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 a fairly tall building could cope with such functionality. 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

Alexandrian lighthouse, short description which allows us 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 of the modern world map 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 seafarers artistically described characteristics 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:

1. God of the seas Poseidon.
2. Isis-Faria, goddess of prosperous sailors.
3. 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

Further history 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 the modern world is occupied by 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 to the different countries that 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 a 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:

Daria Nessel| Oct 10, 2017

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 a cultural center of civilization, where outstanding philosophers, poets, mathematicians, and sculptors such as Euclid, Heron, and 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.

The Pharos Lighthouse is located on the ancient island of Pharos (today it is a cape within the city of Alexandria in Egypt). In 332 - 331 BC. Alexander the Great founded the capital of Hellenistic Egypt, Alexandria. Here is the famous Alexandria Musseion - one of the main scientific and cultural centers ancient world, and with him the no less famous Library of Alexandria, which contained almost 700 thousand volumes of Greek and Oriental books. Alexandria was the richest city of its time. Many remarkable structures were erected in Alexandria. These include the Alexandria Lighthouse on the rocky island of Foros near the Nile Delta. The use of lighthouses began in ancient times and is associated with the development of navigation. At first these were fires located on high banks, and then artificial constructions. One of the seven wonders ancient world- The Alexandrian, or Foros, luminous lighthouse was built in 283 BC. The construction of this gigantic structure took only 5 years, which in itself is remarkable. The main building materials for it were limestone, marble, and granite.

The lighthouse consisted of three gradually decreasing towers placed one on top of the other. The height of the lighthouse is enormous: according to some sources, 120 meters, according to the descriptions of Ibn al-Saikh (11th century) - 130-140 meters, according to some modern publications, even 180 meters.

The base of the lower tower is square - the side size is 30.5 meters. The lower tower, 60 meters high, was made of stone slabs decorated with exquisite sculptural work. The middle, octagonal, tower is 40 meters high, lined with white marble slabs. The upper tower - the lantern - is round, with a dome mounted on granite columns, and was crowned with a huge bronze statue of the patron of the seas, Poseidon, 8 meters high.

At the top of the third tower, in a voluminous bronze bowl, charcoal smoldered, the reflection of which, using a complex system of mirrors, indicated the location of the harbor 100 miles away. A shaft ran through the entire lighthouse, around which a ramp and stairs rose in a spiral. Carts pulled by donkeys drove along a wide and sloping ramp to the top of the lighthouse. Fuel for the lighthouse fire was delivered through the mine.

The tall lighthouse served as an excellent observation post. A system of metal mirrors was also used to view the sea, making it possible to detect enemy ships long before they appeared off the coast. A weather vane, a clock and astronomical instruments were installed here.

The lighthouse, erected on the island of Foros, was a one-of-a-kind structure due to its enormous size and complex system of light reflectors. This is how Achilles Tatius described it in his novel “Leucippe and Clitophon”: “... the structure is bizarre and amazing, the Mountain, lying in the middle of the sea, reached the very clouds, and water flowed under this structure, and it rose, hanging above the sea.”

The lighthouse of Alexandria stood for about 1,500 years, serving as a beacon, helping the Mediterranean “cybernetos” navigate, as the ancient Greeks called helmsmen. The lighthouse suffered from earthquakes twice, but was restored until it finally collapsed due to weathering of the stone. Then a medieval fortress was erected on the ruins of the lighthouse.

From one of the seven "wonders of the ancient world", it seemed that nothing remained except the ruins built into Qayt Bay, where they still exist today, and the name. The name of the island turned into a symbol: “foros” began to mean “lighthouse”. Hence the modern "headlight".

In 1961, while exploring coastal waters, scuba divers found statues, sarcophagi, and marble boxes on the seabed. In 1980, an international group of archaeologists discovered the remains of the Foros lighthouse on the seabed. At the same time, at a depth of 8 meters, the ruins of the legendary palace of Queen Cleopatra were discovered. This is one of the largest discoveries in archaeology.

The 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 Faros, located...

From Masterweb

22.05.2018 02:00

The 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 Faros, located off the coast ancient city Alexandria (territory of modern Egypt). It was thanks to the name of this island that the lighthouse was also known as the Faros lighthouse.

The height of this grandiose structure, according to various historians, was approximately 120-140 meters. For many centuries, it remained one of the tallest structures on our planet, second only to the pyramids at Giza.

Beginning of lighthouse construction

The city of Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great, was conveniently located at the intersection of numerous trade routes. The city developed rapidly, everything came into its harbor more ships, and the construction of a lighthouse became an urgent necessity.

Some historians believe that, in addition to the usual function of ensuring the safety of seafarers, the lighthouse could have a related, no less important function. In those days, the rulers of Alexandria feared a possible attack from the sea, and such a colossal structure as the Alexandria Lighthouse 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 during the daytime.

The unusual design of the Alexandria lighthouse

Such a large-scale construction was a grandiose and very ambitious project for those times. However, the construction of the lighthouse was completed in a very short time - it lasted no more than 20 years.

For the construction of the lighthouse, a dam was quickly built between the mainland and the island of Pharos, through which the necessary materials were delivered.

It is simply impossible to talk briefly about the Alexandria Lighthouse. The huge structure was built from solid marble blocks, connected to each other for greater strength with lead brackets.

The lower, largest level of the lighthouse was built in the shape of a square with sides approximately 30 meters long. The corners of the base were designed strictly according to the cardinal directions. The premises located on the first level were intended for storing necessary supplies and housing numerous guards and lighthouse workers.

A reservoir was built at the underground level, the supply of drinking water of which should have been sufficient in case of even a prolonged siege of the city.

The second level of the building was made in the shape of an octagon. Its edges 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 shape of a cylinder and topped with a large dome. The top of the dome was decorated with a bronze sculpture no less than 7 meters high. Historians still have not come to a consensus whether this 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 Alexandria Lighthouse was the complex system of huge bronze mirrors. The light from the fire, which was 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 Alexandria lighthouse was capable of burning enemy ships far out to sea.

Of course, this was an exaggeration of inexperienced guests of the city who first saw this ancient wonder of the world - the 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, along which the necessary firewood and combustible materials were delivered to the upper tier. Enormous amounts of fuel were required to operate smoothly, so mule-drawn carts were constantly going up and down an inclined staircase.

The architect who built the miracle

At the time of 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 on it.

In ancient times, the only name that could be immortalized on a built structure was the name of the ruler. But the architect who built 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.

Risking the wrath of the ruler, he carved the inscription on one of the stone walls of the first level of the lighthouse: “Sostratus of Cnidia, son of Dextiphanes, dedicated to the savior gods for the sake of seafarers.” Then the inscription was covered with layers of plaster and the required praises addressed to the king were carved on top of it.

Several centuries after construction, pieces of plaster gradually fell off, and an inscription appeared, preserving 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 in different countries The flames and smoke of fires were often used as a warning system or to transmit signals of danger, but the Lighthouse of Alexandria became the first specialized structure of its kind in the whole world. In Alexandria they called it Pharos, after the name of the island, and all the lighthouses that were built after it also began to be called faros. This is reflected in our language, where the word “headlight” means a source of directional light.

The ancient description of the Alexandria Lighthouse contains information about unusual “living” sculptures and statues, which can be called the first simple automata. They turned, made sounds, and performed simple actions. But these were not chaotic movements at all, one of the statues pointed its hand at the Sun, and when the Sun set, the hand automatically lowered. Another figure had a clock mechanism built into it, 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.

The brief description of the Lighthouse of Alexandria by his contemporaries failed to convey the secrets of the structure of these statues or the approximate diagram of the ramp along which fuel was delivered. Most of these secrets are lost forever.

Lighthouse destruction

The light from the fire of this unique structure showed the way to sailors for many centuries. But gradually, during the decline of the Roman Empire, the lighthouse also began to decline. Less and less money was invested in maintaining it in working condition, and the harbor of Alexandria was gradually becoming smaller due to the large amount of sand and silt.

In addition, the area where the Alexandria Lighthouse was built was seismically active. A series of strong earthquakes caused serious damage to it, and the disaster of 1326 finally destroyed the seventh wonder of the world.

Alternative version of destruction

In addition to the theory that explains the decline of the colossal structure due to insufficient funding and natural disasters, there is another interesting hypothesis about the reasons for the destruction of the lighthouse.

According to this theory, the enormous military importance that the lighthouse had for the defenders of Egypt was to blame. After the country was captured by the Arabs, Christian countries, and most notably the Byzantine Empire, hoped to recapture the people of Egypt. But these plans were greatly hampered by the Arab observation post located at the lighthouse.

Therefore, a rumor was spread that somewhere in the building in ancient times the treasures of the Ptolemies were hidden. Believing, the Arabs began to dismantle the lighthouse in an attempt to get to the gold, and in the process damaged the mirror system.

After this, the damaged lighthouse continued to function for another 500 years, gradually deteriorating. Then it was finally dismantled, and a defensive fortress was erected in its place.

Possibility of recovery

The very first attempt to restore the Alexandria Lighthouse was made by the Arabs in the 14th century AD. e., but it was possible to build only a 30-meter semblance of a lighthouse. Then construction stopped, and only 100 years later the ruler of Egypt, Qait Bey, built a fortress in its place to protect Alexandria from the sea. At the base of this fortress, part of the foundation of the ancient lighthouse and almost all of its underground structures and reservoir remained. This fortress still exists today.

Often enthusiastic historians consider the possibility of recreating this famous building in its original condition. But there is one problem - there is practically no reliable description of the Alexandria Lighthouse 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, an expedition of the European Institute of Underwater Archeology has discovered an entire quarter of ancient Alexandria at the bottom of the harbor, the existence of which scientists had not previously guessed. The remains of many ancient structures remain underwater. There is even a hypothesis that one of the found buildings may be the palace of the famous Queen Cleopatra.

The Egyptian government approved a large-scale reconstruction of the ancient lighthouse in 2015. In the place where it was built in ancient times, they plan to build a multi-story copy of the great lighthouse. Interestingly, the project involves 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.

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One of the Seven Wonders of the World is the Lighthouse of Alexandria, a structure built on the island of Pharos in the third century BC. The building is located near the famous Alexandria, which is why it was given this name. Another option could be the phrase “Faros Lighthouse” - from the name of the island on which it is located.

Purpose

The first wonder of the world - the Alexandria Lighthouse - was originally intended to help lost sailors who wanted to get to the shore, safely overcoming the underwater reefs. At night, the path was illuminated by flames and signal rays of light emanating from a huge fire, and during the day by columns of smoke emanating from a fire located at the very top of this sea ​​tower. The lighthouse of Alexandria served faithfully for almost a thousand years, but was very badly damaged by an earthquake in 796. After this earthquake, five more very powerful and long-lasting tremors were recorded in history, which finally disabled this magnificent creation of human hands. Of course, they tried to reconstruct it more than once, but all attempts only led to the fact that what remained of it was a small fortress, which was built by Sultan Qait Bey in the 15th century. It is this fortress that can be seen today. She is all that remains of this magnificent creation of man.

Story

Let's delve a little deeper into history and find out how this wonder of the world was built, because it is really fascinating and interesting. How much has happened, what are the features of the construction and its purpose - we will tell you about all this below, just don’t be lazy to read.

Where is the Alexandria Lighthouse located?

The lighthouse was built on a small island called Faros, which is located off the coast of Alexandria in the Mediterranean Sea. The whole history of this lighthouse is initially associated with the name of the great conqueror Alexander the Great. It was he who was the creator of the first wonder of the world - a thing that all humanity is proud of. On this island Alexander the Great decided to found big port, which he actually did in 332 BC during his visit to Egypt. The structure received two names: the first - in honor of the one who decided to build it, the second - in honor of the name of the island on which it is located. In addition to such a famous lighthouse, the conqueror decided to build a city of the same name - one of the largest ports in the Mediterranean Sea. It should be noted that throughout his life, Alexander the Great built about eighteen policies with the name “Alexandria,” but this particular one went down in history and is known to this day. The city was built first, and only then its main attraction. Initially, the construction of the lighthouse was supposed to take 20 years, but that was not the case. The whole process took only 5 years, but despite this, the construction saw the world only in 283 BC, after the death of Alexander the Great - during the government of Ptolemy II - the king of Egypt.

Construction Features

I decided to approach the construction issue very carefully. According to some sources, he spent more than two years choosing a place to build a port. The conqueror did not want to create a city in the Nile, for which he found a very good replacement. The construction site was set up twenty miles to the south, not far from the drying up Lake Mareotis. Previously, there was a platform for the Egyptian city of Rakotis, which in turn made the entire construction process a little easier. The whole benefit of the location was that the port was able to receive ships from both Mediterranean Sea, and from the Nile River, which was very profitable and diplomatic. This not only increased the conqueror's profits, but also helped him and his followers build strong ties with both the merchants and sailors of the time. The city was created during the lifetime of Macedonian, but the Lighthouse of Alexandria was developed by Ptolemy the first Soter. It was he who finalized the design and brought it to life.

Alexandrian lighthouse. Photo

Looking at the image, we will see that the lighthouse consists of several “layers”. Three large marble towers stand on the base of huge stone blocks, weighing several hundred thousand tons in total. The first tower has the shape of a huge rectangle. Inside there are rooms intended for housing soldiers and port workers. On top was a smaller octagonal tower. The spiral ramp was a transition to the upper cylindrical tower, inside of which there was a large fire, which served as a light source. The entire structure weighed several million thousand tons, not including the decorations and instruments inside it. Because of this, the soil began to subsidence, which caused serious problems and required additional fortifications and construction work.

Start of fire

Despite the fact that the Pharos lighthouse was built during 285 - 283 BC, it began to work only at the beginning of the first century BC. It was then that the entire system of signal lights was developed, working thanks to large bronze disks that direct the light into the sea. In parallel with this, a composition of gunpowder was invented that emitted a huge amount of smoke - a way to indicate the way during the day.

Height and range of outgoing light

The total height of the Alexandria lighthouse is from 120 to 140 meters (the difference is the difference in ground height). Thanks to this arrangement, the light from the fire was visible at a distance of more than 60 kilometers in bright weather (there is evidence that in calm weather the light was visible 100 kilometers or more) and up to 45-50 kilometers during a thunderstorm. The direction of the rays was due to a special formation in several rows. The first row was a tetrahedral prism, the height of which reached 60-65 meters, with a square base with an area of ​​900 square meters. Equipment and everything necessary to supply fuel and maintain the “eternal” fire were stored here. The basis for the middle part was a large flat lid, the corners of which were decorated big statues Tritonov. This room was an octagonal tower made of white marble 40 meters high. The third part of the lighthouse is built of eight columns; on top of them there is a large dome, which is decorated with a large eight-meter bronze statue of Poseidon. Another name for the statue is Zeus the Savior.

"Eternal flame"

Maintaining fire was a difficult task. More than a ton of fuel was required every day so that the fire could burn with the necessary strength. Wood, which was the main material, was delivered in specially equipped carts along a spiral ramp. The carts were pulled by mules, which required more than a hundred for one lift. In order for the light from the fire to spread as far as possible, huge bronze sheets were placed behind the flame, at the foot of each column, with the help of which they directed the light.

Additional purpose

According to some manuscripts and surviving documents, the Alexandria Lighthouse served not only as a source of light for lost sailors. For soldiers it became an observation post, for scientists - an astronomical observatory. Accounts say what was there a large number of very interesting technical equipment - clocks of various shapes and sizes, a weather vane, as well as many astronomical and geographical instruments. Other sources speak of the presence of a huge library and a school where elementary disciplines were taught, but this does not have any significant evidence.

Death

The death of the lighthouse occurred not only due to several powerful earthquakes, but also due to the fact that the bay almost ceased to be used, since it was very silted. After the port became unusable, the bronze plates used to direct the light into the sea were melted down into coins and jewelry. But this was not the end. The complete destruction of the lighthouse occurred in the 15th century during one of the most powerful earthquakes ever to occur off the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. After this, the remains were restored several times and served as a fortress, as well as a home for the few inhabitants of the island.

In modern world

Today, the Faros Lighthouse, a photo of which can be very easily found, is one of the few architectural monuments lost in history and time. This is something that still interests both scientists and ordinary people who like centuries-old things, because many events, literary works and scientific discoveries that are important for the entire development of the world are associated with it. Alas, not much remains of the 7 Wonders of the World. The Alexandria Lighthouse, or rather only part of it, is one of those buildings that humanity can be proud of. True, all that remains of it is just the lower tier, which served as a warehouse and place of residence for the military and workers. Thanks to many reconstructions, the structure was not completely destroyed. It was converted into something like a small castle-fortress, inside which the remaining inhabitants of the island lived. This is exactly what you can see when you visit the island of Faros, which is quite popular among tourists. After a complete construction and cosmetic renovation, the lighthouse has a more modern appearance, making it a modern building with a centuries-old history.

Future plans

The Lighthouse of Alexandria is one of the sites protected by UNESCO. Thanks to this, various repairs are carried out annually in order to protect the fortress from destruction. There was even a time when they talked about completely restoring its previous appearance, but this was never done, because then the lighthouse would have lost its status as one of the wonders of the world. But you should definitely see it if you are interested in history.