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The Lighthouse of Alexandria

 
                                The Lighthouse of Alexandria was the only one  wonder that had a practical use in addition to its architectural elegance. It had been helping different groups of people in many ways. It ensured sailors a safe return to the Great Harbor. Architects considered them as the tallest building on the earth. And there was a shocking mysterious characteristic of this building that had fascinated the scientists. The fascination fact was that the mirror which reflection could be seen more than 50 km or 35 miles offshore.

                               The Lighthouse of Alexandria was located on the ancient island of Pharos within the city of Alexandria in Egypt. The height of this building was about 117 m or 384 feet including the foundation base which is equivalent to a 40-story modern building. The lighthouse was composed to three stages. They were the lowest suare, the middle octagonal, and the third circular. The lowest square was 55.9 m or 183.4 feet high and it had a cylindrical core. The side length of the middle octagonal was  18.3 m or 60.0 feet and the height was 27.45 m or 90.1 feet.

                              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.

                        What the Dedicatory inscription of the Lighthouse says that sostratus, the son of Dexiphanes, the Cnidian, dedicated this to the Saviour Gods, on behalf of those who sail the seas.
 
 

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