Island and lighthouse

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

guiding light

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

Polished bronze mirrors

A large amount of fuel was required to keep the flame going. The tree was brought along a spiral ramp on carts pulled by horses or mules. Behind the flames were bronze plates that cast light into the sea.

The death of the lighthouse

By the 12th century A.D. e. the Alexandrian bay was so filled with silt that the 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 ruins to build the military fortress of Qait Bay. The fortress was subsequently rebuilt more than once and still stands on the site of the world's first lighthouse.

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See what the "Faros Lighthouse" is in other dictionaries:

- (Alexandria lighthouse), a lighthouse on the eastern shore of about. 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 had 300 cubits in height and consisted of several floors, gradually tapering upwards. On top of it, a fire was lit at night, visible far into the sea. Building this tower... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

See Art. seven wonders of the world. (Source: "Art. Modern Illustrated Encyclopedia." Under the editorship of Prof. A.P. Gorkin; M.: Rosmen; 2007.) ... Art Encyclopedia

Lighthouse- Lighthouse, UK. LIGHTHOUSE, a tower-type structure, usually installed on the shore or in shallow water. Serves as a navigational guide 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 navigational guide for ships. It is equipped with so-called beacon lights, as well as devices for giving sound signals, radio signals (radio beacon) ... Modern Encyclopedia

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

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

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

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

A tower-like structure situated in or near navigable waters. It serves as a visible guide during the day and emits continuous light or flashes of light at night to alert sailors to hazards and help them identify... ... Collier Encyclopedia

Books

• 100 great wonders of the world, Ionina Nadezhda Alekseevna. The Great Pyramids, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Pharos lighthouse, the Parthenon, the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior… The world still writes legends about them, admiringly…

Lighthouse of Alexandria, belonging to the seven wonders of the ancient world, has another name - Pharos. He owes his middle name to his location - the island of Pharos, located off the coast of the city of Alexandria, which is located on the territory of Egypt.

In turn, Alexandria got its name because of the name of the conqueror of the ancient Egyptian lands - Alexander the Great.

He approached the choice of a place for the construction of a new city quite carefully. At first glance, it may seem strange that the area of ​​the settlement was determined by the Macedonian 20 miles from the south of the Nile Delta. If he arranged it in the delta, then the city would be at the intersection of two waterways that are important for that area.

These roads were both the sea and the Nile River. But the fact that Alexandria was founded south of the delta had a weighty justification - in this place, river waters could not clog the harbor with sand and silt harmful to it. Alexander the Great had high hopes for the city under construction. His plans included turning the city into a solid trading center, because he successfully located it at the intersection of land, river and sea routes of communication of several continents. But such a significant city for the country's economy needed a harbor.

For its arrangement, it was necessary to implement many complex engineering and construction solutions. An important need was the construction of a dam that could connect the sea coast with Pharos, and a pier protecting the harbor from sand and silt. Thus, Alexandria received two harbors at once. One harbor was supposed to receive merchant ships sailing from the Mediterranean Sea, and the other - ships that came along the Nile River.

The dream of Alexander the Great to transform a simple city into a prosperous trading center came true after his death, when Ptolemy I Soter came to power. It was under him that Alexandria became the richest port city, but its harbor was dangerous for sailors. As both shipping and maritime trade continuously developed, the need for a lighthouse was felt more and more acutely.

The tasks assigned to this structure were as follows - to secure the navigation of ships in coastal waters. And such care would lead to an increase in sales, since all trade was conducted through the port. But due to the monotonous landscape of the coast, the sailors needed an additional guide, and they would have been quite satisfied with the signal fire that illuminates the entrance to the harbor. According to historians, Alexander the Great had other hopes for the construction of the lighthouse - to ensure the city's safety from the attacks of the Ptolemies, who could attack from the sea. Therefore, to detect enemies that could be located at a considerable distance from the coast, a sentinel post of impressive size was needed.

Difficulties in the construction of the Lighthouse of Alexandria

Naturally, the construction of such a solid structure required a lot of resources: financial, labor and intellectual. But they were not easy to find at that turbulent time for Alexandria. But still, an economically favorable environment for the construction of the lighthouse developed due to the fact that Ptolemy, who conquered Syria in the title of king, brought countless Jews to his country and made them slaves. So the lack of labor resources necessary for the construction of the lighthouse was filled. No less important historical events then were the signing of an agreement on peace by Ptolemy Soter and Demetrius Poliorket (299 BC) and the death of Antigonus, the enemy of Ptolemy, whose kingdom was given to the Diadochi.

The construction of the lighthouse began in 285 BC, and all work was led by the architect Sostratus of Cnidus. Wanting to perpetuate his name in history, Sostratus carved an inscription on the marble wall of the lighthouse, indicating that he was building this structure for the sake of sailors. Then he hid it under a layer of plaster, and on it he already glorified King Ptolemy. However, fate wanted humanity to recognize the name of the master - gradually the plaster fell off and revealed the secret of the great engineer.

Design features of the Lighthouse of Alexandria

The Pharos building, designed to illuminate the harbor, had three tiers, the first of which was represented by a square with sides of 30.5 m. All four faces of the lower square tier were facing all cardinal points. It reached a height of 60 m, and its corners were decorated with statues of tritons. The purpose of this room was to accommodate workers and guards, as well as the arrangement of pantries for storing provisions and fuel.

The middle tier of the lighthouse of Alexandria was built in the form of an octagon, the edges of which were oriented to the direction of the winds. The upper part of this tier was decorated with statues, and some of them were weathercocks.

The third tier, made in the form of a cylinder, was a lantern. It was surrounded by 8 columns and covered with a dome-cone. And a 7-meter statue of Isis-Faria, who was considered the guardian of seafarers, was erected on its top (some sources claim that it was a sculpture of Poseidon, the king of the seas). Due to the complexity of the system of metal mirrors, the light of the fire lit at the top of the lighthouse intensified, and the guards monitored the sea space.

As for the fuel needed to keep the lighthouse burning, it was brought along the spiral ramp in carts pulled by mules. To facilitate shipping, a dam was built between the mainland and Pharos. If the workers did not do this, the fuel would have to be transported by boat. Subsequently, the dam, washed by the sea, became an isthmus, which currently separates the western and eastern harbors.

The lighthouse of Alexandria was not only a lamp - it was also a fortified fortress guarding the sea route to the city. Due to the presence of a large military garrison, an underground part was also provided in the lighthouse building, which was necessary for drinking water supplies. To enhance security, the entire structure was surrounded by powerful walls with watchtowers and loopholes.

In general, the three-tier lighthouse tower reached a height of up to 120 m and was considered the tallest structure in the world.. Those travelers who saw such an unusual structure later enthusiastically described the unusual statues that served as an adornment of the lighthouse tower. One sculpture pointed at the sun with its hand, but lowered it only when it went below the horizon, the other served as a clock and reported the current time every hour. And the third sculpture helped to recognize the direction of the wind.

The fate of the Lighthouse of Alexandria

After standing for almost a thousand years, the lighthouse of Alexandria still began to collapse. It happened in 796 AD. due to a powerful earthquake - the upper part of the structure simply collapsed. From the huge 120-meter building of the lighthouse, only ruins remained, but even those reached a height of about 30 m. Somewhat later, the fragments of the lighthouse were useful for the construction of a military fort, which was repeatedly rebuilt. So the Faros lighthouse turned into the fort of Kait-bey - it received this name in honor of the sultan who built it. Inside the fort there is a historical museum, in one of its parts there is a museum of marine biology, and opposite the fort building there are Aquariums of the Museum of Hydrobiology.

Plans to restore the Lighthouse of Alexandria

From the once majestic lighthouse of Alexandria, only its base remained, but it is also completely built into a medieval fortress. Today it is used as the base of the Egyptian fleet. The Egyptians are planning to carry out work to recreate the lost wonder of the world, and some countries that are members of the European Union wish to join this undertaking. Italy, France, Greece and Germany plan to include the construction of a lighthouse in a project referred to as "Medistone". Its main tasks are the reconstruction and preservation of African architectural monuments dating back to the Ptolemaic era. Experts have estimated the project at $40 million, which is exactly how much it will take to build a business center, a hotel, a diving club, a chain of restaurants and a museum dedicated to the Lighthouse of Alexandria.

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

The locals claimed that the light of the Lighthouse of Alexandria burned enemy ships even before they approached the coast, and if they managed to approach the coast, the statue of Poseidon, located on the dome of an amazing design, emitted a piercing warning cry.

Lighthouse of Alexandria: a brief description for the report

The height of the old lighthouse was 140 meters - much higher than the surrounding buildings. In ancient times, buildings did not exceed three floors, and against their background, the Faros lighthouse seemed huge. Moreover, at the time of completion of construction, it turned out to be the tallest building in the ancient world and was such for an extremely long time.

The lighthouse of Alexandria was built on the east coast of the small island of Pharos, located near Alexandria, the main seaport of Egypt, built by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. He is also known in history as.

It is one of the most famous wonders of the ancient world, along with, and.
The place for the construction of the city was chosen by the great commander very carefully: he initially planned to build a port in this region, which would be an important trading center.

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

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

After the death of Alexander the Great (who, according to legend, was born on the day of destruction), the city was under the rule of Ptolemy I Soter - and as a result of skillful management, it turned into a successful and prosperous port city, and the construction of one of the seven wonders of the world significantly increased its wealth.

Lighthouse of Alexandria on the island of Pharos: purpose

The lighthouse of Alexandria made it possible for ships to sail into the port without problems, successfully bypassing pitfalls, shallows and other obstacles in the bay. Due to this, after the construction of one of the seven wonders, the volume of light trade increased dramatically.

The lighthouse also served as an additional reference point for sailors: the landscape of the Egyptian coast is quite diverse - mostly only lowlands and plains. Therefore, signal lights in front of the entrance to the harbor were most welcome.

A lower structure would have successfully coped with this role, so the engineers assigned another important function to the Lighthouse of Alexandria - the role of an observation post: enemies usually attacked from the sea, since the desert protected the country well from the land side.

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

Construction of the Lighthouse of Alexandria

Such a large-scale construction required huge resources. Moreover, not only financial and labor, but also intellectual. Ptolemy I solved this problem rather quickly. Just at that time, he conquered Syria, enslaved the Jews and took them to Egypt. He subsequently used some of them to build a lighthouse.
It was at this time (in 299 BC) that he concluded a truce with Demetrius Poliorketos, the ruler of Macedonia (his father was Antigonus, the worst enemy of Ptolemy, who died in 301 BC).

Thus, a truce, a huge amount of labor and other favorable circumstances, gave him the opportunity to begin the construction of a grandiose wonder of the world. Although the exact date of the start of construction work has not yet been determined, researchers are convinced that it happened somewhere between 285/299 BC. BC e.

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

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

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

What did the Faros Lighthouse look like?

There is no exact information about exactly how one of the seven wonders of the world looked, but some data is still available:

• from all sides it was surrounded by thick walls, and in case of a siege, supplies of water and food were stored in its dungeons;

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

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

• The walls of the ancient building were made of marble blocks and fastened with mortar with a small addition of lead.

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

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

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

• The third tier had a cylindrical structure, decorated with statues that acted as weathercocks. Eight columns were installed here that supported the dome;

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

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

So that the fire could be seen from a great distance, a whole system of polished metal mirrors was installed near it, reflecting and amplifying the light of the fire. He, according to contemporaries, was visible even at a distance of 60 km;

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

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

Lighthouse of Alexandria: wreck

He served from 283 BC. until the 15th century, when a fortress was erected instead. Thus, he survived more than one dynasty of Egyptian rulers, saw Roman legionnaires. This did not particularly affect his fate: no matter who ruled Alexandria, everyone made sure that the unique structure stood for as long as possible. They restored the parts of the building that had collapsed due to frequent earthquakes, updated the facade, which was negatively affected by wind and salty sea water.

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

After this event, the lighthouse significantly decreased in size, but stood still for quite a long time - until the XIV century, until another strong earthquake wiped it off the face of the earth (a hundred years later, the Sultan of Kait Bey erected a fortress on its foundation, which can be seen and these days). After that, they remained the only ancient wonder of the world that has survived to this day.

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

The first (lower) tier of the lighthouse with a square base resembled a fortress or a castle with towers installed at the corners. The towers were oriented to the cardinal points. The height of the tier reached about sixty meters. The flat roof of the lower tier served as the basis for the second tier. Triton statues were also installed on the roof here. Inside the first tier there was a garrison guarding the lighthouse, and maintenance personnel, as well as the necessary equipment and supplies of water and food in case of a siege.

II (middle) tier

The second (middle) tier with an octagonal base rose another forty meters. Inside the second tier, a ramp was presumably built, along which fuel for signal fire was raised to the third (upper) tier.

III (upper) tier

Columns supporting the dome of the lighthouse were installed on the third cylindrical tier. A signal fire was lit on the platform among the columns. The light of the signal fire was reflected and amplified by a whole system of polished bronze plates.

A huge golden statue of Poseidon was installed on the dome of the lighthouse. There was an impression that Poseidon guarded faros lighthouse, peering intently at their sea expanses.

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 on this site prevented 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 area. This group of scientists, in addition to archaeologists, included architects, topographers, Egyptologists, artists and restorers, as well as photographers.

As a result, hundreds of fragments of the lighthouse were 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 River Delta by Alexander the Great in 332-331 BC. e. The city was built according to a single plan developed by the architect Dinohar, and was divided into 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.