighthouse at 120 m. Some sources indicate 135-150 m. By the 4th century BC, such a structure had become a giant. Construction was supposed to last 20 years, but it went much faster - up to 12 years. According to another version - in 5-6 years.
Where is the Alexandria Lighthouse on the world map
The Alexandria lighthouse, a brief description of which allows you to learn about the proposed place of its construction, was located on the island of Pharos in Alexandria. Now it is connected to the mainland by an embankment. This part is on modern map world belongs to the Republic of Egypt.
Construction Features
Appearance The Alexandria lighthouse was significantly different from the architecture of that time. The direction was set in such a way that each wall pointed to the corresponding side of the world.
Under Alexander the Great there were not enough resources for quick construction. Therefore, initially construction was supposed to last 20 years. But after the death of Macedon and the conquest of the lands of Ptolemy, these resources appeared.
Ptolemy had several groups of Jewish slaves who could begin construction. A dam was created between the island and the mainland for easier transportation of people and building materials.
What the Alexandria Lighthouse looked like
Passing sailors artistically described the characteristic features of the sculptures located along the contour of the lighthouse. One of them pointed to the sun. At night, the hand of the sculpture dropped down. Another statue struck the time every hour. The third indicated the direction of the wind.
The version with the third sculpture can be called confirmed, since the second tier was located in the direction of the wind rose. Accordingly, one of the statues could actually show the direction, like a weather vane.
There is a version that mechanisms responsible for displaying weather conditions were involved. One of the statues worked on the principle of solar energy storage or a similar mechanism, and the second - on the principle of a cuckoo clock. This version has not been reliably confirmed.
I (lower) tier
The lowest block was in the shape of a square, each side of which was 30-31 m. The height of the first tier reached 60 m. This foundation part became the main one. In those days, the height of the foundation did not exceed 10 meters, which was an innovation for the lighthouse. The corners of the lower floor were decorated with statues in the form of tritons.
The practical purpose of the tier was to locate the guards and lighthouse workers in these rooms. Food and fuel for the lantern were also stored here.
II (middle) tier
The middle tier had a height of 40 m, the outer cladding was made of marble slabs. The octagonal shape of this part of the building was facing the direction of the winds. Thus, the enlarged architectural solution of Sostratus of Cnidus took into account all the outgoing data. The statues that decorated the tier served as weather vanes.
III (upper) tier
The third cylindrical tier was the main one for the lighthouse. The statue stood on 8 granite columns.
There are 3 versions whose figure was depicted:
- God of the seas Poseidon.
- Isis-Faria, goddess of prosperous sailors.
- Zeus the Savior, the main god.
Its material also differs in two versions: bronze or gold. The height of the statue reached 7-8 m. The top of the lighthouse was domed in the shape of a cone. Under the statue there was a platform for a signal fire. An increase in the amount of light was created using concave mirrors (possibly bronze) made of metal according to one version and the same shape of smooth polished stones - according to another. G
A number of disputes arose regarding fuel delivery:
- One of the versions is about delivery using a lifting mechanism inside the lighthouse in the mine.
- Another story involves mules lifting fuel up a spiral ramp.
- The third version modified the second - delivery was carried by donkeys along a gentle staircase.
One of the versions of delivering fuel for a lamp to the upper tier of the Alexandria Lighthouse Faros is the island on which the lighthouse was located. The delivery of fuel and provisions for the guards would take place by boat, which would significantly complicate transportation. Therefore, it was decided to build a dam from the island to the mainland. Subsequently, the dam was trampled down, forming a land isthmus.
Height and range of outgoing light
There is very conflicting data regarding the range of the outgoing light. One version is 51 km, the other is 81. But according to Struisky’s mathematical calculations, for such a range of light, the height of the lighthouse should have been at least 200-400 m. The most likely version is that the light from the building emanated no more than 20 km.
At night, the lighthouse was illuminated by fire, and during the day it served as a symbol in the form of an emanating column of smoke.
Additional purpose
The Alexandria lighthouse, a brief description of which is in scientific publications, had an additional purpose. At the time of construction, Alexander the Great expected an attack by the Ptolemies by water. Lighting could prevent the advantage of a surprise attack by enemies. For this purpose, a patrol post was located on the lower floor, which periodically scanned the sea.
Macedonian was afraid, based on the experience of other rulers. At that time, Demetrius Poliorcetes made a surprise attack on the harbor of Piraeus, taking advantage of the enemy's limited visibility. Demetrius also appeared on the Egyptian shores after an unsuccessful campaign against Ptolemy.
Egypt then escaped the fight due to a strong storm, which destroyed a significant part of the enemy fleet. Alexander began construction of an important lighthouse, but only Ptolemy I was able to complete it. Under the lighthouse on the underground floor there was a large water tank for the duration of the proposed siege.
What happened to the Alexandria lighthouse
There are several reasons for the destruction of the lighthouse:
- Due to the death of Alexander the Great, the focus on the lighthouse was lost. It gradually collapsed due to insufficient funding.
- The sea trade route to Pharos was blocked, so the need for a lighthouse and a bay disappeared. Copper statues and mirrors were melted down into coins.
- The remains of the lighthouse were destroyed by an earthquake.
Until 796, the story is the same: the lighthouse gradually collapsed and an earthquake caused damage.
Alternative version of destruction
The further story is divided into supposed parts:
| Total destruction version | Partial destruction versions |
| The lighthouse was completely destroyed to the very foundation. Almost 800 years later it was partially rebuilt for strategic military purposes. The height of the new lighthouse did not exceed 30 m. | The earthquake partially destroyed the lighthouse, but it was successfully repaired. It stood until the 14th century. The troops were also stationed here. Due to countless raids over the course of a hundred years, the lighthouse was destroyed to a depth of 30 meters. |
| There is another version in which the lighthouse was partially destroyed. It is assumed that its theft was the reason for the destruction. During the Arab takeover of the Egyptian state, the Byzantines and Christian countries wanted to lure people and weaken the enemy. But the lighthouse prevented them from getting into the city. Therefore, several people secretly made their way into the city and spread rumors about Ptolemy's treasure, which was hidden in the lighthouse. The Arab people began to dismantle the insides of the structure, melting down the metals. This caused damage to the mirror system and permanently broke the beacon. The structure remained as a standing building, and half a century later it was converted into a fortress. |
The meaning of a wonder of the world in the modern world
The Alexandria lighthouse has preserved the remains of the foundation, which in modern world occupies Fort Kite Bay (or Alexandria Fortress). Briefly described, the fortress served as a defensive citadel of Turkey, but was conquered by Napoleonic troops during the weakening of the state.
In the 9th century, the Alexandria fortress was under Egyptian rule. At this time, it was strengthened and equipped with modern guns at that time. After a strong attack by British troops, it was destroyed again. By the end of the 20th century, the fort was completely rebuilt.
Having such a long history, the fortress acquired new value. For this reason, they did not want to rebuild the Alexandria Lighthouse in its former place - this would have destroyed those historical monuments, which were erected after the destruction of the lighthouse.
Possibility of recovery
By the 15th century, the fort-fortress of Kite Bay was built on the site of the Alexandria Lighthouse. According to one version, the wreckage of the lighthouse was used. According to another, the fort was built in the preserved part of the building. At the end of the 20th century there was international discussion about the restoration of the lighthouse.
The Egyptians planned to start work in another place, their initiative was supported by the following countries:
- Italy.
- Greece.
- France.
- Germany.
The project is planned to be called “Medistone”. It includes the reconstruction of architectural structures from the Ptolemaic era. Expert assessment of the project in the region of $40 million. The bulk of the budget will be spent on the construction of modern amenities: a business center, restaurant, diving club, hotel and museum with a themed design of the Alexandria Lighthouse.
The location of the new reconstructed building was discussed for a long time. The Egyptians were reluctant to give up the original location of the lighthouse due to its current importance with the fort built. It was decided to build a new lighthouse to the east in the bay on a five-pointed float. The center of the float will be decorated with a glass interpretation of the lighthouse.
The number of floors will be maintained with different level parts. Each of them will be equipped observation deck for tourists. From each floor you can go out to view the sea and the city. The height of the New Lighthouse will be up to 50 m. A star will be installed on top on steel supports, which will serve as an illuminator. The most high point up to 106 m is planned.
The main interest of tourists is caused by the planned construction of an underwater hall. Its depth will reach 3 m.
The possibility of this construction was due to the location of the royal quarter of Alexandria. The city was located in a seismically active zone, so a significant part went under water. Transporting the find is problematic due to many years of being under water. The presence of an underwater hall will allow anyone to explore the lost quarter.
Interesting facts about the Alexandria Lighthouse
The Alexandria Lighthouse, a brief description of which allows you to learn about the details of the internal construction, is surrounded by several interesting facts.
For example, like this:
- The search for the lost quarter began in 1968 by archaeologist Honor Frost. By the time the remains of the city were found, she was awarded the medal “For Egyptian Underwater Archaeology.”
- Sostratus of Knidos wanted to perpetuate his name. Under the plaster he wrote a phrase about the construction of this lighthouse with his own hands for sailors. The top layer testified to the dedication of the structure to Ptolemy. This was discovered many years later when the plaster began to fall off.
- The lighthouse is known by two names - Alexandria and Faros. The first name is due to the city where the lighthouse was located. According to another version, in honor of Macedonian, who began construction. The second name is known because of the island on which the structure was located.
- It is not known for certain which statue stood under the dome of the lighthouse. This is due different countries who occupied the land. A different culture with a foreign religion changed oral history. There is no documented information, which is why the versions about the statue are so different. They have common feature– the figure was associated with the deity of government and/or the sea.
The lighthouse of Alexandria provided people with work and food, and stored water supplies for the city in the event of a siege.. To briefly describe its functions: it illuminated the rocky bottom and helped to see the enemy. Its uniqueness attracted Herodotus, which is why he included the lighthouse in his list of wonders of the world.
Article format: Svetlana Ovsyanikova
Video on the topic: Alexandria Lighthouse
Alexandria (Faros) lighthouse:
