Alexandria Egyptian lighthouse in ancient times. Travels from A to Z. What the Faros lighthouse looked like

The Lighthouse of Alexandria or Faros is one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World. Construction began under Alexander the Great and was completed under Ptolemy I. Briefly described, its significance was of a strategic nature. The uniqueness of the building was explained by the non-standard height of the building.

Alexander the Great founded the city of the same name south of the Nile River Delta. To create strategically important sea trade routes, a port and a harbor were needed. The harbor was necessary due to frequent shipwrecks in that area - at night, ships crashed on the rocky terrain of the reservoir.

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

History of creation

Only a fairly tall building could cope with such functionality. According to the plans, the architect Sostratus of Knidos indicated the height of the lighthouse at 120 m. Some sources indicate 135-150 m. By the 4th century BC, such a structure had become a giant. Construction was supposed to last 20 years, but it went much faster - up to 12 years. According to another version - in 5-6 years.

Where is the Alexandria Lighthouse on the world map

Alexandrian lighthouse, short description which allows us to learn about the proposed place of its construction, was located on the island of Pharos in Alexandria. Now it is connected to the mainland by an embankment. This part is on modern map world 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, initially construction was supposed to last 20 years. But after the death of Macedon and the conquest of the lands of Ptolemy, these resources appeared.

Ptolemy had several groups of Jewish slaves who could begin construction. A dam was created between the island and the mainland for easier transportation of people and building materials.

What the Alexandria Lighthouse looked like

Passing 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 dropped down. Another statue struck the time every hour. The third indicated the direction of the wind.

The version with the third sculpture can be called confirmed, since the second tier was located in the direction of the wind rose. Accordingly, one of the statues could actually show the direction, like a weather vane.

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

I (lower) tier

The lowest block was in the shape of a square, each side of which was 30-31 m. The height of the first tier reached 60 m. This foundation part became the main one. In those days, the height of the foundation did not exceed 10 meters, which was an innovation for the lighthouse. The corners of the lower floor were decorated with statues in the form of tritons.

The practical purpose of the tier was to locate the guards and lighthouse workers in these rooms. Food and fuel for the lantern were also stored here.

II (middle) tier

The middle tier had a height of 40 m, the outer cladding was made of marble slabs. The octagonal shape of this part of the building was facing the direction of the winds. Thus, the enlarged architectural solution of Sostratus of Knidos took into account all the outgoing data. The statues that decorated the tier served as weather vanes.

III (upper) tier

The third cylindrical tier was the main one for the lighthouse. The statue stood on 8 granite columns.

There are 3 versions whose figure was depicted:

God of the seas Poseidon.
Isis-Faria, goddess of prosperous sailors.
Zeus the Savior, the main god.

Its material also differs in two versions: bronze or gold. The height of the statue reached 7-8 m. The top of the lighthouse was domed in the shape of a cone. Under the statue there was a platform for a signal fire. An increase in the amount of light was created using concave mirrors (possibly bronze) made of metal according to one version and the same shape of smooth polished stones - according to another. G

A number of disputes arose regarding fuel delivery:

One of the versions is about delivery using a lifting mechanism inside the lighthouse in the mine.
Another story involves mules lifting fuel up a spiral ramp.
The third version modified the second - delivery was carried by donkeys along a gentle staircase.

One of the versions of delivering fuel for a lamp to the upper tier of the Alexandria Lighthouse

Faros is the island on which the lighthouse was located. The delivery of fuel and provisions for the guards would take place by boat, which would significantly complicate transportation. Therefore, it was decided to build a dam from the island to the mainland. Subsequently, the dam was trampled down, forming a land isthmus.

Height and range of outgoing light

There is very conflicting data regarding the range of the outgoing light. One version is 51 km, the other is 81. But according to Struisky’s mathematical calculations, for such a range of light, the height of the lighthouse should have been at least 200-400 m. The most likely version is that the light from the building emanated no more than 20 km.

At night, the lighthouse was illuminated by fire, and during the day it served as a symbol in the form of an emanating column of smoke.

Additional purpose

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

Macedonian was afraid, based on the experience of other rulers. At that time, Demetrius Poliorcetes made a surprise attack on the harbor of Piraeus, taking advantage of the enemy's limited visibility. Demetrius also appeared on the Egyptian shores after an unsuccessful campaign against Ptolemy.

Egypt then escaped the fight due to a strong storm, which destroyed a significant part of the enemy fleet. Alexander began construction of an important lighthouse, but only Ptolemy I was able to complete it. Under the lighthouse on the underground floor there was a large water tank for the duration of the proposed siege.

What happened to the Alexandria lighthouse

There are several reasons for the destruction of the lighthouse:

Due to the death of Alexander the Great, the focus on the lighthouse was lost. It gradually collapsed due to insufficient funding.
The sea trade route to Pharos was blocked, so the need for a lighthouse and a bay disappeared. Copper statues and mirrors were melted down into coins.
The remains of the lighthouse were destroyed by an earthquake.

Until 796, the story is the same: the lighthouse gradually collapsed and an earthquake caused damage.

Alternative version of destruction

The further story is divided into supposed parts:

Total destruction version	Partial destruction versions
The lighthouse was completely destroyed to the very foundation. Almost 800 years later it was partially rebuilt for strategic military purposes. The height of the new lighthouse did not exceed 30 m.	The earthquake partially destroyed the lighthouse, but it was successfully repaired. It stood until the 14th century. The troops were also stationed here. Due to countless raids over the course of a hundred years, the lighthouse was destroyed to a depth of 30 meters.
	There is another version in which the lighthouse was partially destroyed. It is assumed that its theft was the reason for the destruction. During the Arab takeover of the Egyptian state, the Byzantines and Christian countries wanted to lure people and weaken the enemy. But the lighthouse prevented them from getting into the city. Therefore, several people secretly made their way into the city and spread rumors about Ptolemy's treasure, which was hidden in the lighthouse. The Arab people began to dismantle the insides of the structure, melting down the metals. This caused damage to the mirror system and permanently broke the beacon. The structure remained as a standing building, and half a century later it was converted into a fortress.

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

The Alexandria lighthouse has preserved the remains of the foundation, which in modern world occupies Fort Kite Bay (or Alexandria Fortress).

Briefly described, the fortress served as a defensive citadel of Turkey, but was conquered by Napoleonic troops during the weakening of the state.

In the 9th century, the Alexandria fortress was under Egyptian rule. At this time, it was strengthened and equipped with modern guns at that time. After a strong attack by British troops, it was destroyed again. By the end of the 20th century, the fort was completely rebuilt. Having such a long history, the fortress acquired new value. For this reason, they did not want to rebuild the Alexandria Lighthouse in its former place - this would have destroyed those historical monuments

, which were erected after the destruction of the lighthouse.

Possibility of recovery

By the 15th century, the fort-fortress of Kite Bay was built on the site of the Alexandria Lighthouse. According to one version, the wreckage of the lighthouse was used. According to another, the fort was built in the preserved part of the building. At the end of the 20th century there was international discussion about the restoration of the lighthouse.

The Egyptians planned to start work in another place, their initiative was supported by the following countries:
Italy.
Greece.
France.

Germany. The project is planned to be called “Medistone”. It includes reconstruction Ptolemaic era.

Expert assessment of the project in the region of $40 million. The bulk of the budget will be spent on the construction of modern amenities: a business center, restaurant, diving club, hotel and museum with a themed design of the Alexandria Lighthouse.

The location of the new reconstructed building was discussed for a long time. The Egyptians were reluctant to give up the original location of the lighthouse due to its current importance with the fort built. It was decided to build a new lighthouse to the east in the bay on a five-pointed float. The center of the float will be decorated with a glass interpretation of the lighthouse. The number of floors will be maintained with different level parts. Each of them will be equipped observation deck for tourists. From each floor you can go out to view the sea and the city. The height of the New Lighthouse will be up to 50 m. A star will be installed on top on steel supports, which will serve as an illuminator. The most high point

up to 106 m is planned.

The main interest of tourists is caused by the planned construction of an underwater hall. Its depth will reach 3 m.

The possibility of this construction was due to the location of the royal quarter of Alexandria. The city was located in a seismically active zone, so a significant part went under water. Transporting the find is problematic due to many years of being under water. The presence of an underwater hall will allow anyone to explore the lost quarter.

Interesting facts about the Alexandria Lighthouse

The Alexandria Lighthouse, a brief description of which allows you to learn about the details of the internal construction, is surrounded by several interesting facts.

For example, like this:
The search for the lost quarter began in 1968 by archaeologist Honor Frost. By the time the remains of the city were found, she was awarded the medal “For Egyptian Underwater Archaeology.”
Sostratus of Knidos wanted to perpetuate his name. Under the plaster he wrote a phrase about the construction of this lighthouse with his own hands for sailors. The top layer testified to the dedication of the structure to Ptolemy. This was discovered many years later when the plaster began to fall off.
The lighthouse is known by two names - Alexandria and Faros. The first name is due to the city where the lighthouse was located. According to another version, in honor of Macedonian, who began construction. The second name is known because of the island on which the structure was located. It is not known for certain which statue stood under the dome of the lighthouse. This is due who occupied the land. A different culture with a foreign religion changed oral history. There is no documented information, which is why the versions about the statue are so different. They have a common feature - the figure was associated with the deity of government and/or the sea.

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

Article format: Svetlana Ovsyanikova

Video on the topic: Alexandria Lighthouse

Alexandria (Faros) lighthouse:

Alexandria Lighthouse - help to seafarers, challenge of the sea elements. This seventh wonder of the world arose thanks to skillful 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, not far from the Egyptian coast. 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 Pharos 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 Faros 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. Supplies were kept in the underground part of the structure drinking water 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 - then construction work 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 Pharos lighthouse was compiled in 1166 by Abu el-Andalussi, a famous Arab traveler, who stated that the lighthouse was not only a useful structure, but also a worthy decoration of Alexandria.

One of the seven wonders 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.

Only one of the seven wonders of the ancient world had a practical purpose -. It performed several functions at once: it allowed 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 expanses of water and spot the enemy in time.

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

Lighthouse of Alexandria: brief description of the report

The height of the ancient lighthouse was 140 meters - much higher than the surrounding buildings. In ancient times, the 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 of the ancient world and remained so for an extremely long time.

The Alexandria lighthouse was built on east coast the small island of Pharos, located near Alexandria - the main seaport 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 great commander chose the location for the construction of the city extremely carefully: he initially planned to build a port in this region, which would be an important trading center.

It was extremely important that the Alexandria Lighthouse be located at the intersection of both water and land routes three parts 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 those 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 location for the city, Alexander took into account the location of future harbors, paying special attention to their strengthening and protection: it was very important to do everything to ensure that the waters of the Nile did not clog them with sand and silt (a dam was subsequently built specifically for this purpose, connecting the continent with an island).

After the death of Alexander the Great (who, according to legend, was born on the day of destruction), the city came 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.

Alexandria Lighthouse on the island of Pharos: purpose

The Alexandria lighthouse made it possible for ships to sail into the port without any problems, successfully avoiding underwater rocks, shoals and other obstacles in the bay. Thanks to this, after the construction of one of the seven wonders, the volume of light trade increased sharply.

The lighthouse also served as an additional reference point for sailors: the landscape of the Egyptian coast is quite diverse - mostly just lowlands and plains. Therefore, signal lights before entering the harbor were very useful.

A lower structure could have successfully performed 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 country was well defended on the land side by the desert.

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

Construction of the Alexandria Lighthouse

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

Thus, the truce, a huge amount of labor and other favorable circumstances gave him the opportunity to begin 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 e.

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

The construction of the Alexandria lighthouse was entrusted to the master Sostratus from Cnidia. Ptolemy wanted only his name to be 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 carved his name on the 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 architect's signature.

What the Faros lighthouse looked like

Exact information about what exactly one of the seven wonders of the world looked like has not been preserved, but some data is still available:

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

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

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

Alexandria Lighthouse: Wreck

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

Time has done its work: 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 number of dead Egyptians, according to chroniclers, exceeded 50 thousand inhabitants.

After this event, the lighthouse significantly decreased in size, but stood for quite a long time - until the 14th century, until another strong earthquake wiped it off the face of the earth (a hundred years later, Sultan Qait Bey built a fortress on its foundation, which can be seen Nowadays). After this, they remained the only ancient wonder of the world that has survived to this day.

In the mid-90s. the remains of the Alexandria lighthouse 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 the unique structure.

In the fall of 1994, a group of archaeologists set out to explore the coastal waters near the Egyptian city of Alexandria. With the help of scuba diving equipment, scientists began to study the seabed, hoping to find artifacts here. Large stone blocks noticed underwater during the research were marked with “beacons”, thanks to which a little later it was possible to fix their location with special devices from the shore. Satellite surveys were taken that made it possible to determine the coordinates of the finds with extreme accuracy. Next, the information received was entered into a computer for further processing - it was supposed to help in creating detailed map relief of the seabed in the bay...

It's funny that the researchers used the most Hi-tech to try to find the ruins of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, which was one of the greatest technological and scientific achievements 3rd century BC The same lighthouse on the island of Pharos, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Background.

The history of the lighthouse is connected with the founding of the city of Alexandria, which appeared in 332 BC. thanks to the famous conqueror from Macedonia - Alexander the Great. In general, the great commander founded at least 17 cities with the same name in different parts of his vast empire. Almost all of them disappeared without a trace, but Egyptian Alexandria flourished for many centuries and prospers to this day.

Alexander the Great very carefully chose the location for the future city. Instead of building it in the Nile Delta, he designated a settlement area 20 miles to the south so that the waters of the great river would not clog the city harbor with silt and sand. To the south, the city bordered the marshy Lake Mareotis. Alexandria had two excellent harbors at once. One of them received ships traveling along the Nile River, and the second was intended for merchant ships arriving from the Mediterranean Sea.

Soon after this, in 323 BC. Alexander died, and the city came into the possession of the new ruler of Egypt - Ptolemy I Soter. During his reign, Alexandria became a rich and prosperous port city, lacking only its own symbol and a prominent coastal landmark to guide merchant ships to the mouth of the city's harbor. Then in 290 BC. Ruler Ptolemy I. ordered the construction of a lighthouse on the small island of Pharos as quickly as possible.

Pharos was located near the coast of Alexandria - it was connected to the mainland by a huge artificial dam (dam), which was also part of the city harbor. The coast of Egypt is distinguished by the monotony of its landscape - it is dominated by plains and lowlands, and sailors have always needed an additional landmark for successful navigation: a signal light before entering the harbor of Alexandria. Thus, the function of the building on Pharos was determined from the very beginning. Actually, the lighthouse, precisely as a structure with a system of mirrors reflecting sunlight and signal lights on the top, dates back to approximately the 1st century AD. e., which dates back to the times of Roman rule. However, the Alexandria Lighthouse, which served as a coastal sign for sailors, was erected in the 4th century BC.

Construction of a lighthouse.

The lighthouse was created by the architect Sostratus of Cnidia. Proud of his creation, he wanted to leave his name on the foundation of the structure, but Ptolemy II, who inherited the throne after his father Ptolemy Soter, forbade him to perform this free act. The pharaoh wanted only his royal name to be engraved on the stones, and that he be revered as the creator of the Alexandria lighthouse. Sostrato, being an intelligent man, did not argue, but simply found a way to circumvent the ruler’s order. First, 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!”, after which he covered it with a layer of plaster, and wrote the name of Ptolemy on top. Centuries passed, and the plaster became cracked and crumbled, revealing to the world the name of the true builder of the lighthouse.

Construction dragged on for 20 years, but in the end the Lighthouse of Alexandria became the world's first lighthouse, and the tallest structure of the ancient world, not counting the Great Pyramids of Giza. Soon the news of the Miracle spread throughout the world and the lighthouse began to be called by the name of the island of Faros or simply Pharos. Afterwards, the word “faros”, as a designation for a lighthouse, became established in many languages (Spanish, Romanian, French)

Description of the Alexandria Lighthouse.

In the 10th century two were compiled detailed descriptions Lighthouse of Alexandria: travelers Idrisi and Yusuf el-Shaikh. According to them, the height of the building was 300 cubits. Since such a measure of length as a “cubit” had different sizes among different peoples, when translated into modern parameters, the height of the lighthouse ranges from 450 to 600 feet. Although I think the first number is more true.

The lighthouse on Pharos was not at all like most modern structures of this type - thin single towers, but rather resembled a futuristic skyscraper. It was a three-story (three-tiered) tower, whose walls were made of marble blocks held together with lead-laced mortar.

The first floor was over 200 feet high and 100 feet long. Thus, the lowest tier of the lighthouse resembled a massive parallelepiped. Inside, 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 top floor of the lighthouse resembled a cylinder topped with a dome resting on columns. The top of the dome was decorated with a huge statue of the god Poseidon, the ruler of the seas. There was always a fire burning on the platform below him. It is said that the light of this lighthouse could be seen from ships at a distance of 35 miles (56 km).

At the very bottom of the lighthouse there were many office premises, where equipment was stored, and 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.

In addition to this mechanism, a spiral staircase led along the walls to the top of the lighthouse, along which visitors and staff climbed to the platform where the signal fire burned. According to sources, a massive concave mirror, probably made of polished metal, was also installed there. It was used to reflect and enhance the light of a fire. They say that at night the ships were guided to the harbor by a bright reflected light, and during the day by a huge smoke column visible from afar.

Some legends say that the mirror at the Pharos lighthouse could also be used as a weapon: supposedly it was capable of focusing the sun's rays in such a way that it burned enemy ships as soon as they appeared in the field of view. Other legends say that it was possible to see Constantinople on the other side of the sea, using this mirror as a magnifying glass. Both stories seem too implausible.

The most complete description of it was left by the Arab traveler Abu Haggag Yusuf ibn Mohammed el-Andalussi, who visited Pharos in 1166. His notes read: “The Alexandria lighthouse is located at the very edge of the island. Its base has a square base, the length of the sides is approximately 8.5 meters, while the northern and western sides are washed by the sea. The height of the eastern and southern walls of the base reaches 6.5 meters. However, the height of the walls facing the sea is much greater, they are more steep and resemble a steep mountain slope. The stonework of the lighthouse here is especially strong. I must say that the part of the building that I described above is the most modern, since it is here that the masonry has deteriorated the most. and was in need of restoration. On the side of the plinth that faces the sea, an ancient inscription is visible, which I cannot read, because the wind and sea waves have worn away the stone base, due to which the letters have partially crumbled. The dimensions of the letter “A” are slightly less than 54. cm. And the upper part of the "M" resembles big hole in the bottom of a copper boiler. The sizes of the remaining letters are similar.

The entrance to the lighthouse is at a considerable height, because an embankment 183 meters long leads to it. It rests on a series of arches, the width of which is so great that my companion, standing under one of them and spreading his arms to the sides, could not touch its walls. There were sixteen arches in total, and each of them was larger than the previous one. The very last arch is especially striking in its size."

Apparently, the lighthouse also served as a local attraction where travelers were allowed: for example, to observation deck on the first floor of the lighthouse, you could not only admire the view from there, but also buy food. If guests wanted to go higher, then they had a small balcony at the very top of the middle tier - at an altitude of 300 feet above the sea. Undoubtedly, the lucky ones who managed to get there were in for a stunning sight, especially since in those ancient times there were very few structures like this.

Destruction.

How did the world's first lighthouse end up at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea? Most sources say that the lighthouse, like other ancient structures, fell victim to earthquakes. The lighthouse on Pharos stood for 1500 years, but tremors in 365, 956 and 1303 AD. e. seriously damaged it. And the earthquake of 1326 (according to other sources, 1323) completed the destruction.

The story of how most of the lighthouse was turned into ruins in 850 thanks to the intrigues of the Emperor of Constantinople seems completely unreliable. Since Alexandria competed very successfully with the above-mentioned city, the ruler of Constantinople conceived a cunning plan to destroy the lighthouse on Pharos. He spread rumors that a treasure of fabulous value was hidden under the foundation of this building. When the caliph in Cairo (who was at that time the ruler of Alexandria) heard this rumor, he ordered the lighthouse to be demolished in order to find the treasures hidden under it. Only after the giant mirror was broken and two tiers had already been destroyed did the caliph realize that he had been deceived. He tried to restore the building, but his attempts were unsuccessful. Then he rebuilt the surviving first floor of the lighthouse, turning it into a mosque. However, no matter how colorful this story is, it cannot be true. After all, travelers who visited the Faros lighthouse already in 1115 AD. e. indicate that even then he still remained safe and sound, properly performing his function.

Thus, the Lighthouse still stood on the island when the traveler Ibn Jabar visited Alexandria in 1183. What he saw 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!”

Two earthquakes in 1303 and 1323 destroyed the lighthouse on Pharos so much that the Arab traveler Ibn Batuta was no longer able to get inside this structure. But even these ruins have not survived to this day: in 1480, Sultan Qait Bey, who ruled Egypt at that time, erected a citadel (fort) on the site of the lighthouse. The remains of the lighthouse's masonry were taken for construction. Thus, the lighthouse became part of the medieval fort of Qite Bay. However, the blocks from which the Alexandria Lighthouse was once built can still be distinguished in the stone walls of the fort - due to their gigantic size.

The sixth wonder of the world is the Lighthouse of Alexandria(aka Faros Lighthouse). It was built in the 3rd century BC on.

In Egypt, on the small island of Pharos, not far from Alexandria, there was a bay that was of great importance for merchant ships. It was for this reason that the need arose for the construction of the Faros lighthouse.

Hardly anyone imagined that the outstanding structure would be included in. At night, flames reflected water surface, were visible at a distance of more than 60 kilometers, allowing ships to safely pass the reefs. During the day, instead of light, a column of smoke was used, which was also visible extremely far away.

Having stood for almost 1000 years, the Alexandria Lighthouse was seriously damaged by what happened in 796 AD. When the Arabs came to Egypt (XIV century), they decided to restore the grandiose building, reaching only 30 meters from the original height.

However, the reconstruction was not destined to be completed, and by the end of the 15th century, Qait Bey, the famous sultan, founded a fortress on the foundations of the lighthouse. By the way, it still exists.

Interesting facts about the wonder of the world Lighthouse of Alexandria

During the reign of Ptolemy II in Egypt, it was decided to build the famous lighthouse. According to the plan, the implementation of the idea should have taken 20 years, but all residents saw the masterpiece much earlier. The main architect and builder of this structure is Sostratus of Cnidus.

He carved his name on the marble wall of the lighthouse, and then, applying thin plaster, wrote words glorifying Ptolemy. Naturally, after a short period of time the plaster crumbled, and the name of the outstanding master entered the centuries. So, Sostratus completed the construction of the Pharos lighthouse in 5 years, which by the standards of antiquity was generally an instant!

The Alexandria lighthouse consisted of three towers. The first, lowest, rectangular part of the monument served technical purposes. Workers and soldiers lived there, and the tools and equipment necessary to maintain the lighthouse were stored there. A second, octagonal tower rose above the first part.

A ramp wound around it to lift fuel for the fire. The third tier was a majestic cylindrical building equipped with a complex system of mirrors. It was here that the vital fire burned, spreading its light for many kilometers around.

The height of the sixth wonder of the world, the Faros lighthouse, ranged from 120 to 140 meters. At the very top there was a statue of the god of the seas, Poseidon.

Some travelers, describing the miracle that amazed them, mentioned unusually constructed statues. The first one pointed with her hand at , throughout the day, and when the sun set, her hand dropped.

The second statue chimed every hour day and night. The third constantly indicated the direction of the wind, playing the role of a weather vane.

In the 12th century AD, ships stopped using the Alexandria Bay because it became extremely muddy. This is what caused the outstanding building to fall into complete disrepair. Even later, in the 14th century, due to an earthquake wonder of the world Alexandria lighthouse completely collapsed.

In its place a fortress was erected, which changed its appearance more than once. Now that's it historical place The base of the Egyptian fleet is located and, despite various proposals, the authorities are not considering the idea of restoring the lighthouse.

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