Where was the lighthouse of Alexandria built? Lighthouse of Alexandria (Faros) - interesting historical facts. Alternative version of destruction
The lighthouse of Alexandria, which stood on the eastern shore of the island of Pharos, is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. In the distant past, the city harbor of Alexandria was shallow and rocky, so in order to protect sea vessels from trouble, a stone lighthouse was built on the way to the city. The first and only Pharos or Alexandria lighthouse on Greek soil was built by Sostratus of Cnidus. Construction began in 283 BC. e. and lasted only 5 years. In the time of Ptolemy, the erected lighthouse was higher than the highest pyramid. For its construction, Sostratus of Cnidus used all the latest inventions and achievements of Alexandrian scientists. He immortalized his name on the marble wall of the majestic building. The inscription read: "Sostratos, the son of Dexifan of Cnidus, dedicated to the savior gods for the sake of sailors," he buried it under a layer of plaster, on top of which they wrote praises to King Ptolemy Soter. But, time put everything in its place and the world learned the true name of the architect and builder of one of the wonders of the world, after a thin layer of plaster fell off the wall. The lighthouse was a grandiose three-tiered structure, 120 meters high. Its lower floor had four faces facing the parts of the world (north, east, west and south), eight faces of the second tier had the directions of the eight main winds, the topmost third floor was the dome of the lighthouse with a majestic seven-meter statue of Poseidon.
One of the statues that adorned the lighthouse tower showed the time of day with the direction of the hand, so during the solstice in the sky she held her hand up, as if pointing at the sun, after sunset, sailors could see the statue with her hand down. Another statue beat every hour day and night, another indicated the direction of the blowing wind. Scientists came up with a complex system of metal mirrors for the lighthouse, which helped to amplify the light of the fire so that sailors could see it from afar. All this is unique and fantastic for that period of time. No wonder the Lighthouse of Alexandria was included in one of the seven wonders of the world. The territory of the lighthouse was surrounded by a fortress wall, behind which there was a whole military garrison.
The lighthouse regularly performed its duties until the 14th century. With the fall of the Roman Empire, it ceased to shine. Having stood for 1500 years, the lighthouse survived the strongest earthquakes and the effects of natural forces, in the form of wind and rain. During this long period, huge even for a stone, it began to collapse. His fire went out forever, unable to withstand the earthquake (IV century). The upper tower, dilapidated over the centuries, collapsed, but the walls of the lower floor still stood for a long time.
Even when it was half destroyed, its height was about 30 m. In the middle of the 13th century, the mainland came close to the island and the lighthouse became completely unnecessary. At the beginning of the 14th century, it was dismantled into stones, and a medieval Turkish fortress was built on its ruins, which still stands on the site of the world's first lighthouse.
At present, only the base of the lighthouse has been preserved, which is completely built into the medieval fortress. In 1962, in coastal waters, at a depth of 7 m, scuba divers discovered the remains of the Lighthouse of Alexandria. From the bottom of the sea, a cracked column and the famous statue of Poseidon were raised, which crowned the dome of the lighthouse.
Pharos lighthouse, also known as the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the seven wonders of the world, was located on the eastern shore of the island of Pharos within the boundaries of Alexandria. It was the first and only lighthouse of such a gigantic size at that time. The builder of this building was Sostratus of Cnidus. Now the lighthouse of Alexandria has not been preserved, but the remains of this structure have been found, confirming the reality of its existence.
The fact that the remains of a lighthouse are under water in the Pharos region has long been known. But the presence of an Egyptian naval base hindered any research. Only in 1961, Kemal Abu el-Sadat discovered marble statues, blocks and boxes in the water.
On his initiative, a statue of the goddess Isis was removed from the water. In 1968, the Egyptian government asked UNESCO for an examination. An archaeologist from Great Britain was invited, who in 1975 presented a report on the work done. It contained a list of all the finds. Thus, the significance for archaeologists of this site was confirmed.
Active Research
In 1980, a group of archaeologists from different countries began excavations on the seabed in the Pharos region. 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 found at a depth of 6–8 meters, covering an area of more than 2 hectares. In addition, studies have shown that there are objects on the seabed that are older than the lighthouse. Many columns and capitals made of granite, marble, limestone, belonging to different eras, were extracted 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.
About Alexandria
Alexandria, the capital of Hellenistic Egypt, was founded in the Nile 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 quarters with wide streets. The two widest of them (30 meters wide) intersected at right angles.
Alexandria had 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 fought among themselves and divided the huge power of Alexander, Ptolemy settled in Egypt and made Alexandria one of the richest and most beautiful capitals of the Ancient World.
Abode of the Muses
The glory of the city was greatly facilitated by the creation of Museion by Ptolemy (“the 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, Mouseion became something like an academy of sciences. Attracted by favorable conditions, scholars from different parts of the Hellenistic world flocked here. Funds were generously allocated from the royal treasury for various experiments and scientific expeditions. 
Scientists were also attracted to Mouseion by the magnificent Library of Alexandria, in which about 500 thousand scrolls were collected, including the works of the outstanding Greek playwrights 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 bail. The king resignedly paid. But he refused to return the manuscripts.
Some famous scientist or poet was usually appointed as the custodian of the library. For a long time this post was held 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 opportunities available at that time, does not detract from his merits.
Of course, the tsar, providing hospitality and financial support to scientists and poets, 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 had to praise his virtues (real or imaginary) in their works.
The natural sciences, mathematics and mechanics were widely developed. In Alexandria lived the famous mathematician Euclid, the founder of geometry, as well as the outstanding inventor Heron of Alexandria, whose work was far ahead of its time. For example, he created a device that was actually the first steam engine.
In addition, he invented many different automata, driven by steam or hot air. But in the era of the general spread of slave labor, these inventions could not find application and were used only for the entertainment of the royal court.
The brilliant astronomer Aristarchus of Samos, long before Copernicus, stated that the Earth is a ball that rotates around its axis and around the Sun. Among his contemporaries, his ideas evoked only a smile, but he remained unconvinced.
Creation of the Lighthouse of Alexandria
The developments of Alexandrian scientists found application in real life. An example of the outstanding achievements of science was the Lighthouse of Alexandria, which in that era 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 poured isthmus. And five years later, by 280 BC. e., the construction of the lighthouse was completed.
The lighthouse of Alexandria 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 long. The faces of the square were turned to the four cardinal points: 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, whose height 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 lifted up on donkeys.
A complex system of metal mirrors reflected and intensified 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. 
Special Pointers
Bronze statues were placed on the octagonal tower, which forms the second floor. Some of them were equipped with special mechanisms that allowed them to serve as weathercocks that indicated the direction of the wind.
Travelers talked about the miraculous properties of the statues. One of them allegedly always pointed with her hand at the sun, tracing its path through the sky, and lowered her hand when the sun set. Another throughout the day beat off every hour.
It was said that there was even a statue that, when enemy ships appeared, pointed to the sea and emitted a warning cry. All these stories do not seem so fantastic, if we recall the steam machines of Heron of Alexandria.
It is possible that the achievements of the scientist were used in the construction of the lighthouse, and the statues could produce any 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 cistern with drinking water.
The Pharos lighthouse did not know its analogues in the Ancient World either in terms of size or technical data. Prior to this, ordinary bonfires were usually used as lighthouses. 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.
Who created the Lighthouse of Alexandria
The builder of this miracle, Sostratus of Cnidus, carved an inscription on a marble wall: “Sostratus, the son of Dexifan from Cnidus, dedicated to the gods-saviors 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 eyes of others saw the name of the master who created the magnificent lighthouse. 
Although the lighthouse was located on the eastern coast of the island of Pharos, it is more often called the Alexandrian, and not Pharos. This island is mentioned in Homer's poem "The Odyssey". At the time of Homer, it was in the Nile Delta, opposite the small Egyptian settlement of Rakotis.
But by the time the lighthouse was built, according to the remark of the Greek geographer Strabon, it had come much 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, actually turning it from an island into a peninsula. For this, a dam was artificially poured, which was called Heptastadion, since its length was 7 stages (a stage is an ancient Greek measure of length, which equals 177.6 meters).
That is, in terms of the measurement system familiar to us, the length of the dam was approximately 750 meters. On the side of Pharos, the main, Great Harbor of Alexandria was also located. This harbor was so deep that a large ship could anchor near the shore.
Nothing is eternal
The tower is an assistant to sailors who have lost their way.
Here at night I kindle the bright fire of Poseidon.
It was about to collapse from the deafly noisy wind,
But Ammonius strengthened me again with his labors.
After the ferocious waves, they stretch 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 a pedestal has survived from this famous wonder of the world, which is built into a medieval fortress. Therefore, there are practically no opportunities for archaeologists or architects to study the remains of this grandiose structure. There is now an Egyptian military port on Pharos. And on the western side of the island there is another lighthouse, which does not resemble its great predecessor in any way, but also continues to show the way to the ships.
Lighthouse of Alexandria is one of the oldest engineering structures of mankind. It was built between 280 and 247 BC. e. on the island of Pharos, off the coast ancient city Alexandria (the territory of modern Egypt). It was because of the name of this island that the lighthouse was also known as Faros.
The height of this grandiose structure, according to various historians, was about 120-140 meters. For many centuries, it remained one of the tallest structures on our planet, second only to the pyramids at Giza.
Start of lighthouse construction
The city of Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great, was conveniently located at the crossroads of numerous trade routes. The city developed rapidly, more and more ships entered its harbor, and the construction of a lighthouse became an urgent need.
Some historians believe that, in addition to the usual function of ensuring the safety of sailors, the lighthouse could have an adjacent, no less important function. At that time, the rulers of Alexandria feared a possible attack from the sea, and such a colossal structure as the Lighthouse of Alexandria could serve as an excellent observation post.
Initially, the lighthouse was not equipped with a complex system of signal lights; it was built several hundred years later. At first, signals were given to ships using smoke from a fire, and therefore the lighthouse was effective only in the daytime.
The unusual design of the Lighthouse of Alexandria
Such a large-scale construction for those times was a grandiose and very ambitious project. However, the construction of the lighthouse was completed in a very short time - it lasted no more than 20 years.
For the sake of building a lighthouse between the mainland and the island of Pharos, a dam was built in a short time, through which the necessary materials were delivered.
It is simply impossible to talk briefly about the Lighthouse of Alexandria. The huge structure was built from solid marble blocks, interconnected for greater strength with lead brackets.
The lower, largest level of the lighthouse was built in the form of a square with sides about 30 meters long. The corners of the base were designed strictly according to the cardinal points. The premises located on the first level were intended for storing the necessary supplies and for the residence of numerous guards and lighthouse workers.
A reservoir was built in the underground level, the reserves of drinking water of which should have been enough in case of even a long siege of the city.
The second level of the building was made in the form of an octagon. Its faces were oriented in exact accordance with the wind rose. It was decorated with unusual bronze statues, some of which were movable.
The third, main level of the lighthouse was built in the form of a cylinder and was crowned with a large dome on top. The top of the dome was decorated with a bronze sculpture at least 7 meters high. Historians have not yet come to a consensus whether it was an image of the god of the seas, Poseidon, or a statue of Isis-Faria, the patroness of sailors.
How was the third level of the lighthouse arranged?
For that time, the true miracle of the Lighthouse of Alexandria was the complex system of huge bronze mirrors. The light from the fire, constantly burning on the upper platform of the lighthouse, was reflected and greatly amplified by these metal plates. In ancient chronicles, they wrote that the shining light coming from the lighthouse of Alexandria was capable of burning enemy ships far out to sea.
Of course, this was an exaggeration of the inexperienced guests of the city, who saw it for the first time. ancient wonder light - Lighthouse of Alexandria. Although in fact the light of the lighthouse was visible for more than 60 kilometers, and for ancient times this was a huge achievement.
A very interesting engineering solution for that time was the construction of a spiral staircase-ramp inside the lighthouse, through which the necessary firewood and combustible materials were delivered to the upper tier. A huge amount of fuel was required to run smoothly, so the mule-drawn wagons were constantly going up and down the sloping stairs.
The architect who built the miracle
During the construction of the lighthouse, the king of Alexandria was Ptolemy I Soter, a talented ruler, under whom the city turned into a prosperous trading port. Having decided to build a lighthouse in the harbor, he invited one of the talented architects of that time, Sostratus of Knidos, to work.
In ancient times, the only name that could be immortalized on a constructed structure was the name of the ruler. But the architect who erected the lighthouse was very proud of his creation and wanted to preserve for posterity the knowledge of who really was the author of the miracle.
At the risk of incurring the wrath of the ruler, he carved an inscription on one of the stone walls of the first level of the lighthouse: "Sostratus from Cnidia, son of Dextifan, dedicated to the savior gods for the sake of seafarers." Then the inscription was covered with layers of plaster and already on top of it the prescribed doxology to the king was carved.
A few centuries after the construction, pieces of plaster gradually fell off, and an inscription appeared that preserved in stone the name of the man who built one of the seven wonders of the world - the Lighthouse of Alexandria.
First of its kind
In ancient times, flames and smoke from bonfires were often used in different countries as a warning system or for transmitting danger signals, but the Lighthouse of Alexandria was the first specialized structure of its kind in the whole world. In Alexandria, it was called Pharos, after the name of the island, and all the lighthouses that were built after it were also called Pharos. This is reflected in our language, where the word "headlight" means a source of directional light.
An ancient description of the lighthouse of Alexandria contains information about unusual "living" sculptures-statues, which can be called the first simple automata. They turned, made sounds, performed simple actions. But these were not chaotic movements at all, one of the statues pointed to the Sun with its hand, and when the Sun set, the hand automatically lowered. A clock mechanism was mounted in another figure, which marked the beginning of a new hour with a melodious ringing. The third statue was used as a weather vane, showing the direction and strength of the wind.
A brief description of the lighthouse of Alexandria, made by his contemporaries, could not convey the secrets of the construction of these statues or the approximate scheme of the ramp through which fuel was delivered. Most of these secrets are lost forever.
Destruction of the lighthouse
The firelight of this unique building has shown the way to sailors for many centuries. But gradually, during the decline of the Roman Empire, the lighthouse also began to fall into disrepair. Less and less money was invested in its maintenance in working order, besides, the harbor of Alexandria gradually became smaller due to the large amount of sand and silt.
In addition, the area where the Lighthouse of Alexandria was built was seismically active. A series of strong earthquakes caused him serious damage, and the catastrophe of 1326 finally destroyed the seventh wonder of the world.
Alternative version of destruction
In addition to the theory explaining the decline of the colossal structure by insufficient funding and natural disasters, there is another interesting hypothesis about the causes of the destruction of the lighthouse.
According to this theory, the great military importance that the lighthouse had for the defenders of Egypt was to blame. After the country was captured by the Arabs, the Christian countries, and above all the Byzantine Empire, expected to recapture Egypt from the people. But these plans were greatly hampered by the observation post of the Arabs, located on the lighthouse.
Therefore, a rumor spread that somewhere in the building in ancient times the treasures of the Ptolemies were hidden. Believing, the Arabs began to dismantle the lighthouse, trying to get to the gold, and in the process damaged the mirror system.
After that, the damaged lighthouse continued to function for another 500 years, gradually dilapidating. Then it was finally dismantled, and a defensive fortress was erected in its place.
Possibility of recovery
The very first attempt to restore the Lighthouse of Alexandria was made by the Arabs in the 14th century AD. e., but it turned out to build only a 30-meter likeness of a lighthouse. Then the construction stopped, and only 100 years later the ruler of Egypt, Kait-Bey, built a fortress in its place to protect Alexandria from the sea. At the base of this fortress, a part of the foundation of the ancient lighthouse and almost all of its underground structures and a reservoir remained. This fortress exists to this day.
Often enthusiastic historians consider the possibility of recreating this famous building in its original state. But there is one problem - there is practically no reliable description of the Lighthouse of Alexandria or its detailed images, on the basis of which it would be possible to accurately restore its appearance.
Touch history
For the first time, some fragments of the lighthouse were discovered by archaeologists at the bottom of the sea in 1994. Since then, the expedition of the European Institute of Underwater Archeology at the bottom of the harbor has discovered a whole quarter of ancient Alexandria, the existence of which scientists had no idea before. Remains of many ancient structures have been preserved under water. There is even a hypothesis that one of the found buildings may be the palace of the famous Queen Cleopatra.
The Egyptian government in 2015 approved a massive renovation of the ancient lighthouse. On the site where it was built in ancient times, they plan to build a multi-storey copy of the great lighthouse. It is interesting that the project provides for the construction of an underwater glass hall at a depth of 3 meters so that all lovers ancient history could see the ruins of the ancient royal quarter.
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 flourish, becoming a major center of maritime trade. Soon there was an urgent need for the construction of the Lighthouse of Alexandria.
Alexandrian lighthouse. Information and interesting facts
The island of Pharos, located 1290 meters from Alexandria, was chosen as the place 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 Dexifan from Cnidus.
A dam was built to ensure the transport of building materials to the island. The construction itself was carried out according to the standards ancient world lightning fast, took only six years (285-279 BC). The new building immediately "knocked out" the walls of Babylon from the list of classic wonders of the world, and took pride of place there to this day. The height of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, according to contemporaries, reached 120 meters. The light projected from the tower of the Lighthouse of Alexandria was visible at a distance of up to 48 kilometers.
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 accommodate workers and guards, storerooms for fuel and food.
The middle tier of the Pharos lighthouse had an octagonal shape with edges oriented according to the winds prevailing here. The upper part of the tier was decorated with statues, some of which functioned as weathercocks.
The upper tier of a cylindrical shape played just the role of a lantern. It was surrounded by eight columns covered with a dome-cone. The top of the dome of the Pharos lighthouse was decorated with a seven-meter statue of Isis-Faria (the guardian of seafarers). A 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 Lighthouse of Alexandria. Some suggest that the delivery was carried out with the help of lifting mechanisms along the inner shaft, while others say that the lifting was carried out with the help of mules along a spiral ramp.
Also in the lighthouse there was an underground part, where the reserves 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. The Pharos lighthouse itself was even surrounded by a powerful fence with bastions and loopholes.
In the XIV century, the wonder of the world Faros lighthouse was destroyed by an earthquake. Currently about appearance The seventh wonder of the world is evidenced only by images on Roman coins and the remains of the ruins. So, for example, research in 1996 made it possible to find the remains of the Lighthouse of Alexandria at the bottom of the sea.
Lighthouse on Roman coins
A hundred years after the destruction, Sultan Kait Bey built a fort in its place. And now there are initiators who want to reconstruct the Pharos lighthouse, in the place where it was originally located - on the island of Pharos. But the Egyptian authorities do not want to consider these projects yet, and the Qait-bey fortress continues to guard the site of the former great building of antiquity.
Kite Bay Fortress
The lighthouse was located on the island of Pharos, off the coast of the ancient Egyptian city of Alexandria. The history of the lighthouse is connected with the foundation of this city of Ancient Egypt. In fact, the city, compared to other ancient Egyptian cities, is not so ancient. He appeared in 332 BC. thanks to the famous conqueror of Ancient Egypt - Alexander the Great.
Very carefully Alexander the Great chose a place for the future city. He determined the settlement area not in the Nile Delta itself, but 20 miles to the south, although, it would seem, it was in the Delta that two major waterways intersect: along the 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 trading center 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 pier protecting 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 sailing along the Nile River.
In 323 BC. Alexander died, and soon after that the city passed 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 a lighthouse played an important role in this.
The task 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 distinguished by the monotony of the landscape - it is dominated by lowlands and plains, and for a successful voyage, sailors always needed an additional landmark: a signal fire in front of the entrance to the harbor of Alexandria. However, this task could be performed by a lighthouse much lower. Even a lighthouse with a height of 35 m (and this is the height of another Wonder of the World of antiquity - the Colossus of Rhodes) for these purposes would be somewhat excessive.
Most likely, one of the most important functions of the Lighthouse of Alexandria was to ensure security from attacks from the sea of the capital of the Ptolemaic state. 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 to detect the enemy at a considerable distance from the coast that an observation post of considerable height was required. This was especially true in view of the absence of any natural hills near Alexandria on which such observation posts could be set up.
The erection of such a grand structure required significant intellectual, financial and labor resources, which would be difficult to attract in turbulent wartime. However, by the beginning of the III century. BC e. favorable conditions for the start of construction. At this time, having assumed 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 began the construction of a lighthouse on the island of Pharos. It is rather difficult to name the exact date of construction. They call 290, 285, etc. years BC
Pharos Island in 285 BC It was connected by a dam to the mainland, which greatly facilitated the 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, accurate information about the size and design of the Lighthouse of Alexandria has not been preserved.
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 fastened with mortar mixed with lead.
The base of the lighthouse had a strong foundation in the form of a square 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 looked like a massive parallelepiped. Along its walls inside there was an inclined entrance, along which a horse-drawn cart could climb up.
The second tier was erected in the form of an octagonal tower, and the third tier of the Lighthouse of Alexandria 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 at the world. The fire burned in the area below him. Evidence has been preserved that from the 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 the attendants and visitors climbed to the platform where the signal fire was blazing. There was a massive concave mirror, 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 way to the harbor, and during the day, a huge smoke column visible from afar rose up instead.
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 for the entire ancient world. His silhouette was depicted on vessels, minted on coins, cast and carved in the form of souvenir figurines for Greek and Roman travelers. The lighthouse became the symbol of Alexandria. Strabo and Pliny the Elder described the lighthouse in enthusiastic tones.
For almost 1,000 years, the lighthouse of Alexandria has shown the way to ships. Earthquakes gradually destroyed it. In 1183, he still towered on the island, this year the traveler Ibn Jabar visited Alexandria. The grandiose building shocked him so much that he exclaimed: “Not a single description can convey all its beauty, there are not enough eyes to take a look at it, and there are not enough words to tell about the greatness of this spectacle!” By the 12th century, the Alexandria Bay was so filled with silt that ships could no longer use it. The lighthouse fell into disrepair. In the XIV century, it was completely destroyed by an earthquake. The Mamluk Sultan Kayt Bey built a fortress on the foundation of the lighthouse in 1480, which received the name of its creator. This fortress still stands today.
about the Lighthouse of Alexandria
- 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 various 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 designed by the architect Sostratus of Cnidia. Ptolemy II, who inherited the throne after his father Ptolemy Soter, wanted only his royal name to be engraved on the stones, and that he was revered as the creator of the Lighthouse of Alexandria. Sostratus, proud of his creation, found a way to perpetuate his name. He carved the following inscription on a stone wall: "Sostratus, son of Dexiphon, a Cnidian, dedicated to the gods-saviors for the health of seafarers!" Then he 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. The walls of Babylon were considered the second wonder of the world before its construction. When the lighthouse was erected, contemporaries were so amazed by this outstanding structure that the walls of Babylon were simply deleted from the list of the Seven Wonders of the World and the lighthouse was included in 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 Pharos or simply Pharos. Later, the word "faros", as the designation of a lighthouse, was fixed in many languages (French, Spanish, Romanian).
- And in Russian, the word "headlight" came from him.
