The Alexandria or Pharos lighthouse is one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World. Construction began under Alexander the Great and completed under Ptolemy I. Briefly described, its importance was of a strategic nature. The uniqueness of the building was due to 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 the ships crashed on the rocky terrain of the reservoir.

The lighthouse had an important functional solution - to illuminate the location of stones, to direct ships towards the port and to warn in advance an enemy attack.

History of creation

Only enough could handle such functionality high building... According to the plans, the architect Sostratus of Cnidus indicated the height of the lighthouse at 120 m. Some sources indicate 135-150 m. At the time of the 4th century BC, such a structure became a giant. The 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 Lighthouse of Alexandria located on the world map

Alexandrian lighthouse, a brief description of which allows you to learn about the alleged 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 on the modern world map belongs to the Republic of Egypt.

Construction features

The appearance of 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, the construction was originally supposed to last 20 years. But after the death of the Macedonian and the conquest of the lands of Ptolemy, these resources appeared.

Ptolemy had several squads of Jewish slaves who could start building. A dam was organized between the island and the mainland for easier transportation of people and building materials.

What the Lighthouse of Alexandria looked like

Sailing sailors artistically described the characteristic features of the sculptures located along the contour of the lighthouse. One of them pointed to the sun. At night, the hand of the sculpture went down. Another statue was beating 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 really show the direction, according to the principle of a weather vane.

There is a version that the mechanisms responsible for displaying were involved weather conditions... One of the statues worked on the principle of accumulating solar energy or a similar mechanism, and the other - on the principle of a cuckoo clock. This version has not been reliably confirmed.

I (lower) tier

The lowest block was in the form 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 position the guards and workers of the lighthouse 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 faced the direction of the winds. Thus, the enlarged architectural solution of Sostratus of Cnidus took into account all the outgoing data. The statues that adorned the tier served as weather vane.

III (upper) tier

The third cylindrical tier was the main one for the lighthouse. A 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 form of a cone. There was a platform for a signal light under the statue. The increase in the amount of light was created with the help of concave mirrors (possibly bronze) made of metal according to one version and the same shape of smooth polished stones according to the other. G

A number of disputes arose over the delivery of fuel:

• One of the versions about the delivery using a lifting mechanism inside the lighthouse in the mine.
• Another story tells about the lifting of fuel on mules along a spiral ramp.
• The third version modified the second - donkeys were delivered along a gentle staircase.

Pharos is the island where 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, forming a land isthmus.

Height and range of outgoing light

There are very conflicting data regarding the range of the outgoing light. One version is 51 km, the other - 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. probable version that the light from the building emanated no more than 20 km.

At night, the lighthouse was illuminated with fire, and during the day it served as a designation in the form of an outgoing column of smoke.

Additional purpose

The Alexandria lighthouse, a brief description of which is in scientific publications, had an additional purpose. By the time of construction, Alexander the Great was expecting an attack by the Ptolemies on the water. Lighting could warn the advantage of a surprise attack from enemies. For this purpose, a sentry post was located on the lower floor, which periodically scanned the sea.

Macedonian was feared based on the experiences of other rulers. At that time, Demetrius Poliorketus suddenly attacked the harbor of Piraeus, taking advantage of the enemy's limited visibility. Demetrius also appeared off the Egyptian shores after an unsuccessful campaign against Ptolemy.

Egypt then escaped the fight due to a violent storm that destroyed a large part of the enemy's 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 cistern with water 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 central focus of the lighthouse was lost. It gradually collapsed due to insufficient funding.
• The sea trade route was closed to Pharos, so the need for a lighthouse and a bay was gone. 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 the earthquake caused damage.

Alternative version of destruction

Further history is divided into alleged parts:

The meaning of the wonder of the world in the modern world

The Alexandria lighthouse has preserved the remains of the foundation, which in modern world occupies the fort of Kite Bay (or the Alexandrian fortress). In short, the fortress served as a protective citadel of Turkey, but was conquered by the Napoleonic army during the weakening of the state.

In the 9th century, the Alexandrian fortress was ruled by Egypt. At this time, it was strengthened and equipped with modern weapons at that time. After a strong attack by British troops, it was again destroyed. By the end of the 20th century, the fort was completely rebuilt.

With such a long history, the fortress acquired a new value. For this reason, they did not want to rebuild the Lighthouse of Alexandria in its former place - this would destroy those historical monuments, which were erected after the destruction of the lighthouse.

Recoverability

By the 15th century on the site of the Alexandria lighthouse, the fort-fortress of Kite Bay was built. According to one version, the fragments of the lighthouse were used. According to the other, the fort was built in the surviving part of the building. At the end of the 20th century, there was an international discussion of the restoration of the lighthouse.

The Egyptians planned to start work elsewhere, their initiative was supported by the countries:

• Italy.
• Greece.
• France.
• Germany.

The project is planned to be named "Medistone". It includes the reconstruction of the architectural structures of the Ptolemy era. Expert assessment of the project in the region of $ 40 million. The bulk of the budget will go towards building modern amenities such as a business center, restaurant, diving club, hotel and museum with the Lighthouse of Alexandria themed.

The location of the new reconstructed structure has been discussed for a long time. The Egyptians did not want 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 storeys will be preserved 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 city views. The height of the New Lighthouse will be up to 50 m. A star on steel supports will be installed on top, which will serve as an illuminator. The most high point planned up to 106 m.

The main interest of tourists is due to 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 of it went under water. Transporting the find is problematic due to its 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 back in 1968 by the archaeologist Honor Frost. By the time the remains of the city were found, she was awarded the medal "For Egyptian Underwater Archeology".
• Sostratus of Cnidus wanted to immortalize his name. Under the plaster, he applied the phrase about the construction of this lighthouse with his hands for sailors. The upper layer testified to the dedication of the building to Ptolemy. This was discovered many years later when the plaster began to fall off.
• The lighthouse is known under two names - Alexandria and Pharos. The first name comes from the city where the lighthouse was located. According to another version - in honor of the Macedonian, who began construction. The second name is known because of the island on which the building 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 common feature- the figure was associated with a deity of government and / or the sea.

The Alexandria lighthouse provided people with work and food, stored water supplies for the city in the event of a siege... To briefly describe its function: it illuminated the rocky bottom and helped to see the enemy. Its uniqueness attracted Herodotus, which is why he mentioned the lighthouse on his list of wonders of the world.

Article formatting: Svetlana Ovsyanikova

Video on the topic: Lighthouse of Alexandria

Alexandria (Pharos) lighthouse:

The Lighthouse of Alexandria is one of the oldest engineering structures of mankind. It was built between 280 and 247 BC. NS. on the island of Pharos, located ...

From Masterweb

The Lighthouse of Alexandria is one of the oldest engineering structures of mankind. It was built between 280 and 247 BC. NS. on the island of Pharos, located off the coast ancient city Alexandria (territory of modern Egypt). It is thanks to the name of this island that the lighthouse was also known as Pharos.

The height of this grandiose structure, according to the testimony of 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 construction of the lighthouse

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

Some historians believe that, in addition to the usual function of ensuring the safety of mariners, the lighthouse could have an adjacent, no less important function. In those days, the rulers of Alexandria feared a possible attack from the sea, and such a colossal structure like the Lighthouse of Alexandria could serve as an excellent observation point.

Initially, the lighthouse was not equipped with a complex system of signal lights, it was built several hundred years later. At first, the signals to the ships were given with the help of smoke from a fire, and therefore the lighthouse was effective only in the daytime.

Unusual design of the Alexandria lighthouse

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

For the sake of building a lighthouse between the mainland and the island of Pharos, a dam was built in a short time, along which the necessary materials were delivered.

It is simply impossible to tell 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, highest level of the lighthouse was built in the form of a square with a side length of about 30 meters. The corners of the base were designed strictly to the cardinal points. The premises located on the first level were intended for storing the necessary supplies and for the residence of numerous guards and workers of the lighthouse.

A reservoir was built at the underground level, reserves 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 exactly in 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 was crowned with a large dome on top. The top of the dome was decorated with a bronze sculpture at least 7 meters high. Historians still do not come to a consensus on 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 a 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 amplified many times over by these metal plates. The ancient chronicles 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 the inexperienced guests of the city who saw it for the first time. ancient miracle light - Lighthouse of Alexandria. Although, in fact, the light of the lighthouse was visible for more than 60 kilometers, and for ancient times this was a huge achievement.

A very interesting engineering solution for that time was the construction of a spiral staircase-ramp inside the lighthouse, along which the necessary firewood and combustible materials were delivered to the upper tier. A huge amount of fuel was required to run smoothly, so the wagons drawn by mules constantly climbed and descended the inclined stairs.

The architect who built the miracle

During the construction of the lighthouse, the king of Alexandria was Ptolemy I Soter, a talented ruler, under whom the city turned into a prosperous Trading port... Having decided to build a lighthouse in the harbor, he invited one of the talented architects of that time, Sostratus of Cnidus, to work.

In ancient times, the only name that could be immortalized on the constructed structure was the name of the ruler. But the architect who erected the lighthouse was very proud of his creation and wanted to preserve for posterity the knowledge of who really was the author of the miracle.

At the risk of incurring the ruler's wrath, he is on one of the stone walls the first level of the lighthouse was carved with the inscription: "Sostratus of Cnidia, son of Dextiphanes, dedicated to the gods-saviors for the sake of sailors." Then the inscription was covered with layers of plaster and already on top of it the prescribed praises to the king were carved.

Several centuries after the construction, pieces of plaster gradually fell off, and an inscription appeared that preserved in stone the name of the person who built one of the seven wonders of the world - the Alexandria lighthouse.

First of its kind

In ancient times in different countries The flames and smoke of bonfires were often used as a warning system or to transmit danger signals, but the Alexandria Lighthouse was the first specialized structure of its kind in the entire world. In Alexandria, it was called Pharos, after the name of the island, and all the lighthouses that were built after him were also called Pharos. 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, statues, which can be called the first simple automata. They turned, made sounds, performed simple actions. But these were not at all chaotic movements, one of the statues pointed with its hand at the Sun, and when the Sun went down, the hand automatically lowered. A clockwork was mounted in another figure, which marked the beginning of a new hour with a melodic ringing. The third statue was used as a weather vane, showing the direction and strength of the wind.

Short description The Alexandria lighthouse, made by his contemporaries, could not convey the secrets of the structure of these statues or the approximate scheme of the ramp along which the fuel was delivered. Most of these secrets are lost forever.

Destruction of the lighthouse

The firelight of this unique structure has guided sailors along the way for centuries. But gradually, during the decline of the Roman Empire, the lighthouse also began to decline. Less and less funds were invested in maintaining it in working order, besides, the harbor of Alexandria gradually became shallower due to a large number 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 catastrophe of 1326 finally destroyed the seventh wonder of the world.

Alternative version of destruction

In addition to the theory explaining the decline of the colossal structure 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 blame was the enormous military significance that the beacon had for the defenders of Egypt. After the country was captured by the Arabs, the Christian countries, and above all the Byzantine Empire, hoped to recapture Egypt from the 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, trying to get to the gold, and in the process damaged the mirror system.

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

Recoverability

The very first attempt to restore the Alexandria lighthouse was made by the Arabs in the XIV century AD. BC, but it turned out to build only a 30-meter semblance of a lighthouse. Then the construction stopped, and only 100 years later, the ruler of Egypt, Kite 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 a reservoir remained. This fortress still exists today.

Often, enthusiastic historians consider the likelihood 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 reconstruct its appearance.

Touch the history

For the first time, some fragments of the lighthouse were discovered by archaeologists at the bottom of the sea in 1994. Since then, the expedition of the European Institute of Underwater Archeology at the bottom of the harbor has discovered a whole quarter of ancient Alexandria, the existence of which scientists had not previously suspected. Remains of many ancient structures have survived under the water. There is even a hypothesis that one of the buildings found may be the palace of the famous Queen Cleopatra.

The Egyptian government in 2015 approved a large-scale reconstruction of the ancient lighthouse. In the place where it was built in ancient times, it is planned to build a multi-storey copy of the great lighthouse. Interestingly, the project provides for the construction of an underwater glass hall at a depth of 3 meters, so that all lovers ancient history could see the ruins of the ancient royal quarter.

Kievyan street, 16 0016 Armenia, Yerevan +374 11 233 255

Pharos, aka the Alexandria lighthouse - one of the seven wonders of the world - was located on east coast Pharos Islands within the boundaries of Alexandria. It was the first and only lighthouse of such gigantic proportions at that time. The builder of this structure was Sostrat of Cnidus. Now the Alexandria lighthouse has not survived, but the remains of this structure have been found, confirming the reality of its existence.

It has been known for a long time that the remains of a lighthouse are under water in the Pharos region. But the presence in this place of the Egyptian naval base obstructed any research. It was only in 1961 that Kemal Abu el-Sadat discovered statues, blocks and boxes made of marble 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 of this site to archaeologists has been confirmed.

Active research

In 1980, a group of archaeologists from different countries began excavations at seabed in the Pharos area. This group of scientists, in addition to archaeologists, included architects, topographers, Egyptologists, painters and restorers, and photographers.

As a result, hundreds of fragments of the lighthouse were discovered at a depth of 6–8 meters, covering an area of ​​more than 2 hectares. In addition, studies have shown that objects on the seabed are older than the lighthouse. Many columns and capitals of granite, marble, limestone belonging to different eras were extracted from the water.

The discovery of the famous obelisks called "Cleopatra's needles" and brought to Alexandria by order of Octavian Augustus in 13 BC, aroused particular interest of scientists. NS. Subsequently, many of the finds were restored and exhibited in museums in different countries.

About Alexandria

Alexandria, the capital of Hellenistic Egypt, was founded in the Nile delta by Alexander the Great in 332–331 BC. NS. 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 was home to many magnificent palaces and royal tombs. Alexander the Great was also buried here, whose body was brought from Babylon and buried in a golden sarcophagus in a magnificent tomb by order of King Ptolemy Soter, who thereby wanted to emphasize the continuity of the traditions of the great conqueror.

At a time when other military leaders 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.

Home of the Muses

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

The splendid Library of Alexandria also attracted scholars to Museion, which contained about 500 thousand scrolls, including the works of the outstanding Greek playwrights Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides. King Ptolemy II allegedly asked these manuscripts from the Athenians for a while, so that the scribes could make copies of them. The Athenians asked for a huge bail. The king paid meekly. But he refused to return the manuscripts.

A well-known 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 famous geographer and the mathematician Eratosthenes. He managed to calculate the diameter and radius of the Earth and made only an insignificant error of 75 kilometers, which, given the possibilities available at that time, does not detract from his merits.

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

Natural sciences, mathematics and mechanics were widely developed. The famous mathematician Euclid, the founder of geometry, and the outstanding inventor Heron of Alexandria, whose works were long ahead of their time, lived in Alexandria. For example, he created a device that was actually the first steam engine.

In addition, he invented many different automatic machines that are driven by steam or hot air. But in the era of the universal spread of slave labor, these inventions could not find application and were used only for the entertainment of the royal court.

The most ingenious astronomer Aristarchus of Samos, long before Copernicus, said that the Earth is a ball that revolves around its axis and around the Sun. Among his contemporaries, his ideas caused only a grin, but he remained unconvinced.

Creation of the Alexandria lighthouse

The developments of Alexandrian scientists were also applied in real life... An example of outstanding achievements of science was the Alexandria lighthouse, which was considered one of the wonders of the world at that time. In 285 BC. NS. the island was connected to the shore by a dam - an artificially poured isthmus. And five years later, by 280 BC. BC, the construction of the lighthouse was completed.

The Alexandria lighthouse was a three-story tower about 120 meters high.

• The lower floor was built in the form of a square with four sides, each of which was 30.5 meters in length. The edges of the square were facing four cardinal directions: north, south, east, west - and were made of limestone.
• The second floor was made in the form of an octagonal tower faced with marble slabs. Its edges were oriented in the direction of the eight winds.
• The third floor, the lantern itself, was crowned with a dome with a bronze statue of Poseidon, the height of which reached 7 meters. The dome of the lighthouse rested on marble columns. Leading up spiral staircase was so comfortable that all the necessary materials, including fuel for the fire, were lifted up on donkeys.

A complex system of metal mirrors reflected and amplified the light of the lighthouse, and it was clearly visible to mariners from afar. In addition, the same system made it possible to monitor the sea space and detect enemy ships long before they appeared within sight.

Special pointers

Bronze statues were placed on the octagonal tower that forms the second floor. Some of them were equipped with special mechanisms that allowed them to serve as weather vane indicating the direction of the wind.

Travelers talked about the wonderful properties of the statues. One of them allegedly always pointed her hand at the sun, tracing its path across the sky, and dropped her hand when the sun went down. The other beat every hour throughout the day.

It was said that there was even a statue that, when enemy ships appeared, pointed to the sea and issued a warning cry. All these stories do not seem so fantastic if we remember the steam machines of Heron of Alexandria.

It is possible that the scientist's achievements 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 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 had no analogues in Ancient world neither in size nor in terms of technical data. Before that, ordinary bonfires were usually used as lighthouses. It is not surprising that the Alexandria lighthouse with its complex system of mirrors, colossal size and fantastic statues seemed to all people a real miracle.

Who created the Alexandria lighthouse

The builder of this miracle, Sostratus of Cnidus, carved an inscription on the marble wall: "Sostratus, the son of Dexiphanes of 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 name of the master who created a magnificent lighthouse appeared in the eyes of those around him.

Although the lighthouse was located on the eastern coast of the island of Pharos, it is more often referred to as Alexandria rather than Pharos. This island is mentioned in Homer's poem "The Odyssey". During Homer's time, he was in the Nile Delta, opposite the small Egyptian settlement of Rakotis.

But by the time of the construction of the lighthouse, according to the remarks of the Greek geographer Strabo, he had significantly approached 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 is 177.6 meters).

That is, in terms of the measurement system we are used to, the length of the dam was about 750 meters. On the side of Pharos was the main, the Great Harbor of Alexandria. This harbor was so deep that a large ship could anchor off the coast.

Nothing is eternal

The tower is my helper for sailors who have lost their way.
Here at night I light the bright fire of Poseidon.
She was about to collapse from the dull rustling wind,
But Ammonius strengthened me again with his labors.
After the fierce ramparts, they stretch out their hands to me
All sailors, honoring you, about the earth vibrator.

Nevertheless, the lighthouse stood until the XIV 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. Now there is an Egyptian naval port on Pharos. And on the western side of the island is another lighthouse, which does not resemble in any way its great predecessor, but also continues to show the way for ships.

The Lighthouse of Alexandria is one of the oldest engineering structures of mankind. It was built between 280 and 247 BC. NS. on the island of Pharos, located off the coast of the ancient city of Alexandria (the territory of modern Egypt). It is thanks to the name of this island that the lighthouse was also known as Pharos.

The height of this grandiose structure, according to the testimony of 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 construction of the lighthouse

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

Some historians believe that, in addition to the usual function of ensuring the safety of mariners, the lighthouse could have an adjacent, no less important function. In those days, the rulers of Alexandria feared a possible attack from the sea, and such a colossal structure like the Lighthouse of Alexandria could serve as an excellent observation point.

Initially, the lighthouse was not equipped with a complex system of signal lights, it was built several hundred years later. At first, the signals to the ships were given with the help of smoke from a fire, and therefore the lighthouse was effective only in the daytime.

Unusual design of the Alexandria lighthouse

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

For the sake of building a lighthouse between the mainland and the island of Pharos, a dam was built in a short time, along which the necessary materials were delivered.

It is simply impossible to tell 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, highest level of the lighthouse was built in the form of a square with a side length of about 30 meters. The corners of the base were designed strictly to the cardinal points. The premises located on the first level were intended for storing the necessary supplies and for the residence of numerous guards and workers of the lighthouse.

A reservoir was built in the underground level, the supply of drinking water of which was supposed to be 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 exactly in 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 was crowned with a large dome on top. The top of the dome was decorated with a bronze sculpture at least 7 meters high. Historians still do not come to a consensus on 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 a 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 amplified many times over by these metal plates. The ancient chronicles 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 the inexperienced guests of the city, who first saw this ancient wonder of the world - the 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. A huge amount of fuel was required to run smoothly, so the wagons drawn by mules constantly climbed and descended the inclined stairs.

The architect who built the miracle

During the construction of the lighthouse, the king of Alexandria was Ptolemy I Soter, a talented ruler, under whom the city turned into a thriving commercial port. Having decided to build a lighthouse in the harbor, he invited one of the talented architects of that time, Sostratus of Cnidus, to work.

In ancient times, the only name that could be immortalized on the constructed structure was the name of the ruler. But the architect who erected the lighthouse was very proud of his creation and wanted to preserve for posterity the knowledge of who really was the author of the miracle.

Risking to incur 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 Dextiphan, dedicated to the gods-saviors for the sake of sailors." Then the inscription was covered with layers of plaster and already on top of it the prescribed praises to the king were carved.

Several centuries after the construction, pieces of plaster gradually fell off, and an inscription appeared that preserved in stone the name of the person who built one of the seven wonders of the world - the Alexandria lighthouse.

First of its kind

In ancient times, the flames and smoke of bonfires were often used in different countries as a warning system or to send signals of danger, but the Alexandria Lighthouse was the first specialized structure of its kind in the whole world. In Alexandria, it was called Pharos, after the name of the island, and all the lighthouses that were built after him were also called Pharos. 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, statues, which can be called the first simple automata. They turned, made sounds, performed simple actions. But these were not at all chaotic movements, one of the statues pointed with its hand at the Sun, and when the Sun went down, the hand automatically lowered. A clockwork was mounted in another figure, which marked the beginning of a new hour with a melodic ringing. The third statue was used as a weather vane, showing the direction and strength of the wind.

A brief description of the Alexandria lighthouse, made by his contemporaries, could not convey the secrets of the structure of these statues or an approximate diagram of the ramp along which the fuel was delivered. Most of these secrets are lost forever.

Destruction of the lighthouse

The firelight of this unique structure has guided sailors along the way for centuries. But gradually, during the decline of the Roman Empire, the lighthouse also began to decline. Less and less funds were invested in maintaining it in working order, besides, the harbor of Alexandria was gradually shallower 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 catastrophe of 1326 finally destroyed the seventh wonder of the world.

Alternative version of destruction

In addition to the theory explaining the decline of the colossal structure 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 blame was the enormous military significance that the beacon had for the defenders of Egypt. After the country was captured by the Arabs, the Christian countries, and above all the Byzantine Empire, hoped to recapture Egypt from the 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, trying to get to the gold, and in the process damaged the mirror system.

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

Recoverability

The very first attempt to restore the Alexandria lighthouse was made by the Arabs in the XIV century AD. BC, but it turned out to build only a 30-meter semblance of a lighthouse. Then the construction stopped, and only 100 years later, the ruler of Egypt, Kite 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 a reservoir remained. This fortress still exists today.

Often, enthusiastic historians consider the likelihood 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 reconstruct its appearance.

Touch the history

For the first time, some fragments of the lighthouse were discovered by archaeologists at the bottom of the sea in 1994. Since then, the expedition of the European Institute of Underwater Archeology at the bottom of the harbor has discovered a whole quarter of ancient Alexandria, the existence of which scientists had not previously suspected. Remains of many ancient structures have survived under the water. There is even a hypothesis that one of the buildings found may be the palace of the famous Queen Cleopatra.

The Egyptian government in 2015 approved a large-scale reconstruction of the ancient lighthouse. In the place where it was built in ancient times, it is planned to build a multi-storey copy of the great lighthouse. Interestingly, the project provides for 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.

Alexandrian lighthouse

Alexandria (Pharos) lighthouse- one of the 7 wonders of the world, was built in the 3rd century BC. NS. in the Egyptian city of Alexandria so that ships can safely pass the reefs on their way to the Alexandria Bay. At night, they were helped in this by the reflection of the flames, and during the day - by a column of smoke. It was the world's first lighthouse, and it stood for almost a thousand years, but in 796 AD. NS. was badly damaged by an earthquake. Subsequently, the Arabs who came to Egypt tried to restore it, and by the XIV century. the height of the lighthouse was about 30 m. At the end of the 15th century. Sultan Kayt-bey 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 off the coast of Alexandria. This bustling port was founded by Alexander the Great during a visit to Egypt in 332 BC. NS. The structure was named after the island. Its construction was supposed to take 20 years, and it was completed around 283 BC. NS. , during the reign of Ptolemy II, king of Egypt. The construction of this gigantic structure took only 5 years. Architect - Sostrat of Cnidus.

The Pharos lighthouse consisted of three marble towers, which stood 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 upper tower. The upper tower was shaped like a cylinder in which a fire was burning.

Guide light

The death of the lighthouse

In the XIV century, the lighthouse was completely destroyed by an earthquake. A few years later, its fragments were used to build a fortress. The fortress was subsequently rebuilt more than once.

Literature

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

See what "Lighthouse of Alexandria" is in other dictionaries:

Alexandrian lighthouse- Alexandrian lighthouse … Russian spelling dictionary

This article is about the artistic image. For other meanings of the term in the title of the article, see the Pillar of Alexandria. The Pillar of Alexandria is an image used by Alexander Pushkin in his poem "Monument" in 1836 ... Wikipedia

This term has other meanings, see Lighthouse (disambiguation). In Kronstadt ... Wikipedia

It can mean: The literary image introduced by A.S. Pushkin in the poem "Monument" The informal name of the Alexander Column, which goes back to this image of the Alexandria Lighthouse, according to a number of Pushkin scholars, was implied by A.S. ... ... Wikipedia

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

A tall, tower-like structure, standing on the seashore, on the route of ships to show the way to mariners. At night, the top of M. is kept on fire. Indicator M. are erected in the open sea, on separate small rocks and shallows, and ... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

A lighthouse, a tower-type structure that serves as a reference point for identifying the banks, determining the position of the vessel and warning of navigational hazards. M. are equipped with light-optical systems, as well as other technical means of signaling: ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Lighthouse of Alexandria (Pharos)- 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 the entry of ships into the harbor of Alexandria safe. It was a three-tiered tower with a height ... ... The ancient world. Reference dictionary.