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 outside 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 be difficult to attract in a turbulent time. war time. 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.

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 to store drinking water which should have been enough 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 saw this for the first time ancient miracle light - Alexandria lighthouse. 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 the constructed 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 above all Byzantine Empire, hoped to recapture Egypt's people. 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 state. 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 of ancient history can see the ruins of the ancient royal quarter.

Material from Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia

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 building 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.

Alexandria Lighthouse - help to seafarers, challenge of the sea elements. This seventh wonder of the world arose thanks to skilled human hands and died due to the vagaries of nature. The Alexandria (Faros) lighthouse, which served people for 1.5 thousand years, was crushed by a series of tremors. The majestic building did not want to give up for a long time and fought to the last, withstanding three earthquakes and collapsing during the fourth. This is how the tallest structure in the ancient world perished.

Faros Island is an ideal location for the Alexandria Lighthouse

The glorious Egyptian city of Alexandria during the time of the ruler Ptolemy Soter quickly grew into a large trading city. Lines of ships with various goods reached out to him. But to get to the local port, they had to maneuver between treacherous reefs, of which there were a lot on the approach to Alexandria. Bad weather increased the risk of shipwreck.

The lighthouse of Alexandria was located on the island of Pharos, near the Egyptian coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

At first they wanted to improve visibility for sailors by lighting fires on the shore (as the Athenians did in the 5th century BC), but this was not enough to give signals to ships traveling far from the shore. "Lighthouse! This is what we need,” it dawned on Ptolemy one of the sleepless nights.

The Pharos lighthouse was a landmark for ancient sailors heading to the port of Alexandria

The ruler was lucky - according to the map, at a distance of a little more than a kilometer from Alexandria in the Mediterranean Sea there was the island of Pharos, and God himself ordered the construction of a lighthouse there. The construction of the Alexandria lighthouse was entrusted to the engineer Sostratus, a resident of Cnidia. Construction began immediately, and a dam was even built between the mainland and the island. Work on the Faros lighthouse lasted approximately from 5 to 20 years and was completed at the end of the 3rd century. BC. True, the system of signal lights itself appeared only 100 years later.

The power and beauty of the Faros lighthouse

According to various sources, the height of the Alexandria lighthouse was from 115 to 137 meters. For reasons of practicality, it was erected from marble blocks held together with lead mortar. The best Alexandrian architects and scientists were involved in the construction - it was they who came up with the design of a lighthouse consisting of three tiers.

The Alexandria lighthouse consisted of three stages: pyramidal, prismatic and cylindrical.

The first level of the Alexandria Lighthouse was pyramidal in shape with planes oriented along the 4 cardinal directions. Its protrusions were decorated with statues of tritons. The premises at this level were intended to accommodate workers and soldiers, store equipment, fuel and food.

A spiral-shaped ramp was built inside the Faros lighthouse to deliver firewood and oil to the top

The eight faces of the second stage of the Faros lighthouse were designed by ancient architects according to the wind rose and decorated with bronze statues. Some of the sculptures were movable and served as weather vanes. The third tier of the structure had a cylindrical shape and ended with a dome on which stood a 7-meter bronze statue of the ruler of the seas, Poseidon. But they say that in fact the top of the dome of the Faros lighthouse was decorated with a statue of a woman - the guardian of seafarers, Isis-Faria.

Sostratos was proud of the lighthouse for good reason

At that time, humanity did not yet know electricians, and to signal the sailors, a giant fire was lit at the very top of the Alexandria lighthouse. Its light intensified, reflected in the polished bronze plates, and was visible up to 100 kilometers in the area. Ancient legends said that the radiance coming from the Pharos lighthouse was capable of burning enemy ships even before approaching the shore.

A fire was constantly burning in the dome of the lighthouse, illuminating the way for sailors at night and during the day in poor visibility.

At night, the direction of the ships was indicated by powerful tongues of flame, during the day - by clouds of smoke. To keep the fire burning, the Romans established an uninterrupted supply of firewood to the top of the Alexandria lighthouse. They were pulled out on carts drawn by mules and horses. For this purpose, a flat road in the shape of a spiral was built inside the Faros Lighthouse - one of the first ramps in the world. Although some scientists claim that firewood was dragged to the top using lifting mechanisms.

Drawing of the Faros lighthouse by archaeologist G. Thiersch (1909)

Interesting to know. The Alexandria lighthouse was surrounded by a powerful fence with loopholes, so it could serve as a fort and observation post. From the top of the lighthouse it was possible to see the enemy fleet long before it approached the city. In the underground part of the structure, supplies of drinking water were kept in case of a siege.

The lighthouse of Alexandria was also a fort and could withstand a protracted siege

Sostratus of Knidos was very proud of his brainchild. He was disgusted by the idea that descendants would not know the name of the creator of the Alexandria Lighthouse. Therefore, on the wall of the first tier, the engineer carved the inscription: “Sostratus of Cnidia, son of Dextiphanes, dedicated to the savior gods for the sake of seafarers.” But the loyal subject was afraid of the wrath of the Egyptian ruler, who usually takes all the credit for himself, so he hid the phrase under a thick layer of plaster, on which he scraped the name of the vain Ptolemy Soter. Pieces of clay fell off very quickly, and even during the life of the Faros lighthouse, travelers could read the name of its true creator.

Decline and destruction of the Alexandria Lighthouse

Alarming signals about the destruction of the Pharos lighthouse began to appear during the fall of the Roman Empire. It was not maintained in proper condition, and the once majestic structure began to fall into disrepair. The current brought silt into the bay, ships could no longer enter the port of Alexandria, and the need for a lighthouse on the island of Pharos gradually disappeared. Over time, the bronze mirror plates of the Alexandria Lighthouse were stolen and melted down - it is assumed that they “dispersed” throughout the world in the form of coins and ended up in the collections of numismatists.

The only images that give an idea of ​​the architecture of the Faros lighthouse are embossed designs on ancient Roman coins

Earthquakes in 365, 956 and 1303 AD. significantly damaged the building - the epicenters were located a short distance from the place where the lighthouse was built. And in 1323, powerful tremors accelerated the demise of the Alexandria Lighthouse - only ruins remained of the structure...

Modern reconstruction of the Alexandria Lighthouse building

One of the options for Farossoko lighthouse architecture, made of sand

Modern 3D visualizers provide different ideas regarding the appearance of the Alexandria Lighthouse

In the 14th century AD. Egypt was settled by nimble Arabs. The first thing they did was roll up their sleeves and try to restore the Alexandria Lighthouse. But their zeal was only enough for a 30-meter structure - more construction works stalled. Why the Arabs did not continue the restoration of the Faros lighthouse - history is silent. And only 100 years later, in the place where the Faros lighthouse was erected, the Sultan of Egypt Qait-Bey built a fortress - it still stands there, having safely survived to this day. Now there is a base for the Egyptian fleet. From the Alexandria lighthouse itself, only the base remained, completely built into the fortress.

The Faros lighthouse will be revived!

For many centuries, the Lighthouse of Alexandria was considered the most tall building on the ground. Therefore it is classified as 7 ancient wonders of the world. The lighthouse, or rather, all that remained of it, was discovered in 1994 - some fragments of the building were found at the bottom of the sea - archaeologists rejoiced at this message from the historical past. And in May 2015, the Egyptian government decided to re-build the Faros Lighthouse - on the same spot where the original was once built.

A smaller building of the Alexandria Lighthouse was built in one of the Chinese parks for entertainment and recreation.

Volumetric reconstruction of the Faros lighthouse to scale

It is not yet known when construction will begin. The biggest difficulty when trying to build an exact copy of the structure is the lack of “lifetime” images of the Alexandria Lighthouse, so the architects will have to puff, relying only on information from descriptions in several written Arabic sources and photographs of the ruins. The appearance of the Faros lighthouse was reconstructed using computer modeling - about appearance The seventh wonder of the world is evidenced only by ruins and its images on Roman coins.

A cardboard model of the Alexandria Lighthouse, giving an idea of ​​the main structural elements of the building

Interesting to know. Another possible clue for creating a project for a future lighthouse could be a tomb in the Egyptian city of Abusir. It was built in the same period as the Alexandria Lighthouse. People even call the tower the Abusir Lighthouse. Historians suggest that it was specially built as a smaller copy of the Faros lighthouse.

The lighthouse of Alexandria was described by ancient historians and travelers, including the “father of history” Herodotus. The most Full description The Faros lighthouse in 1166 was built by Abu el-Andalussi - the famous Arab traveler, who stated that the lighthouse was not only a useful structure, but also a worthy adornment of Alexandria.

One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World life-size on the landscape (3D modeling)
  • The Faros lighthouse remains a symbol of the city of Alexandria today. His stylized image adorns the city flag. Moreover, a drawing of the Alexandria Lighthouse appears on the seals of many government institutions, including the local university.
  • The structure of the minarets of Islamic mosques is identical to the architecture of the Lighthouse of Alexandria.
  • Reconstructions of the Faros Lighthouse are strikingly similar to the New York Empire State Building skyscraper.
  • A replica of the Alexandria lighthouse built in Chinese amusement park Window of the World.
  • It is assumed that in the first attempts to determine the radius of the Earth, ancient Greek scientists used the Alexandria (Pharos) lighthouse.

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Island and lighthouse

The lighthouse was built on the small island of Pharos in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Alexandria. This busy port was founded by Alexander the Great during his visit to Egypt in 332 BC. e. The building was named after the island. It must have taken 20 years to build and was completed around 280 BC. e. , during the reign of Ptolemy II, king of Egypt.

Three towers

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

Guide light

The upper tower was shaped like a cylinder, in which a fire burned, which helped the ships reach the bay safely.

Polished bronze mirrors

Large amounts of fuel were required to maintain the flame. The wood was transported along a spiral ramp on carts drawn by horses or mules. Behind the flame were bronze plates that directed the light into the sea.

Death of the lighthouse

By the 12th century AD. e. Alexandria Bay became so filled with silt that ships could no longer use it. The lighthouse fell into disrepair. The bronze plates that served as mirrors were probably melted down into coins. In the 14th century, the lighthouse was destroyed by an earthquake. A few years later, the Muslims used its remains to build the military fortress of Qait Bay. The fortress was subsequently rebuilt several times and still stands on the site of the world's first lighthouse.


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See what “Faros lighthouse” is in other dictionaries:

    - (Alexandria Lighthouse), a lighthouse on the eastern shore of the island. Pharos within the boundaries of Alexandria, the Hellenistic capital of Egypt; one of the Seven Wonders of the World (see SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD). The builder of this miracle of technology, the first and only lighthouse in the entire Greek world... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

    A marble tower built on the island of Pharos by Ptolemy Philadelphus, which was 300 cubits high and consisted of several floors, gradually tapering upward. A fire was lit at its top at night, visible far out to sea. Construction of this tower... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Ephron

    See Art. seven wonders of the world. (Source: “Art. Modern illustrated encyclopedia.” Edited by Prof. Gorkin A.P.; M.: Rosman; 2007.) ... Art encyclopedia

    Lighthouse- Lighthouse, UK. LIGHTHOUSE, a tower-type structure, usually installed on the shore or in shallow water. Serves as a navigation reference for ships. It is equipped with so-called beacon lights, as well as devices for giving sound signals,... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

    LIGHTHOUSE, a tower-type structure, usually installed on the shore or in shallow water. Serves as a navigation reference for ships. It is equipped with so-called beacon lights, as well as devices for sending sound signals, radio signals (radio beacon) ... Modern encyclopedia

    Lighthouse- After the transformation of Alexandria into the most revived. sea ​​center The trade of Ptolemaic Egypt should have relied on the arrival of a significant number of ships at night. This necessitated the construction of M., since the kindling... ... Dictionary of Antiquity

    Lighthouse- after the transformation of Alexandria into the most revived. sea ​​center The trade of Ptolemaic Egypt should have been expected to arrive there at night. number of ships. This necessitated the construction of M., since lighting fires on... ... Ancient world. encyclopedic Dictionary

    Lighthouse, a tower-type structure that serves as a landmark for identifying shores, determining the location of a ship and warning about navigational hazards. M. are equipped with light-optical systems, as well as other technical signaling means: ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

    Lighthouse of Alexandria (Faros)- a lighthouse on Pharos Island near Alexandria in Egypt, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Built in 285-280. BC. Sostratus of Knidos in order to make it safe for ships to enter the Alexandria harbor. It was a three-tiered tower with a height of... ... Ancient world. Dictionary-reference book.

    A tower-like structure located in or near navigable waters. It serves as a visible landmark during the day and emits a continuous light or flashes of light at night to alert sailors to hazards and assist them in identifying... ... Collier's Encyclopedia

Books

  • 100 Great Wonders of the World, Ionina Nadezhda Alekseevna. Great Pyramids, Hanging Gardens Semiramis, Pharos lighthouse, Parthenon, cathedral Notre Dame of Paris, Eiffel Tower, Cathedral of Christ the Savior... The world still composes legends about them, in admiration...