June 3, 2004 12:14:07 AM
Simple draft
Sostratus, the son of Dexiphanes, the
Cnidian, dedicated this to the Saviour Gods, on behalf of those who sail the
seas.
Dedicatory
inscription of the Lighthouse
Of the Seven Wonders
of the Ancient World, only one had a practical use in addition to its
architectural elegance: The Lighthouse of Alexandria. For sailors, it ensured a
safe return to the Great Harbor. For architects, it meant even more: it was the
tallest building on Earth. And for scientists, it was the mysterious mirror that
fascinated them most... The mirror which reflection could be seen more than 50
km (35 miles) off-shore.
Location
On
the ancient island of Pharos, now a promontory within the city of
Alexandria
in
Egypt.
History
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, but it is more likely that
the name is Greek in origin. 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.
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.
Description
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 gave an 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.
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Note: The
color painting at the top of the page is of artistic nature and does not
necessarily represent an accurate reconstruction of the Wonder. Painting by
Mario Larrinaga.
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Last modified
Wednesday, January 21,
2004
Copyright
© 1995, 1999, 2004 by
Alaa K.
Ashmawy. All rights
reserved.
From: The
Seven Wonders: The Lighthouse of
Alexandria
http://ce.eng.usf.edu/pharos/Wonders/pharos.html
Posted: Thu - June 3, 2004 at 02:20 AM