Lighthouse of Alexandria
(Aka the Pharos
Lighthouse)
Lighthouse of Alexandria
- aka Pharos Lighthouse
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was built by the Ancient Egyptians and is
famous as being one of the Seven Wonders of the World. In ancient times,
long before there were machines and technology to help them, men built
some the most amazing buildings and structures. They were so remarkable
they were referred to as the Seven Wonders of the World. The Ancient
Egyptians built two of them - the Great Pyramid at Giza and the
Lighthouse of Alexandria.
Seven Wonders of
the World
Before we provide the facts and information about the Lighthouse of
Alexandria we will put all those out of their misery who are trying to
remember the other Seven Wonders of the World! List of Seven Wonders of
the Ancient World:
•
Great Pyramid of Giza
• Hanging Gardens of Babylon
• Statue of Zeus at Olympia
• Temple of Diana at Ephesus
• Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
• Colossus of Rhodes
• Lighthouse of Alexandria
History of the
Pharos Lighthouse of Alexandria
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was the
last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World to be built and the last
of the seven wonders to survive. In 332BC the Greek hero Alexander the Great
conquered and occupied Egypt.
His general, Ptolemy, became
king
Ptolemy I Soter (305 BC-282
BC)
and established the Ptolemaic
dynasty. During this time the city of Alexandria was founded which
became famous for the Great Library and the great Lighthouse of
Alexandria. The Lighthouse of Alexandria was started during the reign of
Ptolemy Soter
and completed during the reign of his son Ptolemy II Philadelphus
(284 BC-246 BC) the estimated date . The Lighthouse took
about 12 years to build.
The Origin of the
name 'Lighthouse'
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was
originally referred to as the Pharos after the name of the former island
where it finally stood. Pharos gave its name to the building and is used
as a word for ‘lighthouse’ in several languages (the word phare in
French and faro in Italian and Spanish).
Why the Lighthouse of Alexandria
was built at Pharos
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was
constructed in the ancient city which was founded by Alexander the Great
and it achieved growth and prosperity for almost 1000 years. The city
was described by the writer Strabo as ‘the greatest emporium in the
inhabited world’. Within fifty years of the founding of the city it
became the major commercial centre of the ancient Mediterranean and the
richest city of antiquity. The entrance to Alexandria was one of the
most important ports of the Mediterranean. Trading ships flocked to the
city but because of dangerous sailing conditions and the flat coastline,
the construction of a lighthouse became necessary.
Location of the
Pharos of Alexandria
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was
located over 100 metres high on the eastern tip of the Island of Pharos.
The island of Pharos was linked to the mainland by a causeway known as
the Heptastadion. The construction of the Heptastadion created two
harbors. The double harbor was called Portus Magnus to the east and
Eunostus to the west. Alexandria flourished around the Eastern Harbor,
where the lighthouse stood on Pharos to the west of the entrance.
Who built the
Pharos of Alexandria?
The Pharaohs Ptolemy I and Ptolemy
II utilised the skills of Sostratus, the son of Dexiphanes, the Cnidian
who was the architect of the Lighthouse. Sostratus was a wealthy
Alexandrian courtier and a diplomat. Sostratus officially inaugurated
the Lighthouse and the dedication on the monument, according to Strabo,
read: “Sostratus the Cnidian, friend of the sovereigns, dedicated this,
for the safety of those who sail the seas”.
Exterior
Description of the Pharos Lighthouse of Alexandria
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was
described various writers of Antiquity including Strabo and Pliny the
Elder. However, an Arab traveller called Abou-Haggag Al-Andaloussi
visited the Lighthouse in 1166 and docmented a much later description of
the Pharos Lighthouse which increased the knowledge of modern scholars
and archaeologists and contributed to an understanding of the
construction and dimensions of the Lighthouse. The Lighthouse was
constructed in three phases, each section built on top of the lower. The
lowest part was a square measuring 55.9 m (183.4 ft) high with a
cylindrical core. The middle part was an octagonal shape with a side
length of 18.30 m (60.0 ft) and a height of 27.45 m (90.1 ft). The third
part was circular measuring 7.30 m (24.0 ft) high. The total height of
the building including the foundation base was about 117 m (384 ft). In
ancient times, a statue of Poseidon adorned the summit of the building.
There was two viewing galleries where visitors could experience a view
from nearly 400 feet high - it must truly have seemed a wonder for any
of these travellers. Ancient accounts such as those by Strabo and Pliny
the Elder describe the tower as being covered with magnificent white
marble, although this is now believed to have been white washed
limestone. Inside the structure were A sloping shaft was built to lift
the fuel needed for the fire. At the top stage, the mirror reflected
sunlight during the day while fire was used during the night.
The Interior of the Lighthouse of Alexandria
The interior of the Lighthouse of
Alexandria was massive. It is believed that 364 rooms were built in the
Pharos Lighthouse measuring form ten to twenty cubits square. The rooms
were designed with vents and windows in order to absorb gusts of wind
against the lighthouse reducing the risk of collapse. There were also a
series of wide 72 ramps creating access to the top of the lighthouse.
The rooms were covered with beams of teakwood and an arch of stones,
cemented and decorated. The viewing galleries constructed on the second
and third levels of the structure where visitors could experience a view
from nearly 400 feet high. Importanto visitors would be lavishly
entertained in rooms allocated for this purpose.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria
Mirror
The Pharos Lighthouse was fitted with every scientific improvement known
to the age. The mirror which was mounted on this lighthouse could
reflect the light more than 35 miles off-shore. Theories conflict on how
the mirror was made, some say it was made from a highly polished metal
whilst others believe it was made from silver-backed glass. There are
many legends and myths surrounding the mirror. Some say that the mirror
was used as a weapon to concentrate the rays of the sun and to set enemy
ships on fire as they approached the harbor. Other myths refer to the
use of a powerful telescope which was located at the top of the
lighthouse which used refracting mirrors to magnify objects. It
was said that the city of Constantinople could be seen from the city of
Alexandria. At sundown it was believed that a fire would be lit with the
required fuel being transported to the top of the Lighthouse via the
system of ramps.
The Destruction of
the the Pharos of Alexandria
A series of earthquakes from the
10th to the 14th century contributed to the destruction of the Pharos
Lighthouse of Alexandria. However, the fabulous Pharos Lighthouse
survived until the Middle Ages when it was believed to have been
attacked in 1365 by the Cypriot king, Pierre I de Lusignan who sacked
Alexandria. The site of the Pharos Lighthouse is covered by the Islamic
Fort of Kait Bey which was built on, and from, some the ruins of the
collapsed lighthouse. The lasting remains of the Lighthouse of
Alexandria, the last of the Seven Wonders of the World, lie underwater
near the entrance to Alexandria’s Eastern Harbour.
Lighthouse of Alexandria
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