Alexander lighthouse wonder of the world message. Alexandria (Faros) lighthouse - interesting historical facts. A smaller building of the Alexandria Lighthouse was built in one of the Chinese parks for entertainment and recreation.

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Lighthouse
Alexandrian lighthouse Φάρος της Αλεξάνδρειας
Alexandrian lighthouse, drawing by archaeologist G. Thiersch (1909)
A country	Egypt
Location	Alexandria
Lighthouse height	140 meters
Distance	50 kilometers
Active	No

Alexandrian lighthouse on Wikimedia Commons

K:Wikipedia:Link to Wikimedia Commons directly in the article Coordinates: 31°12′51″ n. w. 29°53′06″ E. d. / 31.21417° s. w. 29.88500° E. d. / 31.21417; 29.88500(G) (I)

Alexandrian lighthouse (Faros lighthouse) - a lighthouse built in the 3rd century BC. e. on the island of Pharos near the Egyptian city of Alexandria, one of the 7 wonders of the world.

History of construction

The lighthouse was built so that ships could safely pass the reefs on their way to Alexandria Bay. At night they were helped in this by the reflection of flames, and during the day by a column of smoke. The lighthouse stood for almost a thousand years, but in 796 AD. e. was heavily 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, the Sultan of Qait Bay erected a fortress on the site of the lighthouse, which still stands today.

The lighthouse was built on small island Pharos in the Mediterranean Sea near the coast of Alexandria. This busy port was founded by Alexander the Great during his visit to Egypt in 332 BC. e. The structure was named after the island. Its construction was supposed to take 20 years, and it was completed around 283 BC. e. , during the reign of Ptolemy II, king of Egypt. The construction of this gigantic structure lasted only 5 years. Architect - Sostratus of Cnidus.

Faros lighthouse consisted of three marble towers standing on a base of massive stone blocks. The first part of the tower was rectangular and contained rooms in which workers and soldiers lived. Above this part was a smaller, octagonal tower with a spiral ramp leading to the upper part. The upper part of the tower was shaped like a cylinder in which a fire burned.

Guide light

Death of the lighthouse

Research

In 1968, under the auspices of UNESCO, the ruins of the lighthouse were explored by the famous underwater archaeologist Honor Frost: much later, in 1997, for this expedition she received the medal “For innovative underwater archeology in Egypt” from the French government.

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Literature

Shishova I. A., Neihardt A. A. Seven wonders of the ancient world
. Peter A. Clayton

Notes

An excerpt characterizing the Alexandria Lighthouse

The Battle of Borodino, with the subsequent occupation of Moscow and the flight of the French, without new battles, is one of the most instructive phenomena in history.
All historians agree that the external activities of states and peoples, in their clashes with each other, are expressed by wars; that directly, as a result of greater or lesser military successes, the political power of states and peoples increases or decreases.
No matter how strange the historical descriptions are of how some king or emperor, having quarreled with another emperor or king, gathered an army, fought with the enemy army, won a victory, killed three, five, ten thousand people and, as a result, conquered the state and an entire people of several millions; no matter how incomprehensible it may be why the defeat of one army, one hundredth of all the forces of the people, forced the people to submit, all the facts of history (as far as we know it) confirm the justice of the fact that greater or lesser successes of the army of one people against the army of another people are the reasons or, according to at least significant signs of an increase or decrease in the strength of nations. The army was victorious, and the rights of the victorious people immediately increased to the detriment of the vanquished. The army suffered defeat, and immediately, according to the degree of defeat, the people are deprived of their rights, and when their army is completely defeated, they are completely subjugated.
This has been the case (according to history) from ancient times to the present day. All Napoleon's wars serve as confirmation of this rule. According to the degree of defeat of the Austrian troops, Austria is deprived of its rights, and the rights and strength of France increase. The French victory at Jena and Auerstätt destroys the independent existence of Prussia.
But suddenly in 1812 the French won a victory near Moscow, Moscow was taken, and after that, without new battles, not Russia ceased to exist, but the army of six hundred thousand ceased to exist, then Napoleonic France. It is impossible to stretch the facts to the rules of history, to say that the battlefield in Borodino remained with the Russians, that after Moscow there were battles that destroyed Napoleon’s army.
After the Borodino victory of the French, there was not a single general battle, but not a single significant one, and the French army ceased to exist. What does it mean? If this were an example from the history of China, we could say that this phenomenon is not historical (a loophole for historians when something does not fit their standards); if the matter concerned a short-term conflict, in which small numbers of troops were involved, we could accept this phenomenon as an exception; but this event took place before the eyes of our fathers, for whom the issue of life and death of the fatherland was being decided, and this war was the greatest of all known wars...
The period of the 1812 campaign from the Battle of Borodino to the expulsion of the French proved that a won battle is not only not the reason for conquest, but is not even a permanent sign of conquest; proved that the power that decides the fate of peoples lies not in the conquerors, not even in armies and battles, but in something else.
French historians, describing the position of the French army before leaving Moscow, claim that everything in the Great Army was in order, except for the cavalry, artillery and convoys, and there was no fodder to feed horses and cattle. Nothing could help this disaster, because the surrounding men burned their hay and did not give it to the French.
The won battle did not bring the usual results, because the men Karp and Vlas, who after the French came to Moscow with carts to plunder the city and did not personally show heroic feelings at all, and all the countless number of such men did not carry hay to Moscow for the good money that they They offered it, but they burned it.

Let's imagine two people who went out to duel with swords according to all the rules of fencing art: fencing lasted for quite a long time; suddenly one of the opponents, feeling wounded - realizing that this was not a joke, but concerned his life, threw down his sword and, taking the first club he came across, began to swing it. But let us imagine that the enemy, having so wisely used the best and simplest means to achieve his goal, at the same time inspired by the traditions of chivalry, would want to hide the essence of the matter and would insist that he, according to all the rules of art, won with swords. One can imagine what confusion and ambiguity would arise from such a description of the duel that took place.
The fencers who demanded fighting according to the rules of art were the French; his opponent, who threw down his sword and raised his club, were Russians; people who try to explain everything according to the rules of fencing are historians who wrote about this event.
Since the fire of Smolensk, a war began that did not fit any previous legends of war. The burning of cities and villages, retreat after battles, Borodin’s attack and retreat again, abandonment and fire of Moscow, catching marauders, rehiring transports, guerrilla warfare - all these were deviations from the rules.

Only one of the seven wonders of the ancient world had a practical purpose - the Lighthouse of Alexandria. It performed several functions at once: it allowed ships to approach the harbor without any problems, and the observation post located at the top of the unique structure made it possible to monitor the expanses of water and notice the enemy in time.

Local residents claimed that the light Alexandria lighthouse burned enemy ships even before they approached the shore, and if they managed to approach the coast, the statue of Poseidon, located on the dome of an amazing design, uttered a piercing warning cry.

At a time when the height of buildings usually did not exceed three floors, a lighthouse about a hundred meters high could not help but amaze the imagination. local residents, and guests of the city. Moreover, at the time of completion of construction it turned out to be the most tall building ancient world and remained so for an extremely long time.

The lighthouse of Alexandria was located on east coast the small island of Pharos, located near Alexandria - the main seaport Egypt, built by Alexander the Great in 332 BC.

The great commander chose the location for the construction of the city extremely carefully: he initially planned to build a port in this region, which would be an important trading center.

It was extremely important that it be located at the intersection of both water and land routes of three parts of the world - Africa, Europe and Asia. For the same reason, it was necessary to build at least two harbors here: one for ships arriving from outside Mediterranean Sea, and the other for those who sailed along the Nile.

Therefore, Alexandria was not built in the Nile Delta, but a little to the side, twenty miles to the south. When choosing a location for the city, Alexander took into account the location of future harbors, paying special attention to their strengthening and protection: it was very important to do everything to ensure that the waters of the Nile did not clog them with sand and silt (a dam was subsequently built specifically for this purpose, connecting the continent with an island).

After the death of Alexander the Great, some time later the city came under the rule of Ptolemy I Soter - and as a result of skillful management it turned into a successful and prosperous port city, and the construction of one of the seven wonders of the world significantly increased its wealth.

Purpose

The Alexandria lighthouse made it possible for ships to sail into the port without any problems, successfully avoiding underwater rocks, shoals and other obstacles in the bay. Thanks to this, after the construction of one of the seven wonders, the volume of light trade increased sharply.

The lighthouse also served as an additional reference point for sailors: the landscape of the Egyptian coast is quite diverse - mostly just lowlands and plains. Therefore, signal lights before entering the harbor were very useful.

A lower structure could have successfully fulfilled this role, so the engineers assigned another important function to the Lighthouse of Alexandria - the role of an observation post: enemies usually attacked from the sea, since the country was well defended on the land side by the desert.

It was also necessary to install such an observation post at the lighthouse because there were no natural hills near the city where this could be done.

Construction

Such large-scale construction required enormous resources, not only financial and labor, but also intellectual. Ptolemy I solved this problem quite quickly: it was at that time that he conquered Syria, enslaved the Jews and took them to Egypt (he later used some of them to build a lighthouse).

It was at this time (in 299 BC) that he concluded a truce with Demetrius Poliorcetes, the ruler of Macedonia (his father was Antigonus, the worst enemy of Ptolemy, who died in 301 BC).

Thus, the truce great amount workforce and other favorable circumstances, gave him the opportunity to begin construction of a grandiose wonder of the world (although the exact start date construction work is still not determined, researchers are convinced that this happened somewhere between 285/299. BC.).

The presence of a dam, built earlier and connecting the island with the continent, greatly facilitated the task.

Initial appearance

The construction of the Alexandria lighthouse was entrusted to the master Sostratus from Cnidia. Ptolemy wanted only his name to be inscribed on the building, indicating that it was he who created this magnificent wonder of the world.

But Sostratus was so proud of his work that he first carved his name on the stone, then put a very thick layer of plaster on it, on which he wrote the name of the Egyptian ruler. Over time, the plaster crumbled, and the world saw the architect's signature.

Exact information about what exactly one of the seven wonders of the world looked like has not been preserved, but some data is still available:

The lighthouse was surrounded on all sides by thick fortress walls, and in case of a siege, supplies of water and food were stored in its dungeons;

The height of the ancient skyscraper ranged from 120 to 180 meters;

The lighthouse was built in the form of a tower and had three floors;

Walls ancient building were laid out from marble blocks and fastened with mortar with a small addition of lead.

The foundation of the structure had an almost square shape - 1.8 x 1.9 m, and granite or limestone was used as the building material;

The first floor of the Alexandria Lighthouse was about 60 m high, with the length of the sides being about 30 m. Outwardly, it resembled a fortress or a castle with towers installed in the corners. The roof of the first tier was flat, decorated with statues of Triton and served as the basis for the next floor. Here there were residential and utility rooms in which soldiers and workers lived, and various equipment was also stored.

The height of the second floor was 40 meters, it had an octagonal shape and was lined with marble slabs;

The third tier had a cylindrical structure, decorated with statues acting as weather vanes. Eight columns were installed here that supported the dome;

On the dome, facing the sea, stood a bronze (according to other versions - gold) statue of Poseidon, the height of which exceeded seven meters;

Under Poseidon there was a platform on which a signal fire burned, indicating the way to the harbor at night, while during the day its functions were performed by a huge column of smoke;

In order for the fire to be visible from a great distance, a whole system of polished metal mirrors was installed near it, reflecting and intensifying the light of the fire, which, according to contemporaries, was visible even at a distance of 60 km;

There are several versions of how exactly the fuel was lifted to the top of the lighthouse. Adherents of the first theory believe that between the second and third tiers there was a shaft where a lifting mechanism was installed, with the help of which fuel for the fire was raised upward.

As for the second, it implies that the platform on which the signal fire was burning could be reached by a spiral staircase along the walls of the structure, and this staircase was so flat that loaded donkeys carrying fuel to the top of the lighthouse could easily climb to the top of the building .

Crash

The Alexandria lighthouse served people for quite a long time - about a thousand years. Thus, he experienced more than one dynasty of Egyptian rulers and saw Roman legionnaires. This did not particularly affect its fate: no matter who ruled Alexandria, everyone made sure that the unique structure stood for as long as possible - they restored parts of the building that had been destroyed due to frequent earthquakes, and updated the facade, which was negatively affected by wind and salty sea water.

Time has done its work: the lighthouse stopped working in 365, when one of the strongest earthquakes in the Mediterranean Sea caused a tsunami that flooded part of the city, and the number of dead Egyptians, according to chroniclers, exceeded 50 thousand inhabitants.

After this event, the lighthouse significantly decreased in size, but stood for quite a long time - until the 14th century, until another strong earthquake wiped it off the face of the earth (a hundred years later, Sultan Qait Bey built a fortress on its foundation, which can be seen Nowadays).

In the mid-90s. the remains of the Alexandria lighthouse were discovered at the bottom of the bay with the help of a satellite, and after some time, scientists, using computer modeling, were able to more or less restore the image of the unique structure.

The lighthouse was located on the island of Pharos near the coast of the ancient Egyptian city of Alexandria. The history of the lighthouse is connected with the founding of this city in Ancient Egypt. In fact, the city, compared to other ancient Egyptian cities, is not that ancient. It appeared in 332 BC. thanks to the famous conqueror of Ancient Egypt - Alexander the Great.

Alexander the Great chose the location for the future city very carefully. He identified the settlement area not in the Nile Delta itself, but 20 miles to the south, although it would seem that it was in the Delta that the two most important water roads intersect: by sea and along the Nile River. And yet, the city was founded a little away from the Delta, so that the waters of the great river would not clog the city harbor with silt and sand. Alexandria was conceived as the most important shopping mall at the intersection of river, sea and land routes of three continents. Such a center had to have its own well-defended harbor.

To equip such a harbor, it was necessary to carry out a number of serious engineering and construction works. The first priority was the construction of a dam connecting the coast with the island of Pharos, as well as the construction of a breakwater to protect the harbor from sand and silt, which the numerous branches of the Nile delta carry in abundance to the sea.

As a result, the city had two excellent harbors at once. One of them was intended for merchant ships arriving from the Mediterranean Sea, the other received ships traveling along the Nile River.

In 323 BC. Alexander died, and soon after this the city came into the possession of the new ruler of Egypt, Ptolemy I Soter.

During his reign, Alexandria turned into a rich and prosperous port city, and the construction of the lighthouse played an important role in this.

The purpose of the lighthouse was to ensure the safety of navigation in coastal waters, and thanks to this, the volume of trade carried out through the port of Alexandria increased. The coast of Egypt is characterized by a monotonous landscape - lowlands and plains predominate in it, and for successful navigation, sailors always needed an additional landmark: a signal light before entering the harbor of Alexandria. However, this task could be performed by a much lower lighthouse. Even a lighthouse 35 m high (and this is the height of another Wonder of the World of antiquity - the Colossus of Rhodes) would be somewhat excessive for these purposes.

Most likely, one of the most important functions of the Alexandria lighthouse was to ensure the security of the capital of the Ptolemaic state from attacks from the sea. The greatest threat to Egypt could come from the sea, which was naturally protected from attacks by enemies on land by the desert.

It was precisely to detect the enemy at a considerable distance from the shore that required an observation post of considerable height. This was especially true due to the lack of any natural hills near Alexandria on which such observation posts could be organized.

The construction of such a grandiose structure required significant intellectual, financial and labor resources, which would have been difficult to attract in turbulent wartime. However, by the beginning of the 3rd century. BC e. The situation was favorable for the start of construction. At this time, taking the title of king, Ptolemy conquered Syria, taking a huge number of Jews as slaves to Egypt. Other important events were the conclusion of peace between Ptolemy Soter and Demetrius Poliorcetes in 299 BC, as well as the death of Ptolemy's worst enemy, Antigonus, and the division of his kingdom between the diadochi.

It was after 299 BC. and the construction of a lighthouse began on the island of Pharos. It is quite difficult to name the exact date of construction. They call it 290, 285, etc. years BC

The island of Pharos in 285 BC. was connected by a dam to the mainland, which greatly facilitated construction work.

The lighthouse on Pharos was completely different from most modern structures of this type - thin single towers. It looked more like a futuristic skyscraper.

To this day, no exact information has been preserved about the size and design of the Alexandria Lighthouse.

The height of the lighthouse ranged from 120 to 180 m. It was a three-tiered tower, the walls of which were made of marble blocks held together with lead-laced mortar.

The base of the lighthouse had a powerful square-shaped foundation made of granite or limestone with a side length of about 180 - 190 m. On this site there was a palace or fortress with four towers at the corners. This lowest tier of the lighthouse resembled a massive parallelepiped. Along its walls there was an inclined entrance along which a horse-drawn cart could climb up.

The second tier was built in the shape of an octagonal tower, and the third tier of the Alexandria Lighthouse resembled a cylinder topped with a dome resting on columns. At the top of the dome, a huge statue of the god Poseidon, the ruler of the seas, proudly looked out at the world. The fire was burning on the platform below him. There is evidence that from ships it was possible to see the light of this lighthouse at a distance of sixty, or even a hundred km.

Inside the two upper floors there was a shaft with a lifting mechanism that allowed fuel for the fire to be delivered to the very top.

A spiral staircase led along the walls to the top of the lighthouse, along which staff and visitors climbed to the platform where the signal fire burned. There was a massive concave mirror installed there, most likely made of polished metal. It was supposed to reflect and enhance the light of the fire. According to sources, a bright reflected light at night showed the ships the path to the harbor, and during the day, instead of it, a huge smoke column, visible from afar, rose up.

The lighthouse of Alexandria immediately upon completion of construction was recognized as one of the seven wonders of the world, becoming the subject of admiration throughout the ancient world. His silhouette was depicted on vessels, minted on coins, cast and carved into souvenir figurines for Greek and Roman travelers. The lighthouse became a symbol of Alexandria. Strabo and Pliny the Elder described the lighthouse in enthusiastic terms.

For almost 1000 years, the Alexandria Lighthouse showed ships the way. Earthquakes gradually destroyed it. In 1183, it still stood on the island; in this year, the traveler Ibn Jabar visited Alexandria. The grandiose structure shocked him so much that he exclaimed: “No description can convey all its beauty, there are not enough eyes to look at it, and there are not enough words to tell about the greatness of this spectacle!” By the 12th century, Alexandria Bay was so filled with silt that ships could no longer use it. The lighthouse fell into disrepair. In the 14th century it was completely destroyed by an earthquake. The Mamluk Sultan Qait Bey built a fortress on the foundations of the lighthouse in 1480, which received the name of its creator. This fortress still stands today.

about the Alexandria lighthouse

The lighthouse was erected in the city of Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great. The great commander founded at least 17 cities with the same name in different parts of his vast empire. Almost all of these cities disappeared without a trace. And only Egyptian Alexandria flourished for many centuries and prospers to this day.

The lighthouse was created by the architect Sostratus of Cnidia. Ptolemy II, who inherited the throne after his father Ptolemy Soter, wanted only his royal name to be carved on the stones, and that he be revered as the creator of the Alexandria Lighthouse. Sostratus, proud of his creation, found a way to perpetuate his name. He knocked out the following inscription on the stone wall: “Sostratus, son of Dexiphon, Cnidian, dedicated to the savior gods for the health of seafarers!”, then covered this inscription with a layer of plaster, and wrote the name of Ptolemy on top. Centuries passed, and the plaster crumbled, revealing to the world the name of the true builder of the lighthouse.

The Lighthouse of Alexandria, the seventh wonder of the world, is actually the eighth wonder. Before its construction, the walls of Babylon were considered the second wonder of the world. When the lighthouse was erected, contemporaries were so amazed by this outstanding structure that the walls of Babylon were simply crossed out from the list of the Seven Wonders of the World and the lighthouse was added to it as the latest, newest miracle.

The news of the Miracle spread all over the world, and the lighthouse began to be called by the name of the island of Faros or simply Pharos. Later, the word “faros”, as a designation for a lighthouse, became established in many languages (French, Spanish, Romanian).

And in Russian the word “headlight” comes from it.

Alexandrian lighthouse

Faros (Alexandria) lighthouse - one of the seven wonders of the world - was located on east coast the island of Pharos within the boundaries of Alexandria and was the first and only lighthouse of such a gigantic size at that time. The builder of this structure was Sostratus of Cnidus.

It has long been known that there are remains of a lighthouse underwater in the Faros area. But the presence at this place naval base prevented any research from being carried out. Only in 1961, Kemal Abu el-Sadat discovered statues, blocks and marble boxes in the water. On his initiative, a statue of the goddess Isis was removed from the water. In 1968, the Egyptian government approached UNESCO with a request for an examination. An archaeologist from Great Britain was invited, who presented a report on the work done in 1975. It contained a list of all finds. Thus, the significance of this site for archaeologists was confirmed.

In 1980, a group of archaeologists from different countries began excavations on the seabed in the Faros area. This group of scientists, in addition to archaeologists, included architects, topographers, Egyptologists, artists and restorers, as well as photographers. As a result, hundreds of fragments of the lighthouse were discovered at a depth of 6–8 meters, occupying an area of more than 2 hectares. In addition, studies have shown that on the seabed there are objects more ancient than the lighthouse. Many columns and capitals made of granite, marble, and limestone belonging to different eras were recovered from the water.

Of particular interest to scientists was the discovery of the famous obelisks, called “Cleopatra’s needles” and brought to Alexandria by order of Octavian Augustus in 13 BC. e. Subsequently, many of the finds were restored and exhibited in museums in different countries.

Alexandria, the capital of Hellenistic Egypt, was founded in the Nile River delta by Alexander the Great in 332–331 BC. e. The city was built according to a single plan developed by the architect Dinohar, and was divided into blocks with wide streets. The two widest of them (30 meters wide) intersected at right angles.

Alexandria was home to many magnificent palaces and royal tombs. Alexander the Great was also buried here, whose body was brought from Babylon and buried in a golden sarcophagus in a magnificent tomb by order of King Ptolemy Soter, who thereby wanted to emphasize the continuity of the traditions of the great conqueror. At a time when other military leaders were fighting among themselves and dividing Alexander's huge power, Ptolemy settled in Egypt and made Alexandria one of the richest and most beautiful capitals of the Ancient World.

The glory of the city was greatly facilitated by the creation by Ptolemy of the Museion (“abode of the Muses”), where the king invited prominent scientists and poets of his time. Here they could live and engage in scientific research entirely at the expense of the state. Thus, Museion became something of an academy of sciences. Attracted favorable conditions, scientists flocked here from different parts Hellenistic world. Funds were generously allocated from the royal treasury for various experiments and scientific expeditions.

Scientists were also attracted to the Museion by the magnificent Library of Alexandria, which collected about 500 thousand scrolls, including works by the outstanding playwrights of Greece Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides. King Ptolemy II allegedly asked the Athenians for these manuscripts for a while so that the scribes could make copies of them. The Athenians asked for a huge deposit. The king paid without complaint. But he refused to return the manuscripts.

A famous scientist or poet was usually appointed as the keeper of the library. For a long time, this post was occupied by the outstanding poet of his time, Callimachus. Then he was replaced by the famous geographer and mathematician Eratosthenes. He was able to calculate the diameter and radius of the Earth and made only a minor error of 75 kilometers, which, given the capabilities available at that time, does not detract from his merits.

Of course, the tsar, providing scientists and poets with hospitality and financial support, pursued his own goals: to increase the glory of his country in the world as a scientific and cultural center and, thereby, his own. In addition, poets and philosophers were expected to praise his virtues (real or imaginary) in their works.

Natural sciences, mathematics and mechanics were widely developed. The famous mathematician Euclid, the founder of geometry, lived in Alexandria, as well as the outstanding inventor Heron of Alexandria, whose work was long ahead of its time. For example, he created a device that was actually the first steam engine. In addition, he invented many different machines driven by steam or hot air. But in the era of the universal spread of slave labor, these inventions could not find application and were used only for the entertainment of the royal court.

The most brilliant astronomer Aristarchus of Samos, long before Copernicus, stated that the Earth is a ball that rotates around its axis and around the Sun. His ideas only caused a smile among his contemporaries, but he remained unconvinced.

The developments of Alexandrian scientists found application in real life. An example of outstanding achievements of science was the creation of the Alexandria Lighthouse, which in ancient times was considered one of the wonders of the world. In 285 BC. e. The island was connected to the shore by a dam - an artificially formed isthmus. And five years later, by 280 BC. e., the construction of the lighthouse was completed.

It was a three-story tower about 120 meters high. The lower floor was built in the form of a square with four sides, each of which was 30.5 meters in length. The edges of the square were facing the four cardinal directions: north, south, east, west - and were made of limestone. The second floor was made in the form of an octagonal tower, lined with marble slabs. Its edges were oriented in the direction of the eight winds. The third floor, the lantern itself, was crowned with a dome with a bronze statue of Poseidon, the height of which reached 7 meters. The dome of the lighthouse rested on marble columns. The spiral staircase leading up was so convenient that all the necessary materials, including fuel for the fire, were carried up on donkeys. A complex system of metal mirrors reflected and amplified the light of the lighthouse, and it was clearly visible to sailors from afar. In addition, the same system made it possible to monitor the sea and detect enemy ships long before they appeared within sight.

Bronze statues were placed on the octagonal tower that forms the second floor. Some of them were equipped with special mechanisms that allowed them to serve as weather vanes indicating the direction of the wind. Travelers talked about the miraculous properties of the statues. One of them allegedly always pointed her hand at the sun, tracing its path across the sky, and lowered her hand when the sun set. The other chimed every hour throughout the day. They said that there was even a statue that, when enemy ships appeared, pointed to the sea and uttered a warning cry. All these stories do not seem so fantastic if we remember the steam automata of Heron of Alexandria. It is quite possible that the scientist’s achievements were used in the construction of the lighthouse, and the statues could produce some mechanical movements and sounds when a certain signal was received.

Among other things, the lighthouse was also an impregnable fortress with a powerful garrison. In the underground part, in case of a siege, there was a huge tank with drinking water.

The Faros lighthouse had no analogues in Ancient world neither in size nor in technical data. Before this, ordinary fires were usually used as beacons. It is not surprising that the Lighthouse of Alexandria, with its complex system of mirrors, colossal dimensions and fantastic statues, seemed to all people a real miracle.

The builder of this miracle, Sostratus of Cnidus, carved the inscription on the marble wall: “Sostratus, son of Dexiphanes of Cnidus, dedicated to the savior gods for the sake of sailors.” He covered this inscription with a thin layer of plaster, on which he placed the praise of King Ptolemy Soter. When, over time, the plaster fell off, the name of the master who created the magnificent lighthouse appeared to the eyes of those around him.

Alexandrian lighthouse

Although the lighthouse was located on the eastern shore of the island of Pharos, it is more often called the Alexandrian lighthouse rather than the Faros lighthouse. This island is mentioned in Homer's poem "Odyssey". In Homer's time it was located in the Nile Delta, opposite the small Egyptian settlement of Rakotis. But by the time the lighthouse was built, according to the Greek geographer Strabon, it had moved significantly closer to the shores of Egypt and was one day’s journey from Alexandria. With the start of construction, the island was connected to the coast, effectively turning it from an island into a peninsula. For this purpose, a dam was artificially built, which was called Heptastadion, since its length was 7 stages (a stage is an ancient Greek measure of length, which is equal to 177.6 meters). That is, translated into our usual measurement system, the length of the dam was approximately 750 meters. The main harbor, the Great Harbor of Alexandria, was located on the Pharos side. This harbor was so deep that a large ship could anchor off the shore.

The tower is an assistant to sailors who have lost their way.

Here at night I light the bright fire of Poseidon.

The muffled wind was about to collapse,

But Ammonius strengthened me again with his labors.

After the ferocious waves they stretch out their hands to me

All sailors, honoring you, O shaker of the earth.

Nevertheless, the lighthouse stood until the 14th century and even in a dilapidated state reached a height of 30 meters, continuing to amaze with its beauty and grandeur. To date, only the pedestal, which is built into the medieval fortress, has survived from this famous wonder of the world. Therefore, there are practically no opportunities for archaeologists or architects to study the remains of this grandiose structure. Now there is an Egyptian military port on Pharos. And on the western side of the island there is another lighthouse, which in no way resembles its great predecessor, but also continues to show the way for ships.

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Alexandrian lighthouse, built on Pharos, is an ancient skyscraper, the like of which could only be created after 16 centuries. Due to its unprecedented height of more than 100 m, it is considered one of.

Alexandria Lighthouse - observation outpost

In 332 BC. at the mouth of the Nile River, on a spit flowing into the Mediterranean Sea, Alexander the Great founded the capital of his empire in Egypt and called it Alexandria. The prudent conqueror chose the place so that it would be a convenient harbor at the crossroads of waterways, invulnerable from land and not lack water in the arid African climate.

The desert, stretching a thousand miles to the south, a lake and one of the branches of the Nile Delta provided all the conditions for starting the construction of a city.

The seventh wonder of the world is the Faros Lighthouse.

The death of Alexander the Great 9 years later did not allow this project to be carried out during his lifetime. Diadochus (military leader) Ptolemy I, as a result of the division of the giant power, strengthened himself in Egypt and realized the plans of the Macedonian.

The founder of a family that ruled in Egypt for about 300 years, a descendant of a Greek aristocrat, a comrade-in-arms of the famous commander, an intelligent and careful ruler, managed to bury Alexander in his home, thereby placing his kingdom in a special position compared to other parts of the collapsed empire.

The last representative of this dynasty, Cleopatra, committed suicide in Alexandria after the news of the death of Mark Antony and the defeat of the Egyptian troops by Roman legionnaires.

Having invested considerable funds, he turned this settlement into Cultural Center civilization, where outstanding philosophers, poets, mathematicians, sculptors such as Euclid, Heron, Konstantinos Kafavis lived and worked.

The Library of Alexandria and the Museum appeared during the reign of the Ptolemies (co-ruler of Ptolemy I was his son).

Commercial ships from three continents dropped their anchors in the waters of Alexandria. The Egyptian fleet was dominant in the Mediterranean. A reliable port was required, which was what the capital was supposed to become.

The sea routes to Alexandria passed close to dangerous reefs, so the construction of a lighthouse was necessary. In addition, to protect against attacks from the sea, an observation outpost was needed, since the flat nature of the terrain did not allow the enemy to be seen from afar.

Alexandrian lighthouse.

Construction of the Alexandria Lighthouse

The lighthouse of Alexandria was built in a short time, in just 5 years (approximately 285 - 280 BC) and stood for almost ten centuries.

Such a short schedule is explained by the favorable circumstances that developed during this period: sufficient financial and labor resources and non-aggression agreements concluded by Ptolemy with his enemies.

According to the testimony of the ancient Greek historian Pliny the Elder, 800 talents were spent on the Pharos lighthouse.

The coast on which Alexandria was founded had no natural shelter, so a dam and a pier were built to create an artificial bay.

The dam served three functions:

divided the water area into sea and river,
prevented siltation of the bottom,
It was used for supplies during further maintenance of the Alexandria lighthouse.

The pier protected the port complex from storms and hurricanes.

On the eastern rocky coast of Pharos, on a massive granite base with sides 180 by 130 meters, a three-tier fortress was erected with a total height, according to various estimates, from 110 to 180 meters, surrounded by a fortress wall.

The materials for construction were granite and limestone, lined with marble.

The first tier was a structure approximately the height of a 20-story building, with a square base with a perimeter of 120 meters, oriented to the cardinal points.

On its flat roof stood four towers and statues of Tritons (mythical half-humans, half-fish, who with the movement of their tail pacified or raised waves).

Inside the first floor there was a garrison guarding the Alexandria Lighthouse and service personnel, as well as the necessary equipment and supplies of food and water in case of a siege.

The second, forty-meter tier was an octagonal prism oriented in the direction of the winds. Inside this floor, supposedly, there was a ramp along which the fuel was raised to the upper tier.

According to legend, on the second tier there were extraordinary statues: one always pointed to the sun with its hand and lowered it when it set; the other is the wind direction; the third is the time of day.

The last tier of 8 ten-meter columns, covered with a dome, formed a lantern, inside of which a fire burned at night and smoke poured out during the day.

On the roof of the Faros lighthouse, facing the sea, stood a seven-meter bronze statue of Poseidon, the ancient Greek god of the seas and oceans.

The flame of the giant fire was kept alive by tarred wood around the clock, warning sailors about shoals, reefs and showing the way to the harbor. In fog and rain with poor visibility, the sound of a trumpet notified approaching ships about the proximity of a reliable pier.

Faros lighthouse.

In the Lighthouse of Alexandria, a system of mirrors (made of polished metal plates) was used for the first time, enhancing the glow of the fire and creating a directed beam visible over a hundred kilometers. It was so bright that in the darkness it looked like the radiance of a star and sometimes knocked sailors off course as they made their way, guided by the starry sky. The genius of the engineers there remained in the name of the modern optical device: headlight.

Upon completion of the work, this grandiose creation was immediately classified as a wonder of the world.

The Alexandria Lighthouse was designed and built by the architect and builder Sostratus of Cnidia. Pride in his creation forced him to carve his own name on the foundation stones in order to preserve it for future generations. The inscription said that he, Sostratus of Cnidus, dedicated the lighthouse to the savior gods for the glory of sailors.

But the monarch demanded that he be immortalized. The resourceful architect covered the message he had drawn with mortar and wrote “Ptolemy I Soter” on top. Years passed, the plaster fell away, revealing to everyone the real creator of the miracle.

Decline of the Alexandria Lighthouse

The Faros lighthouse was a symbol of Alexandria. It was admired, minted on money, decorated with vases and jugs, and made as souvenirs.

By the 12th century. the structure fell into disrepair, ships no longer came here due to silting and shifting trade routes. The parts were melted down into small banknotes.

In the XIV century. new tremors finally destroyed the masterpiece of culture and architecture. On its ruins, Sultan Qait Bey built a bastion, which has survived to this day.

Now this fortification is a naval base.

Divers found the remains of masonry, partially submerged after seismic activity. This was the reason for a small sensation picked up by the press.

Since 2015, the Cairo administration has been considering the possibility of reconstructing the Alexandria Lighthouse.