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| Lighthouse
of Alexandria |
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Lighthouse
of Alexandria: Shortly after the
death of Alexander the Great, his
commander Ptolemy Soter assumed
power in Egypt. He had witnessed
the founding of Alexandria, and
established his capital there. Off
of the city's coast lies a small
island: Pharos. Its name, legend
says, is a variation of Pharaoh's
Island. The island was connected
to the mainland by means of a dike
- the Heptastadion - which gave
the city a double harbor. And because
of dangerous sailing conditions
and flat coastline in the region,
the construction of a lighthouse
was necessary.
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The project was conceived and initiated
by Ptolemy Soter around 290 BC, but was
completed after his death, during the
reign of his son Ptolemy Philadelphus.
Sostratus, a contemporary of Euclid, was
the architect, but detailed calculations
for the structure and its accessories
were carried out at the Alexandria Library/Mouseion.
The monument was dedicated to the Savior
Gods: Ptolemy Soter (lit. savior) and
his wife Berenice. For centuries, the
Lighthouse of Alexandria (occasionally
referred to as the Pharos Lighthouse)
was used to mark the harbor, using fire
at night and reflecting sun rays during
the day. It was even shown on Roman coins,
just as famous monuments are depicted
on currency today.
When
the Arabs conquered Egypt, they admired
Alexandria and its wealth. The Lighthouse
continues to be mentioned in their writings
and travelers accounts. But the new
rulers moved their capital to Cairo
since they had no ties to the Mediterranean.
When the mirror was brought down mistakenly,
they did not restore it back into place.
In AD 956, an earthquake shook Alexandria,
and caused little damage to the Lighthouse.
It was later in 1303 and in 1323 that
two stronger earthquakes left a significant
impression on the structure. When the
famous Arab traveler Ibn Battuta visited
Alexandria in 1349, he could not enter
the ruinous monument or even climb to
its doorway.
The
final chapter in the history of the
Lighthouse came in AD 1480 when the
Egyptian Mamelouk Sultan, Qaitbay, decided
to fortify Alexandria's defense. He
built a medieval fort on the same spot
where the Lighthouse once stood, using
the fallen stone and marble.
Of
the six vanished Wonders, the Lighthouse
of Alexandria was the last to disappear.
Therefore we have adequately accurate
knowledge of its location and appearance.
Ancient accounts such as those by Strabo
and Pliny the Elder give us a brief
description of the "tower"
and the magnificent white marble cover.
They tell us how the mysterious mirror
could reflect the light tens of kilometers
away. Legend says the mirror was also
used to detect and burn enemy ships
before they could reach the shore.
In
1166, an Arab traveler, Abou-Haggag
Al-Andaloussi visited the Lighthouse.
He documented a wealth of information
and an gave accurate description of
the structure which helped modern archeologists
reconstruct the monument. It was composed
of three stages: The lowest square,
55.9 m (183.4 ft) high with a cylindrical
core; the middle octagonal with a side
length of 18.30 m (60.0 ft) and a height
of 27.45 m (90.1 ft); and the third
circular 7.30 m (24.0 ft) high. The
total height of the building including
the foundation base was about 117 m
(384 ft), equivalent to a 40-story modern
building. The internal core was used
as a shaft 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. In ancient
times, a statue of Poseidon adorned
the summit of the building.
Although
the Lighthouse of Alexandria did not
survive to the present day, it left
its influence in various respects. From
an architectural standpoint, the monument
has been used as a model for many prototypes
along the Mediterranean, as far away
as Spain. And from a linguistic standpoint,
it gave its name -- Pharos -- to all
the lighthouses in the world... Just
look up the dictionary for the French,
Italian, or Spanish word for lighthouse.
Location:
On the ancient island of Pharos, now
a promontory within the city of Alexandria
in Egypt.
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