Tower on Foros, salvation for the Greeks,
Sostrat Deksifanov,
The architect from Knidos, erected,
Oh Lord Proteus!
(Posidipp)

Alexandrian lighthouse- one of the 7 wonders of the world, was built in the III century BC. e. in the Egyptian city of Alexandria, so that the ships could safely pass the reefs on their way to the Alexandrian Bay.

The seventh wonder of the world Lighthouse of Alexandria is actually the eighth wonder. Before its construction, the walls of Babylon were considered the second wonder of the world. When a 130-meter lighthouse was built at the mouth of the Nile, contemporaries were so amazed by this outstanding technical achievement that they simply crossed out the walls of Babylon from the list of the Seven Wonders of the World and included the lighthouse as the latest, newest miracle.

Lighthouse of Alexandria, drawing by archaeologist H. Thiersch (1909)

In 332 - 331 years. BC. Alexander the Great founded Alexandria, the capital of Hellenistic Egypt. Here is the famous Alexandria Musseion - one of the main scientific and cultural centers the ancient world, and with it the no less famous Alexandrian Library, in which there were almost 700 thousand volumes of Greek and Oriental books. Alexandria was the richest city of its time. Many remarkable buildings were erected in Alexandria. The lighthouse of Alexandria on the rocky island of Foros near the Nile Delta belongs to them.

One of the seven wonders ancient world- Alexandria, or Foros, luminous lighthouse was built in 283 BC. It was supposed to take 20 years to build, and it was completed around 283 BC. e., during the reign of Ptolemy II, king of Egypt. The construction of this gigantic structure lasted only 5 years.

The main building material for it was limestone, marble, granite. History has preserved the name of the creator of the Pharos lighthouse: on one of the plates, scientists found the inscription “Sostratus, the son of Dextiphon, dedicated to the gods-saviors for the sake of the seas.” The inscription survived thanks to the ingenuity of the architect - he covered it with a layer of plaster, on which he wrote the name of the ruler of Egypt.

The Pharos lighthouse consisted of three marble towers, standing on a base of massive stone blocks. The first tower was rectangular, it contained rooms in which workers and soldiers lived. Above this tower was a smaller, octagonal tower with a spiral ramp leading to the top tower. The upper tower was shaped like a cylinder, in which a fire burned, helping the ships safely reach the bay.

The height of the lighthouse is enormous: according to some sources, 120 meters, according to the descriptions of Ibn-al-Saikh (XI century) - 130-140 meters, according to some modern publications, even 180 meters. The base of the lower tower is square - the size of the side is 30.5 meters. The lower tower, 60 meters high, was built of stone slabs decorated with exquisite sculptural work, and the flat roof, decorated at the corners huge statues Triton, served as the basis of the middle part. Medium, octagonal tower 40 meters high, lined with white marble slabs.

The upper tower - a lantern - is round, with a dome mounted on granite columns, was crowned with a huge bronze statue of the patron saint of the seas, Poseidon (or a statue of Zeus the Savior), 8 meters high. At the top of the third tower, charcoal smoldered in a voluminous bronze bowl, the reflection of which, using a complex system of mirrors, indicated the location of the harbor for 100 miles.

How the brightness and range of the glow was achieved has not yet been established. According to one version, this effect was achieved with the help of huge mirrors made of polished bronze or glass. On the other - thanks to the use of transparent polished stones - lenses. A shaft passed through the entire lighthouse, around which a ramp and stairs rose in a spiral. On a wide and sloping ramp, carts pulled by donkeys drove up to the top of the lighthouse. Fuel for the lighthouse fire was delivered through the mine. Outside, the lighthouse was lined with white marble. 800 talents were spent on the construction (the cost of 20,800 kg of silver, which, according to modern estimates, is equal to 10 million euros).

The high lighthouse served as a magnificent observation post. The system of mirrors was also used to survey the sea space, making it possible to detect enemy ships long before they appeared off the coast. A weather vane, clocks and astronomical instruments were arranged here. The lighthouse erected on the island of Foros, due to its huge size and complex system of light reflectors, was the only structure of its kind.

Everyone who saw the lighthouse was delighted with tall, slender female figures made of gilded bronze. From time to time these motionless figures suddenly came to life. These were not just statues, but ingenious automata. Some showed the strength of the wind and sea ​​waves, moving the large golden hands on the huge blue dials. Others, turning, indicated the direction of the wind or followed the movement of the sun and moon with their hands. Automata women also stood near the large Water clock - clepsydra. They hit coca. And in fog and bad weather, another beautiful woman blew into a curved golden horn, warning sailors about the dangerous proximity of shoals and underwater rocks.

This is how Achilles Tatius described it in his novel Leucippe and Clitophon: “a bizarre and amazing structure, the Mountain, lying in the middle of the sea, reached the very clouds, and the water flowed under this structure, and it towered, hanging over the sea.” The lighthouse of Alexandria stood for about 1500 years, serving as a light, helping to navigate the Mediterranean "cybernetos", as the ancient Greeks called the helmsmen.

The lighthouse suffered twice from earthquakes, but it was restored. By the 12th century A.D. e. the Alexandrian bay was so filled with silt that the ships could no longer use it. The lighthouse fell into disrepair. The bronze plates that served as mirrors were probably melted down into coins.

In May 1100, it was destroyed almost to the ground by a strong earthquake. In 1480, the Mamluk sultan Kait-bey built a fortress on the foundation of the lighthouse, which still stands today and bears the name of its creator. The fortress was subsequently rebuilt several times.

From one of the seven "wonders of the ancient world", nothing seemed to remain, except for the ruins built into Kite Bay, where they still exist today, but in name. Since there were no other lighthouses before the Lighthouse of Alexandria, there was no name for such structures. By the name of the island on which it stood, it was called “pharos”. This word subsequently passed into all Romance languages ​​​​and began to denote any lighthouse. Hence the modern “headlight”.

In 1961, while exploring coastal waters, scuba divers found statues, sarcophagi, and marble boxes on the seabed. In 1980, an international group of archaeologists discovered the remains of the Foros lighthouse on the seabed. At the same time, ruins were discovered at a depth of 8 meters. legendary palace Queen Cleopatra. This is one of the largest discoveries of archeology.

7 Wonders of the World - Lighthouse of Alexandria Palau coin.

The lighthouse of Alexandria has been one of the tallest man-made structures for almost 1000 years and has survived nearly 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 have been found. These blocks belonged to the Lighthouse of Alexandria. Built by the first Ptolemy, the Lighthouse of Alexandria, also called the Pharos Lighthouse, was the only ancient marvel 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 perfect example ancient architecture. The lighthouse was a source of income and a 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 an embankment called the Heptastadion.

◈ Alexander named 17 cities after himself, but Alexandria is the only city that survives and flourishes.

◈ Unfortunately, Alexander could not 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 discovered by his son Ptolemy of Philadelphia.

◈ Construction cost was about 800 talents, equivalent to $3 million today.

◈ The lighthouse was about 135 meters high. The lowest part was square, the middle one 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 stairs led to the top.

◈ In a huge curved mirror, light was reflected during the day, and at night a fire burned at the very top.

◈ The light of the beacon could be seen according to various data 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 Knidos. Some sources credit him with sponsorship as well.

◈ Legend has it that Ptolemy did not allow Sostratus to inscribe his name on the walls of the lighthouse. Even then, Sostratus wrote "Sostratos, son of Dextiphon, 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 badly 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 could not climb the lighthouse.

◈ In 1480 the remains of the stone were used to build the fort of Kite 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 for 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.

◈ Lighthouse of Alexandria is mentioned by Julius Caesar in his writings.

◈ The lighthouse remains the 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 Alexandria University.

One of the most outstanding monuments of the ancient world is now under water in ruins. But everyone can swim around the ruins with equipment.

After the conquest of Egypt by Alexander the Great, a city was founded, named Alexandria in his honor. The city began to actively develop and flourish, becoming a major center of maritime trade. Soon there was an urgent need for the construction of the Lighthouse of Alexandria.

Alexandrian lighthouse. Information and interesting facts

The island of Pharos, located 1290 meters from Alexandria, was chosen as the place for the lighthouse. The construction of the Pharos lighthouse, which later became the seventh wonder of the world, was led by the architect Sostratus, the son of Dexifan from Cnidus.

A dam was built to ensure the transport of building materials to the island. The construction itself was executed by the standards of the ancient world with lightning speed, it took only six years (285-279 BC). The new building immediately "knocked out" the walls of Babylon from the list of classic wonders of the world, and took pride of place there to this day. The height of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, according to contemporaries, reached 120 meters. The light projected from the tower of the Lighthouse of Alexandria was visible at a distance of up to 48 kilometers.

The lighthouse had three tiers.

The first tier had a square shape with sides of 30.5 meters, oriented to the cardinal points. The total height of this tier was 60 meters. The corners of the tier were occupied by statues of tritons. The room itself was intended to accommodate workers and guards, storerooms for fuel and food.

The middle tier of the Pharos lighthouse had an octagonal shape with edges oriented according to the winds prevailing here. The upper part of the tier was decorated with statues, some of which functioned as weathercocks.

The upper tier of a cylindrical shape played just the role of a lantern. It was surrounded by eight columns covered with a dome-cone. The top of the dome of the Pharos lighthouse was decorated with a seven-meter statue of Isis-Faria (the guardian of seafarers). A powerful lamp was projected using a system of concave metal mirrors. There has been a long-standing debate about the delivery of fuel to the top of the Lighthouse of Alexandria. Some suggest that the delivery was carried out with the help of lifting mechanisms along the inner shaft, while others say that the lifting was carried out with the help of mules along a spiral ramp.

Also in the lighthouse there was an underground part, where the reserves of drinking water for the garrison were located. It is worth mentioning that the lighthouse also served as a fortress guarding sea ​​route to Alexandria. The Pharos lighthouse itself was even surrounded by a powerful fence with bastions and loopholes.

In the XIV century, the wonder of the world Faros lighthouse was destroyed by an earthquake. Currently, only images on Roman coins and the remains of the ruins testify to the appearance of the seventh wonder of the world. So, for example, research in 1996 made it possible to find the remains of the Lighthouse of Alexandria at the bottom of the sea.

Lighthouse on Roman coins

A hundred years after the destruction, Sultan Kait Bey built a fort in its place. And now there are initiators who want to reconstruct the Pharos lighthouse, in the place where it was originally located - on the island of Pharos. But the Egyptian authorities do not want to consider these projects yet, and the Qait-bey fortress continues to guard the site of the former great building of antiquity.

Kite Bay Fortress

We continue the LifeGlobe series of stories about the wonders of antiquity. Next up is the Lighthouse of Alexandria, also known as the Pharos of Alexandria, a tower built between 280 and 247 BC. on the island of Pharos in Alexandria, Egypt. The main task of the lighthouse was to guide sailors to the harbor at night.

The height of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, according to various estimates, ranged from 120 to 140 meters. For many centuries it was the tallest structure on earth. That is why we will include the lighthouse in the list of 7 ancient wonders of the world.

The lighthouse stood on a platform of huge stone blocks and consisted of three marble towers. The first, largest tower was rectangular - it housed many rooms. Right here lived the soldiers and workers serving the lighthouse. The second tower was smaller, in the shape of an octagon, and served as a transition to the topmost tower in the shape of a cylinder, where the lighthouse fire burned.

The light of the Lighthouse of Alexandria was so powerful that it could be seen for 60 kilometers. To maintain the flame, a lot of firewood was required, which was brought on special carts along the ramp of the middle tower. Behind the flames were bronze mirrors that reflected light towards the sea. Ancient legends said that the light from the lighthouse was able to burn enemy ships even before approaching the coast.

The lighthouse was badly damaged by an earthquake in 956, then again in 1303 and 1323. The last two earthquakes damaged the majestic structure to such an extent that only ruins remained, dismantled in 1480, when the Sultan of Egypt built a defensive fort on the site of the lighthouse, using the stones of the former structure. Bronze Reflector Sheets were melted down into coins

French archaeologists led by Jean-Yves Emperier discovered the remains of a lighthouse in late 1994 at the bottom of the eastern harbor of Alexandria. Some of them were raised to the surface, but most still remain under water. This place is popular with divers who swim there.

The lighthouse is still the symbol of the city of Alexandria. A stylized image of the Lighthouse can be found on the flag and seal of the city, as well as on the seals of many state authorities. institutions, including Alexandria University

As is the case with other ancient wonders of the world, such as the statue of Zeus at Olympia, the mausoleum at Halicarnassus, or the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the lighthouse has several replicas built around the world. A well-preserved ancient tomb in the Egyptian city of Abusir is believed to be a scaled-down model of the Lighthouse of Alexandria. People even call it the lighthouse of Abusir - it is a three-story tower about 20 meters high, with a square platform at the base, an octagonal midsection and a cylindrical upper section. This structure was erected during the reign of Ptolemy II (285–246 BC), which approximately coincides with the time of the construction of the lighthouse in Alexandria