Lighthouse of Alexandria: a brief description of the report. Alexandria lighthouse: photo, description, history and interesting facts Aleksandrovsky lighthouse showed ships the way at night with fire

Pharos, aka the Alexandria lighthouse - one of the seven wonders of the world - was located on the eastern coast of the island of Pharos 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 Sostratus of Cnidus. Nowadays, 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 of an Egyptian naval base on this site prevented any research from being carried out. 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 on the seabed in the Pharos region. This group of scientists, in addition to archaeologists, included architects, topographers, Egyptologists, artists and restorers, as well as photographers.

As a result, hundreds of fragments of the lighthouse were 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 was of particular interest to 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 of Ptolemy Museyon ("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 by 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 by the famous geographer and 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 in the world and, thus, his own. In addition, poets and philosophers had 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 applied in real life. An example of outstanding achievements of science was the Alexandria lighthouse, considered at that time one of the wonders of the world. 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. The spiral staircase leading upstairs was so convenient that all the necessary materials, including fuel for the fire, were lifted up on donkeys.

A sophisticated 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 through 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 an impregnable fortress with a powerful garrison. In the underground part, in case of a siege, there was a huge cistern with drinking water.

The Pharos lighthouse had no analogues in the Ancient World either in size or 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 east 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, O 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.

Names and naming conventions

Original name (local):

English name:

Lighthouse Alexandria

Year of commencement of work, restructuring:

one of the 7 wonders of the world, was built in the 3rd century BC. BC in the Egyptian city of Alexandria, so that ships can safely pass the reefs on their way to the Alexandrian 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.

Started in approximately 283 BC

Coordinates: 31 ° 12'51 ″ s. NS. 29 ° 53′06 ″

• Model (photo and video)
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At the time of the first Ptolemies, a lighthouse was built on the island of Pharos. According to the testimony of ancient and medieval authors, it was higher than the highest pyramid. But at the time when Strabo visited him, the lighthouse was no longer very different from other structures. It was half destroyed. Its highest part collapsed, and its fragments lay near the tower, which was covered with a temporary wooden roof, "and several watchmen lived in it."

The construction of lighthouses began in ancient times and this was due, first of all, to the development of navigation. At first, these were just bonfires located on the high banks. Then there were artificial structures. The Alexandria Lighthouse was built in 283 BC. e., the construction of this gigantic, for those times, structures lasted only 5 years. But before proceeding with the description of this wonder of the world, you should learn a little about the geography and history of the area where it was built.

Alexandria

Alexandria, founded in 332 BC, is located in the Nile Delta, on the site of the Egyptian town of Rakotis. It was one of the first cities of the Hellenistic era, built according to a single plan. In Alexandria, there was the sarcophagus of Alexander the Great, and there was also a museion - the abode of the muses, the center of arts and science. And so an etymological thread is being laid from the muses to the modern word "museum". Museion is both an academy of sciences, a dormitory for scientists, a technical center, a school, and the world's greatest library, which contained up to half a million scrolls. A passionate scribe and a vain man, Tsar Ptolemy II suffered from the fact that the library did not have some of the unique manuscripts of Greek playwrights. He sent an embassy to Athens for the Athenians to borrow scrolls for a while, to copy. Arrogant Athens demanded a fabulous pledge - 15 talents, almost half a ton of silver. Ptolemy accepted the challenge. The silver was delivered to Athens, and it was necessary to reluctantly fulfill the agreement. But Ptolemy did not forgive such distrust of his bibliophilic inclinations and his word of honor. He left a deposit to the Athenians, and the manuscripts to himself. But that's not the point ...

Alexandria's harbor, perhaps the busiest and busiest in the world, was inconvenient. The port in this harbor was founded by Alexander the Great during a visit to Egypt in 332 BC. NS. The city thrived on maritime trade. But by the XII century A.D. NS. the bay of Alexandria was so filled with silt that ships could no longer use it. From that time began the period of decline of Alexandria, about which very little is known today ...

Present-day Alexandria has more than 2 million inhabitants and stretches for 25 kilometers along a sandy spit that once cut the sea bay, forming a large salt lake. But modern Alexandria has a completely different shape. In the northwest, where an elongated peninsula with a densely populated Arab quarter and the magnificent Abu al-Abbas mosque is now located, in ancient times there was a sea, more precisely, two marinas - the Great Marina and the Marina of Happy Return. From the side of the sea, they were covered by the rocky island of Pharos, which served as a natural breakwater.

History of the building

The Nile carries a lot of silt, and in the shallow waters among the stones and shoals, very skilful pilots were required. To secure navigation, it was decided to build a lighthouse on the island of Pharos, on the way to Alexandria. In 285 BC, the island was connected to the mainland by a dam, and the architect Sostratus of Cnidus began work. The construction took only five years: Alexandria was an advanced technical center and the richest city of the then world, at the services of the builders were a huge fleet, quarries and the achievements of the Museion academicians.

This structure, like the pyramids, arose from the sweat and labor of slaves, and during the time of construction, the whips of the overseers also whistled. But he had two fundamental differences: firstly, the lighthouse on the island of Foros brought "public benefit", and secondly, at the time when this last miracle of the ancient world was created, technology reached considerable heights. Already known were Archimedes' screw and pulley block, lifting devices, various construction tools. The main building materials for the lighthouse were limestone, marble, granite. The construction was supervised by the famous Greek architect Sostratus of Cnidus. At the end of the work, he carved the inscription on the stone of the structure: "Son of Dexiphanes Sostratus - to the guardian gods, for the good of those who float." Sostratus covered this inscription with cement and on top marked the name of Ptolemy Soter, who ruled at that time. Sostratus did not hope to live up to the time when the plaster crumbled, and it was not in his interest to find out the reaction of the ruler to this act. After all, having done this, he went on a risky violation of the decrees of the Ptolemies. However, soon the cement crumbled, and everyone saw the first inscription. Possidipus, a contemporary of Sostratus, sang it in poetry that survived the lighthouse and brought to us the name of its creator.

And this name was widely known in the ancient world. Modern scientists have established that there were several structures similar to the "hanging gardens" of Babylon, and one of them was the "hanging promenade" on the island of Cnidus. Sostratus was its architect and engineer. He is credited with another grandiose structure: during the battles for Memphis, he allegedly diverted the waters of the Nile to capture the city.

Description of the lighthouse

The lighthouse turned out in the form of a three-story tower 120 meters high (the first and most dangerous "rival" to the Egyptian pyramids). At the base, it was a square with a side of thirty meters, the first sixty-meter floor of the tower was built of stone slabs and supported a forty-meter eight-sided tower, faced with white marble. On the third floor, in a round, pillared tower, a huge bonfire was always burning, reflected by a complex system of mirrors. Firewood was delivered up a spiral staircase, so flat and wide that donkey carts drove along it to a height of one hundred meters. The tower contained many ingenious technical devices: weather vane, astronomical instruments, clocks. However, it is impossible to perceive this description, transmitted to us by one of the ancient inhabitants of Alexandria, as the only true one: each of those whose descriptions have come down to us still tried to somehow embellish what he saw, since the Alexandria lighthouse was truly a grandiose structure for the then world.

Among other descriptions we meet the following: “The Pharos lighthouse consisted of three marble towers, standing on the base of massive stone blocks. The first tower was rectangular and contained rooms where workers and soldiers lived. Above this tower was a smaller, octagonal tower with a spiral ramp leading to the upper tower. " The common features of these two descriptions are visible. As a result, today we can take the following description as the most accurate and truthful one.

The lighthouse had a height of 180 meters from the base to the top. Such a calculation was made on the basis of the testimony of the historian Flavius ​​Josephus. According to other descriptions, its height was only 120 meters. Ibn al-Sayha (XI century) calls the figure 130-140 meters. According to modern experts, from a purely practical point of view, such a height was excessive, even if we take into account that the ancient lighthouses should be higher due to the weakness of their fire. The greatest European lighthouse at the mouth of the Garonne near Bordeaux is 59 meters above sea level. It was built by the Romans, taking as a model the lighthouse on the island of Foros. It remained in its original form until the 16th century, then it was rebuilt. The Cape Hatteras lighthouse is 58 meters high, the Florida coral reef lighthouse is 48 meters high. None of the modern lighthouses reaches the height of Alexandria.

The Ptolemies built this fantastic skyscraper on a cliff for more than just practical purposes. First of all, the lighthouse was a symbol of the power of their empire, a symbol of wealth and greatness, like a light in darkness. This structure had a base in the form of a square with sides of 180-190 meters (other sources give different figures). On this foundation stood a palace with four towers at the corners. A massive quadrangular tower 70-80 meters high rose from its center, which gradually narrowed, ending in battlements. On this tower there was another, narrower, but also quite high, which ended with a stone platform. On this platform, there were columns in a circle that supported a cone-shaped tower, which was crowned with a statue of the patron saint of the seas, Poseidon, 8 meters high. According to some reports, a statue of Zeus the Savior stood at the top of the tower, and not his brother Poseidon.

At the top of the third tower, a fire was lit in a voluminous bronze bowl, the reflection of which, with the help of a complex system of mirrors, could be seen 100 miles away. A shaft ran through the entire lighthouse, around which a ramp and a staircase rose. On a wide and sloping pandos, donkey carts drove up to the top of the lighthouse. Fuel for the lighthouse was delivered through the mine.

The high lighthouse also served as an observation post. A sophisticated reflector system was also used to survey the sea, allowing enemy ships to be detected long before they appeared at the coast.

The death of the lighthouse

The inscription of Sostratus was seen by Roman travelers. At that time, the lighthouse was still functioning. With the fall of the Roman Empire, it ceased to shine, the upper tower, which had been dilapidated over the centuries, collapsed, but the walls of the lower floor still stood for a long time.

The Alexandria lighthouse stood for 1500 years, helping to orient the Mediterranean "cybernetos" (as the ancient Greeks called the pilots). The lighthouse suffered from earthquakes and weathered stone, but during the time of the emperors Claudius and Nero, it was restored. Its fire was extinguished forever during an earthquake in the 4th century. During the Arab rule in the middle of the 7th century, it served only as a daytime beacon. During the time of the first Mamluk sultans (mid-XIII century), the mainland approached the island so much that the marinas were covered with sand and it was no longer needed as a daytime lighthouse. At the very beginning of the XIV century, it was dismantled into stones, and a medieval Turkish fortress was erected on the ruins of the lighthouse. Bronze plates that served as mirrors were probably melted down into coins. This fortress was subsequently rebuilt more than once and still stands on the site of the world's first lighthouse.

In the 1960s, while exploring the coastal waters, an unknown Italian diver descended to a shallow depth near the Sultan's fortress and found two marble columns. During further work, a statue of the goddess Isis of Pharos was raised from the bottom, which once stood in a nearby temple. In 1980, a group of archaeologists discovered the remains of the Pharos lighthouse on the seabed. At the same time, at a depth of 8 meters, the ruins of the palace of the legendary Queen Cleopatra were discovered ...

Fire visibility range:

Description of fire, sign

The height of the structure.

The Alexandria Lighthouse 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 Alexandria lighthouse 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, signals to ships were given using 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 lighthouse workers.

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 form 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 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

At the time of the construction of the lighthouse, the king of Alexandria was Ptolemy I Soter, a talented ruler under whom the city turned into a 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 were carved the prescribed praises to the king.

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 transmit danger signals, 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 uncomplicated 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 through 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 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 by 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 importance 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.

The Alexandria lighthouse, which belongs to the seven wonders of the Ancient World, has another name - Pharos. It owes the presence of the second name to its location - the island of Pharos, located off the coast of the city of Alexandria, which is located on the territory of Egypt.

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

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

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

For its arrangement, it was required to implement many complex engineering and construction solutions. An important necessity was the construction of a dam that could connect the coast to Pharos, and a breakwater to protect the harbor from sand and silt. Thus, Alexandria received two harbors at once. One harbor was to receive merchant ships sailing from the Mediterranean, and the other - ships that came along the Nile.

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

The tasks for this structure were as follows - to secure the navigation of ships in coastal waters. And such concern would lead to an increase in sales, since all trade was carried out through the port. But because of the monotonous landscape of the coast, the sailors needed an additional reference point, and they would be quite satisfied with a signal light illuminating the place of the entrance to the harbor. According to historians, Alexander the Great pinned other hopes on the construction of the lighthouse - to ensure the city's safety from the attacks of the Ptolemies, who could attack from the sea. Therefore, to detect enemies who could be at a considerable distance from the coast, a sentry post of impressive size was needed.

Difficulties in the construction of the Alexandria lighthouse

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

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

Design features of the Alexandria lighthouse

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

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

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

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

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

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

The fate of the Alexandria lighthouse

After standing for almost a thousand years, the Alexandria lighthouse began to collapse. It happened in 796 A.D. due to a powerful earthquake, the upper part of the structure simply collapsed. From the huge 120-meter building of the lighthouse, only ruins remained, but even they reached a height of about 30 m. A little later, the wreckage of the lighthouse was useful for the construction of a military fort, which was rebuilt several times. This is how the Pharos lighthouse turned into Fort Qayt Bey - it got this name in honor of the Sultan who built it. Inside the fort there is a historical museum, in one of its parts there is a museum of marine biology, and opposite the building of the fort there are the Aquariums of the Museum of Hydrobiology.

Plans for the restoration of the Alexandria lighthouse

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

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, seen under water during the study, were marked with "beacons", thanks to which a little later it was possible to fix their location with special instruments from the shore. Satellite surveys were made, which made it possible to determine the coordinates of the finds with particular accuracy. Further, the information received was entered into a computer for further processing - it was supposed to help in creating a detailed map of the seabed relief in the bay ...

It's funny that the researchers used the most advanced technology to try to find the ruins of the Alexandria Lighthouse, which was one of the greatest technological and scientific achievements of the 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 centuries and continues to thrive to this day.

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

Shortly thereafter, in 323 BC. Alexander died, and the city passed into the possession of the new ruler of Egypt - Ptolemy I Soter. During his reign, Alexandria grew into a wealthy and prosperous port city, lacking only its own symbol, as well as a prominent coastal landmark that showed merchant ships the way to the mouth of the city harbor. Then in 290 BC. ruler Ptolemy I. ordered to build a lighthouse on the small island of Pharos as soon as possible.

Pharos was located near the coast of Alexandria - it was connected to the mainland by a huge artificial cofferdam (dam), which at the same time was part of the city's harbor. The coast of Egypt is distinguished by the monotony of the landscape - it is dominated by plains and lowlands, and sailors have always needed an additional reference point for successful sailing: 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 at the top, dates back to about the 1st century AD. e., which refers to the times of the Roman domination. However, the Lighthouse of Alexandria, which served as a coastal sign for sailors, was erected in the 4th century BC.

Lighthouse construction.

The lighthouse was created by the architect Sostratus from Knidia. Proud of his creation, he wanted to leave his name on the foundation of the building, but Ptolemy II, who inherited the throne after his father Ptolemy Soter, forbade him to commit this voluntary act. Pharaoh wanted only his royal name to be engraved on the stones, and that he was honored as the creator of the Alexandria lighthouse. Sostratus, being an intelligent man, did not argue, but simply found a way to bypass the order of the lord. First, he engraved the following inscription on the stone wall: "Sostratus, son of Dexiphon, a Cnidian, dedicated to the savior gods for the health of the sailors!", Then covered it with a layer of plaster, and wrote the name of Ptolemy on top. Centuries passed, and the plaster was covered with cracks 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 in the ancient world, not counting the Great Pyramids at Giza. Soon the news of the Miracle spread all over the world and the lighthouse was called by the name of the island Pharos or simply - Pharos. After, the word "faros", as a designation of a lighthouse, was fixed in many languages ​​(Spanish, Romanian, French)

Description of the Alexandria lighthouse.

In the 10th century, two detailed descriptions of the Alexandria lighthouse were compiled by the travelers Idrisi and Yusuf el-Shaikh. According to them, the height of the building was equal to 300 cubits. Since such a measure of length as "cubit" was different for different peoples, then when translated into modern parameters, the height of the lighthouse ranges from 450 to 600 feet. Although it seems that the first figure is more consistent with the truth.

The lighthouse on Pharos was completely different from 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 built of blocks of marble, fastened with a solution with an admixture of lead.

The ground 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 carriage could climb up.

The second tier was built in the form of an octagonal tower, and the upper level 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 on the landing under him. It is said that from ships one could see the light of this lighthouse at a distance of 35 miles (56 km).

At the very bottom of the lighthouse there were many service rooms where inventory was stored, and inside the two upper floors there was a mine with a lifting mechanism that allowed the 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 service personnel climbed to the platform, where a signal light was burning. According to sources, a massive concave mirror was also installed there, probably made of polished metal. It was used to reflect and amplify the light of a fire. It is said that at night the ships' path to the harbor was indicated by a bright reflected light, and during the day - by a huge column of smoke 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 so that it burned enemy ships as soon as they appeared in sight. 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 far-fetched.

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 plinth has a square base, the sides of which are approximately 8.5 meters, while the north and west sides are washed by the sea. The height of the east and south walls of the plinth is 6.5 meters. However, the height of the walls facing the sea is much higher, they are more steep and resemble a steep mountain slope.The stonework of the lighthouse is especially strong here.I must say that the part of the building I described above is the most modern, since it is here that the masonry has decayed the most. On the side of the plinth, which faces the sea, there is an ancient inscription that I cannot read, because the wind and sea waves exuded the stone base, which caused the letters to partially crumble. The size of the letter "A" is slightly less than 54 The upper part of the "M" resembles a large hole in the bottom of a copper boiler, while the dimensions of the rest of the letters are similar.

The entrance to the lighthouse is at a considerable height, because an embankment with a length of 183 meters leads to it. It rests on a series of arches, the width of which is so great that my companion, having stood under one of them and stretched out his arms to the sides, could not touch its walls. There were sixteen arches in total, each larger than the last. The most recent arch is particularly striking in its size. "

Apparently, the lighthouse also served as a local landmark, where travelers were allowed: for example, on the observation deck of the first floor of the lighthouse, one could not only admire the view from there, but also buy food. If guests wanted to climb higher, then they had a small balcony arranged 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 an amazing sight, especially since in those ancient times, there were very few structures like this.

Destruction.

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

The story of how much of the lighthouse was turned into ruins in 850 by the intrigues of the emperor of Constantinople seems completely unreliable. Since Alexandria very successfully competed with the aforementioned 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 in Cairo the caliph (who at that time was the ruler of Alexandria) heard this rumor, he ordered to demolish the lighthouse in order to find the treasures hidden under it. Only after the gigantic mirror was broken and two tiers had already been destroyed, did the Caliph realize that he had been deceived. He tried to rebuild the building, but his attempts were unsuccessful. Then he rebuilt the surviving first floor of the lighthouse, turning it into a mosque. However, as colorful as this story is, it cannot be true. After all, travelers who visited the Pharos lighthouse already in 1115 A.D. NS. testify that even then he still remained safe and sound, regularly 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 will be able to convey all his beauty, there will not be enough eyes to look at him, 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 badly that the Arab traveler Ibn Batuta could no longer get inside this structure. But even these ruins have not survived to this day: in 1480, Sultan Kayt Bey, who ruled Egypt at that time, erected a citadel (fort) on the site of the lighthouse. The remains of the lighthouse masonry were taken for construction. Thus, the lighthouse became part of the medieval fort of Kite Bay. However, the blocks from which the Alexandria Lighthouse was once composed can still be discerned in the stone walls of the fort - thanks to their gigantic size.