Lighthouse of Alexandria: brief description of the report. Alexandria Lighthouse: photo, description, history and interesting facts What the Alexandria Lighthouse shone during the day

The Alexandria Lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, also has another name - Faros. It owes its second name to its location - the island of Pharos, located off the coast of the city of Alexandria, which is located in Egypt.

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

He approached the choice of a place to build a new city quite carefully. At first glance it may seem strange that the settlement area was determined by the Macedonian to be 20 miles from the south of the Nile Delta. If he had built it in the delta, the city would have been 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 founded to the south of the delta had a strong justification - in this place the river waters could not clog the harbor with sand and silt that were harmful to it. Alexander the Great had high hopes for the city under construction. His plans included turning the city into a reputable trading center, because he successfully located it at the intersection of land, river and sea routes of communication of several continents. But such a significant city for the country's economy needed a harbor.

Its arrangement required the implementation of many complex engineering and construction solutions. An important need was the construction of a dam that could connect the sea coast with Pharos, and a pier that would protect the harbor from sand and silt. Thus, Alexandria received two harbors at once. One harbor was supposed to receive merchant ships sailing from the Mediterranean Sea, and the other - ships coming along the Nile River.

Alexander the Great's dream of transforming a simple city into a thriving 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 continually developed, the need for a lighthouse became increasingly felt.

The tasks assigned to this structure were to secure the navigation of ships in coastal waters. And such care would lead to an increase in sales, since all trade was conducted through the port. But due to the monotonous landscape of the coast, the sailors needed an additional landmark, and they would have been quite happy with a signal light illuminating the entrance to the harbor. According to historians, Alexander the Great had other hopes for the construction of the lighthouse - to provide the city with security from attacks by the Ptolemies, who could attack from the sea. Therefore, to detect enemies who could be located at a considerable distance from the shore, a lookout post of impressive size was needed.

Difficulties in the construction of the Alexandria Lighthouse

Naturally, the construction of such a solid structure required a lot of resources: financial, labor and intellectual. But they were not easy to find during that turbulent time for Alexandria. But nevertheless, a favorable economic situation for the construction of the lighthouse arose due to the fact that Ptolemy, who conquered Syria with the title of king, brought countless Jews to his country and made them slaves. Thus, the lack of labor resources necessary for the construction of the lighthouse was filled. No less important historical events then were the signing of a peace agreement by Ptolemy Soter and Demetrius Poliorcetes (299 BC) and the death of Antigonus, the enemy of Ptolemy, whose kingdom was given to the diadochi.

Construction of the lighthouse began in 285 BC, and all work was supervised by the architect Sostratus of Knidus. 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 King Ptolemy. However, fate wished that humanity would learn 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 building, intended 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 directions. 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 arrange storerooms for storing provisions 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 wind directions. The upper part of this tier was decorated with statues, and some of them were weather vanes.

The third tier, made in the shape 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 seafarers (some sources claim that it was a sculpture of Poseidon, the king of the seas). Thanks to the complexity of the system of metal mirrors, the light of the fire lit on top of the lighthouse was intensified, and the guards monitored the sea area.

As for the fuel needed to keep the lighthouse burning, it was transported along a spiral ramp in carts pulled by mules. To facilitate delivery, a dam was built between the mainland and Pharos. If the workers did not do this, the fuel would have to be transported by boat. Subsequently, the dam, washed 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, the lighthouse building also had an underground part necessary for drinking water supplies. To enhance security, the entire structure was surrounded by powerful walls with watchtowers and loopholes.

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

The fate of the Alexandria lighthouse

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

Plans for the restoration of the Alexandria Lighthouse

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

Egypt, 3rd century BC

On the island of Pharos at the mouth of the Nile River, near the city of Alexandria, the largest lighthouse of antiquity was built around 280 BC. The height of this three-tiered tower reached 135 m. At its top, in an open stone gazebo, a fire burned, showing the way for the ships. At night they were helped in this by the reflection of flames, and during the day by a column of smoke. It was the world's first lighthouse, and it stood for 1,500 years.

This busy port was founded by Alexander the Great during his visit to Egypt. The building was named after the island. The Faros lighthouse consisted of three marble towers standing on a base of massive stone blocks. The first tower was rectangular and contained rooms in which workers and soldiers lived. Above this tower was a smaller, octagonal tower with a spiral ramp leading to the upper tower.The upper tower was shaped like a cylinder, in which a fire burned, which helped the ships reach the bay safely. At the top of the tower stood a statue of Zeus the Savior.

Large amounts of fuel were required to maintain the flame. The wood was transported along a spiral ramp on carts drawn by horses or mules. Behind the flames were bronze plates that directed the light into the sea. From ships it was possible to see this lighthouse at a distance of up to 50 km. By the 12th century AD. Alexandria Bay became so filled with silt that ships could no longer use it. The lighthouse fell into disrepair. The bronze plates that served as mirrors were probably melted down into coins. In the 14th century, the lighthouse was destroyed by an earthquake. A few years later, Muslims used its remains to build a military fort. The fort was subsequently rebuilt several times and still stands on the site of the world's first lighthouse.

Alexandria Lighthouse on the map:

Information: travel. rin. ru

The Lighthouse of Alexandria was one of the tallest man-made structures for almost 1000 years and has survived almost 22 earthquakes! Interesting, isn't it?

In 1994, French archaeologists discovered several ruins in the waters off the coast of Alexandria. Large blocks and artifacts were discovered. These blocks belonged to the Alexandria Lighthouse. Built by the first Ptolemy, the Lighthouse of Alexandria, also called the Pharos Lighthouse, was the only ancient wonder with the actual purpose of helping sailors and ships enter the harbor. It was located on the island of Pharos in Egypt and was a wonderful example of ancient architecture. The lighthouse was a source of income and an important milestone for the city.

Story

◈ Alexander the Great founded the city of Alexandria in 332 BC.

◈ After his death, Ptolemy I Soter declared himself as pharaoh. He built a city and commissioned a lighthouse.

◈ Pharos was a small island connected to Alexandria by a causeway called Heptastadion.

◈ Alexander named 17 cities after himself, but Alexandria is the only city that has survived and flourished.

◈ Unfortunately, Alexander was unable to see this beautiful structure in his city since he died in 323 BC.

Construction

◈ The Lighthouse of Alexandria was built between 280 and 247 BC. This is about 12 - 20 years for construction. Ptolemy I died before its completion, so it was opened by his son Ptolemy of Philadelphia.

◈ The construction cost was about 800 talents, which is currently equivalent to 3 million dollars.

◈ The lighthouse was approximately 135 meters high. The lowest part was square, the middle was octagonal, and the top was round.

◈ Limestone blocks were used to build the lighthouse. They were sealed with molten lead to withstand strong waves.

◈ Spiral staircases led to the top.

◈ The huge, crooked mirror reflected light during the day, and at night there was a fire burning at the very top.

◈ The light of the lighthouse could be seen, according to various sources, at a distance of 60 to 100 km.

◈ Unconfirmed sources say that the mirror was also used to identify and burn enemy ships.

◈ 4 statues of the god Triton stood at the four corners on top and a statue of Zeus or Poseidon in the center.

◈ The designer of the lighthouse was Sostratus of Cnidus. Some sources also credit him with sponsorship.

◈ Legend says that Ptolemy did not allow Sostratus to write his name on the walls of the lighthouse. Even then, Sostratus wrote "Sostratus, son of Dectiphon, dedicated to the savior gods for the sake of the seas" on the wall, and then put plaster on top and wrote the name of Ptolemy.

Destruction

◈ The lighthouse was heavily damaged during an earthquake in 956, and again in 1303 and 1323.

◈ Although the Lighthouse survived almost 22 earthquakes, it finally collapsed in 1375.

◈ In 1349, the famous Arab traveler Ibn Battuta visited Alexandria, but was unable to climb the lighthouse.

◈ In 1480 the remaining stone was used to create the fort of Qite Bay on the same site.

◈ Now there is an Egyptian military fortress on the site of the lighthouse, so researchers cannot get there.

Meaning

◈ The monument has become an ideal model of a lighthouse and has important architectural significance.

◈ The word "Pharos" - lighthouse comes from the Greek word φάρος in many languages ​​such as French, Italian, Spanish and Romanian.

◈ The lighthouse of Alexandria is mentioned by Julius Caesar in his works.

◈ The lighthouse remains a civic symbol of the city of Alexandria. His image is used on the flag and seal of the province, as well as on the flag of the University of Alexandria.

One of the most outstanding monuments of the ancient world now lies underwater in ruins. But everyone can swim around the ruins with equipment.

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

The height of this grandiose structure, according to various historians, was approximately 120-140 meters. For many centuries, it remained one of the tallest structures on our planet, second only to the pyramids at Giza.

Beginning of lighthouse construction

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

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

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

The unusual design of the Alexandria lighthouse

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

For the construction of the lighthouse, a dam was quickly built between the mainland and the island of Pharos, through which the necessary materials were delivered.

It is simply impossible to talk briefly about the Alexandria Lighthouse. The huge structure was built from solid marble blocks, connected to each other for greater strength with lead brackets.

The lower, largest level of the lighthouse was built in the shape of a square with sides approximately 30 meters long. The corners of the base were designed strictly according to the cardinal directions. The premises located on the first level were intended for storing necessary supplies and housing numerous guards and lighthouse workers.

A reservoir was built at the underground level, the supply of drinking water of which should have been sufficient in case of even a prolonged siege of the city.

The second level of the building was made in the shape of an octagon. Its edges were oriented in exact accordance with the wind rose. It was decorated with unusual bronze statues, some of which were movable.

The third, main level of the lighthouse was built in the shape of a cylinder and topped with a large dome. The top of the dome was decorated with a bronze sculpture no less than 7 meters high. Historians still have not come to a consensus whether this was an image of the god of the seas, Poseidon, or a statue of Isis-Faria, the patroness of sailors.

How was the third level of the lighthouse arranged?

For that time, the true miracle of the Alexandria Lighthouse was the complex system of huge bronze mirrors. The light from the fire, which was constantly burning on the upper platform of the lighthouse, was reflected and greatly amplified by these metal plates. In ancient chronicles they wrote that the shining light coming from the Alexandria lighthouse was capable of burning enemy ships far out to sea.

Of course, this was an exaggeration of inexperienced guests of the city who first saw this ancient wonder of the world - the Lighthouse of Alexandria. Although in fact the light of the lighthouse was visible for more than 60 kilometers, and for ancient times this was a huge achievement.

A very interesting engineering solution for that time was the construction of a spiral staircase-ramp inside the lighthouse, along which the necessary firewood and combustible materials were delivered to the upper tier. Enormous amounts of fuel were required to operate smoothly, so mule-drawn carts were constantly going up and down an inclined staircase.

The architect who built the miracle

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

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

Risking the wrath of the ruler, he carved the inscription on one of the stone walls of the first level of the lighthouse: “Sostratus of Cnidia, son of Dextiphanes, dedicated to the savior gods for the sake of seafarers.” Then the inscription was covered with layers of plaster and the required praises addressed to the king were carved on top of it.

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

First of its kind

In ancient times, different countries often used the flame and smoke of fires as a warning system or to transmit danger signals, but the Lighthouse of Alexandria became the first specialized structure of its kind in the whole world. In Alexandria they called it Pharos, after the name of the island, and all the lighthouses that were built after it also began to be called faros. This is reflected in our language, where the word “headlight” means a source of directional light.

The ancient description of the Alexandria Lighthouse contains information about unusual “living” sculptures and statues, which can be called the first simple automata. They turned, made sounds, and performed simple actions. But these were not chaotic movements at all, one of the statues pointed its hand at the Sun, and when the Sun set, the hand automatically lowered. Another figure had a clock mechanism built into it, which marked the beginning of a new hour with a melodious ringing. The third statue was used as a weather vane, showing the direction and strength of the wind.

The brief description of the Lighthouse of Alexandria by his contemporaries failed to convey the secrets of the structure of these statues or the approximate diagram of the ramp along which fuel was delivered. Most of these secrets are lost forever.

Lighthouse destruction

The light from the fire of this unique structure showed the way to sailors for many centuries. But gradually, during the decline of the Roman Empire, the lighthouse also began to decline. Less and less money was invested in maintaining it in working order, and the harbor of Alexandria was gradually becoming smaller due to the large amount of sand and silt.

In addition, the area where the Alexandria Lighthouse was built was seismically active. A series of strong earthquakes caused serious damage to it, and the disaster of 1326 finally destroyed the seventh wonder of the world.

Alternative version of destruction

In addition to the theory that explains the decline of the colossal structure due to insufficient funding and natural disasters, there is another interesting hypothesis about the reasons for the destruction of the lighthouse.

According to this theory, the enormous military importance that the lighthouse had for the defenders of Egypt was to blame. After the country was captured by the Arabs, Christian countries, and most notably the Byzantine Empire, hoped to recapture the people of Egypt. But these plans were greatly hampered by the Arab observation post located at the lighthouse.

Therefore, a rumor was spread that somewhere in the building in ancient times the treasures of the Ptolemies were hidden. Believing, the Arabs began to dismantle the lighthouse in an attempt to get to the gold, and in the process damaged the mirror system.

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

Possibility of recovery

The very first attempt to restore the Alexandria Lighthouse was made by the Arabs in the 14th century AD. e., but it was possible to build only a 30-meter semblance of a lighthouse. Then construction stopped, and only 100 years later the ruler of Egypt, Qait Bey, built a fortress in its place to protect Alexandria from the sea. At the base of this fortress, part of the foundation of the ancient lighthouse and almost all of its underground structures and reservoir remained. This fortress still exists today.

Often, enthusiastic historians consider the possibility of recreating this famous building in its original state. But there is one problem - there is practically no reliable description of the Alexandria Lighthouse or its detailed images, on the basis of which it would be possible to accurately restore its appearance.

Touch history

For the first time, some fragments of the lighthouse were discovered by archaeologists at the bottom of the sea in 1994. Since then, an expedition of the European Institute of Underwater Archeology has discovered an entire quarter of ancient Alexandria at the bottom of the harbor, the existence of which scientists had not previously guessed. The remains of many ancient structures remain underwater. There is even a hypothesis that one of the found buildings may be the palace of the famous Queen Cleopatra.

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

Island and lighthouse

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

Three towers

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

Guide light

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

Polished bronze mirrors

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

Death of the lighthouse

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

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See what “Faros lighthouse” is in other dictionaries:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Books

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