The Faros lighthouse was decorated with a dome with a statue. Alexandria (Faros) lighthouse - interesting historical facts. Alexandria Lighthouse: Wreck

After the conquest of Egypt in 332 BC. Alexander the Great founded a city in the Nile Delta named after him - Alexandria. During the reign of Ptolemy I, the city achieved wealth and prosperity, and the Alexandrian harbor became a bustling center of maritime trade. As shipping developed, the helmsmen who brought ships with cargo to Alexandria increasingly felt the need for a lighthouse that would show ships a safe path among the shoals. And in the 3rd century. BC. on the eastern tip of the island of Pharos, lying in the sea at a distance of 7 stadia (1290 m) from Alexandria, the architect Sostratus, son of Dexiphanes of Cnidus, built the famous lighthouse, which became one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World.
To transport building materials, the island was connected to the mainland by a dam. The work took only six years - from 285 to 279 BC. Seeing this tower suddenly rising on a deserted island, contemporaries were shocked. From the list of seven wonders of the world, “miracle No. 2” - the walls of Babylon - was immediately crossed out, and its place was immediately taken by the Pharos lighthouse.
hundred was completed in the late summer of 1997. In October 1998, this project received the prestigious Project of the Year award, awarded annually by the International Concrete Institute.

The Alexandrian poet Posidippus (c. 270 BC) praised this amazing structure in one of his epigrams:
The tower on Pharos, the salvation of the Greeks, was erected by Sostratus Dexiphanov, Architect from Cnidus, O Lord Proteus!
There are no island watchmen on the cliffs in Egypt, But a mole is built from the Earth for the anchorage of ships,
And high, cutting through the ether, the tower rises, Everywhere for many miles is visible to the traveler during the day, At night, from afar, those sailing on the sea see all the time, The light from a large fire at the very top of the lighthouse. Per. L. Blumenau
The lighthouse remained this way during Roman rule. According to Pliny the Elder, he shone “like a star in the darkness of the night.” This monumental structure was at least 120 m high, and its light was visible at a distance of up to 48 km.
According to Strabo, the lighthouse was built from local limestone and faced with white marble. Decorative friezes and ornaments are made of marble and bronze, columns are made of granite and marble. The lighthouse seemed to grow from the center of a spacious courtyard, surrounded by a powerful fence, at the corners of which powerful bastions rose, reminiscent of the pylons of ancient Egyptian temples. Numerous loopholes were cut through them, as well as throughout the entire wall.
The lighthouse itself consisted of three tiers. The first, square in plan (30.5 × 30.5 m), oriented to the cardinal points and lined with squares of white marble, had a height of 60 m. Monumental statues depicting tritons were installed in its corners. Inside the first tier there were rooms for workers and security at different levels. There were also storerooms where fuel and food were stored. On one of the side facades one could read the Greek inscription: “To the savior gods - for the salvation of sailors,” where the gods meant the king of Egypt Ptolemy I and his wife Berenice.

The smaller octagonal middle tier was also faced with marble slabs. Its eight faces were deployed in the directions of the prevailing winds in these places. At the top there were numerous bronze statues around the perimeter; some of them could serve as weather vanes indicating the direction of the wind. There is a legend that one of the figures followed the movement of the sun with an outstretched hand and lowered its hand only after it had set.
The upper tier had the shape of a cylinder and served as a lantern. It was surrounded by eight polished granite columns and topped by a cone-shaped dome topped by a 7-meter bronze statue of Isis Pharias, guardian of seafarers. However, some researchers believe that there was a statue of the sea god Poseidon there.
Light signaling was carried out using a powerful lamp placed at the focus of concave metal mirrors. It is believed that fuel was delivered to the top by lifting mechanisms installed inside the tower - in the middle of the lighthouse there was a shaft leading from the lower premises upward to the lighting system. According to another version, fuel was brought along a spiral ramp on carts drawn by horses or mules.

In the underground part of the lighthouse there was a storage facility for drinking water for the military garrison located on the island: both under the Ptolemies and the Romans, the lighthouse simultaneously served as a fortress preventing enemy ships from entering the main port of Alexandria.
It is believed that the upper part of the lighthouse (cylindrical, with a dome and a statue) collapsed in the 2nd century, but the lighthouse was still in operation in 641. In the 14th century The earthquake finally destroyed this masterpiece of ancient architecture and construction technology. A hundred years later, the Egyptian Sultan Qait Bey ordered the construction of a fort on the remains of the lighthouse foundation, named after its creator. Today we can judge the external appearance of the lighthouse only by its images on coins of Roman times and a few fragments of granite and marble columns.
In 1996, underwater archaeologists led by the famous French scientist Jean-Yves Emperer, founder of the Center for the Study of Alexandria, managed to find on the seabed the remains of the lighthouse structures that collapsed into the sea as a result of the earthquake. This aroused great interest around the world. In 2001, the Belgian government even took the initiative to recreate the Faros lighthouse on the same spot where it was built 2,200 years ago. However, now the walls of the Qait Bay fortress still rise here, and the Egyptian government is in no hurry to agree to its demolition.

Faros lighthouse is located on ancient island Pharos (today a cape within the city of Alexandria in Egypt). In 332 - 331 BC. Alexander the Great founded the capital of Hellenistic Egypt, Alexandria. Here is the famous Alexandria Musseion - one of the main scientific and cultural centers of the ancient world, and with it the no less famous Library of Alexandria, which contained almost 700 thousand volumes of Greek and oriental books. Alexandria was the richest city of its time. Many remarkable structures were erected in Alexandria. Among them belongs Alexandrian lighthouse on the rocky island of Foros near the Nile Delta. The use of lighthouses began in ancient times and is associated with the development of navigation. At first these were fires located on high banks, and then artificial constructions. One of the seven wonders ancient world- The Alexandrian, or Foros, luminous lighthouse was built in 283 BC. The construction of this gigantic structure took only 5 years, which in itself is remarkable. The main building materials for it were limestone, marble, and granite.

The lighthouse consisted of three gradually decreasing towers placed one on top of the other. The height of the lighthouse is enormous: according to some sources, 120 meters, according to the descriptions of Ibn al-Saikh (11th century) - 130-140 meters, according to some modern publications, even 180 meters.

The base of the lower tower is square - the side size is 30.5 meters. The lower tower, 60 meters high, was made of stone slabs decorated with exquisite sculptural work. The middle, octagonal, tower is 40 meters high, lined with white marble slabs. The upper tower - the lantern - is round, with a dome mounted on granite columns, and was crowned with a huge bronze statue of the patron of the seas, Poseidon, 8 meters high.

At the top of the third tower, in a voluminous bronze bowl, charcoal smoldered, the reflection of which, using a complex system of mirrors, indicated the location of the harbor 100 miles away. A shaft ran through the entire lighthouse, around which a ramp and stairs rose in a spiral. Carts pulled by donkeys drove along a wide and sloping ramp to the top of the lighthouse. Fuel for the lighthouse fire was delivered through the mine.

The tall lighthouse served as an excellent observation post. A system of metal mirrors was also used to view the sea, making it possible to detect enemy ships long before they appeared off the coast. A weather vane, a clock and astronomical instruments were installed here.

The lighthouse, erected on the island of Foros, was a one-of-a-kind structure due to its enormous size and complex system of light reflectors. This is how Achilles Tatius described it in his novel “Leucippe and Clitophon”: “... the structure is bizarre and amazing, the Mountain, lying in the middle of the sea, reached the very clouds, and water flowed under this structure, and it rose, hanging above the sea.”

The lighthouse of Alexandria stood for about 1,500 years, serving as a beacon, helping the Mediterranean “cybernetos” navigate, as the ancient Greeks called helmsmen. The lighthouse suffered from earthquakes twice, but was restored until it finally collapsed due to weathering of the stone. Then, on the ruins of the lighthouse, they erected medieval fortress.

From one of the seven "wonders of the ancient world", it seemed that nothing remained except the ruins built into Qayt Bay, where they still exist today, and the name. The name of the island turned into a symbol: “foros” began to mean “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, at a depth of 8 meters, the ruins of the legendary palace of Queen Cleopatra were discovered. This is one of the largest discoveries in archaeology.

The history of the seventh Wonder of the World - the Lighthouse of Alexandria - is associated with its foundation in 332 BC. Alexandria, a city that was named after the great Roman commander Alexander the Great. It should be noted that during his career the conqueror founded about 17 cities with similar names, but only Egyptian project managed to survive to this day.


Alexandrian lighthouse

Foundation of the city in honor of the great commander

Macedonian selected the site for the foundation Egyptian Alexandria very carefully. He did not like the idea of ​​a location in the Nile Delta, and so the decision was made to set up the first construction sites 20 miles to the south, near the marshy Lake Mareotis. Alexandria was supposed to have two large harbors - one was intended for merchant ships coming from outside Mediterranean Sea, and the second is for ships traveling along the Nile.

After the death of Alexander the Great in 332 BC. the city came under the rule of Ptolemy I Soter, the new ruler of Egypt. During this period, Alexandria developed into a thriving trading port. In 290 BC. Ptolemy ordered the construction of a huge lighthouse on the island of Pharos, which would illuminate the path for ships sailing in the city's harbor. dark time days and in bad weather.

Construction of a lighthouse on the island of Faros

The construction of the Lighthouse of Alexandria dates back to the 4th century BC, but the system of signal lights itself appeared only in the 1st century BC. The creator of this masterpiece of engineering and architectural art is considered to be Sostratus, a resident of Cnidia. The work lasted a little over 20 years, and as a result, the Alexandria Lighthouse became the first building of this type in the world and the most tall building the ancient world, not counting, of course, the Gisean pyramids.

The height of the Alexandria Lighthouse was approximately 450-600 feet. Moreover, the structure was absolutely unlike any other architectural monument available at that time. The building was a three-tiered tower, the walls of which were made of marble slabs held together with lead mortar. The most Full description The Lighthouse of Alexandria was compiled by Abu el-Andalussi - the famous Arab traveler - in 1166. He noted that the lighthouse, in addition to performing purely practical functions, served as a very noticeable landmark.

The fate of the great Lighthouse

The Faros lighthouse illuminated the way for seafarers for more than 1,500 years. But strong tremors in 365, 956 and 1303 AD. severely damaged the building, and a powerful earthquake in 1326 finally destroyed one of the greatest architectural structures peace. In 1994, the remains of the Alexandria Lighthouse were discovered by archaeologists, and subsequently the image of the structure was more or less successfully restored using computer modeling.

Alexandria lighthouse, standing on east coast Pharos Island, considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. In the distant past, the city harbor of Alexandria was shallow and rocky, so in order to protect sea ​​vessels out of trouble, a stone lighthouse was built on the approach to the city. The first and only Pharos or Alexandria lighthouse on Greek soil was built by Sostratus of Knidos. Construction began in 283 BC. e. and lasted only 5 years. In the time of Ptolemy, the lighthouse erected was higher than the tallest pyramid. For its construction, Sostratus of Cnidus used all the latest inventions and achievements of Alexandrian scientists. He immortalized his name on the marble wall of the majestic structure. The inscription read: “Sostratus, son of Dexiphanes of Cnidus, dedicated to the savior gods for the sake of sailors,” he buried it under a layer of plaster, on top of which he wrote praises to King Ptolemy Soter. But time put everything in its place and the world learned the true name of the architect and builder of one of the wonders of the world, after a thin layer of plaster fell off the wall. The lighthouse was a grandiose three-tiered structure, 120 meters high. Its lower floor had four faces facing the parts of the world (north, east, west and south), the eight faces of the second tier had the directions of the eight main winds, the top third floor was a lighthouse dome with a majestic seven-meter statue of Poseidon.

One of the statues that adorned the lighthouse tower showed the time of day with the direction of her hand, so during the solstice in the sky she held her hand up, as if pointing to the sun; after sunset, sailors could see the statue with her hand down. Another statue chimed every hour day and night, another indicated the direction of the blowing wind. Scientists came up with a complex system of metal mirrors for the lighthouse, which helped to amplify the light of the fire so that sailors could see it from afar. All this is unique and fantastic for that time period. It is not for nothing that the Lighthouse of Alexandria was included in one of the seven wonders of the world. The territory of the lighthouse was surrounded by a fortress wall, behind which there was an entire military garrison.

The lighthouse regularly performed its duties until the 14th century. With the fall of the Roman Empire, it ceased to shine. Having stood for 1,500 years, the lighthouse survived severe earthquakes and the effects of natural forces in the form of wind and rain. During this long period, enormous even for a stone, it began to collapse. Its fire went out forever, unable to withstand the earthquake (IV century). The upper tower, which had decayed over centuries, collapsed, but the walls of the lower floor still stood for a long time.

Even when it was half destroyed, its height was about 30 m. In the middle of the 13th century, the mainland came very close to the island and the lighthouse was no longer needed at all. At the beginning of the 14th century, it was dismantled into stones, and a medieval Turkish fortress was built on its ruins, which still stands on the site of the world's first lighthouse.

Currently, only the base of the lighthouse has been preserved, which is entirely built into the medieval fortress. In 1962, in coastal waters, at a depth of 7 m, scuba divers discovered the remains of the Alexandria lighthouse. A cracked column and famous statue Poseidon, crowning the dome of the lighthouse.

Alexandrian lighthouse


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

Φάρος της Αλεξάνδρειας
Location
Coordinates

31.214167 , 29.885 31°12′51″ n. w. /  29°53′06″ E. d. 31.214167° s. w.
29.885° E. d.

(G) (O)
Height
140 meters

Active
Distance

56 kilometers- one of the 7 wonders of the world, was built in the 3rd century BC. e. in the Egyptian city of Alexandria, so that ships could safely pass the reefs on their way to Alexandria Bay. 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 almost a thousand years, but in 796 AD. e. was heavily damaged by the earthquake. Subsequently, the Arabs who came to Egypt tried to restore it, and by the 14th century. the height of the lighthouse was about 30 m. At the end of the 15th century. Sultan Qait Bey erected a fortress on the site of the lighthouse, which still stands today.

The lighthouse was built on the small island of Pharos in the Mediterranean Sea near 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. Its construction was supposed to take 20 years, 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. Architect - Sostratus of Cnidus.

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.

Guide light

Death of the lighthouse

In the 14th century, the lighthouse was completely destroyed by an earthquake. A few years later, its ruins were used to build a fortress. The fortress was subsequently rebuilt several times.

Literature


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    Alexandrian lighthouse See what "Alexandria Lighthouse" is in other dictionaries: - Alexandrian lighthouse …

    Russian spelling dictionary This article is about the artistic image. For other meanings of the term in the title of the article, see Alexandria pillar

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    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

    A tall, tower-shaped structure standing on the seashore, along the route of ships to show the way to seafarers. At night, a fire is maintained on top of the M. Indicative markers are erected in the open sea, on individual small rocks and shallows, and... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

    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 means alarms:... ... 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.

 

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