Interesting facts about the Alexandrian lighthouse. The lighthouse of Alexandria, also known as Pharos, is the highest structure of the ancient world. Foundation of the city to the glory of the great commander

Unfortunately, the earthquake almost completely destroyed the building, but despite this, there were no fewer people who wanted to look at the lighthouse.

Alexandrian lighthouse refers to one of the seven wonders of the world. In another way, the lighthouse is called Pharos, because of its location on the island of Pharos on the coast of Alexandria in Egypt. The city got its name from the emperor Alexander the Great. He approached the location of the city very thoughtfully. At first it will seem unusual that Macedonsky did not choose the Nile Delta, where two of the most important strategic routes pass. However, if Alexandria were built on the Nile River, harmful sands and silt would clog its harbor. Thus, the best option was chosen, because high hopes were pinned on the city.

Macedonian planned to create the largest trading city here, where goods from all over the world would be delivered. Well, of course, for such an important center, a harbor was required. Many well-known designers of that time created a project according to which a dam was erected connecting the island with the mainland. Thus, two harbors were obtained, receiving ships both from the side of the Nile and from the sea.

The emperor's dream came true only after his death, when Ptolemy I ascended the throne. It was he who made Alexandria the largest trading port city in all of Greece. With the growth and development of navigation, the island became more and more in need of a lighthouse. Its construction would secure the navigation of ships at sea, as well as attract more sellers and buyers.

A lighthouse would stand out from the sparse landscape with its lights, providing a powerful landmark for the lost. According to historians, Alexander the Great also planned to make a defensive structure out of the lighthouse in case of attacks from the sea. Therefore, the plans were to build a huge sentinel post.

Construction of the Lighthouse of Alexandria

Of course, the construction of such a large-scale facility required large financial and labor resources. Finding them at such a difficult time was not easy. But Ptolemy solved this problem by bringing from conquered Syria a huge number of Jews who became slaves at a construction site. At this time, there are several other important events for the state. Ptolemy signs a settlement agreement with Demetrius Poliorcetes and celebrates the death of his natural enemy Antigonus.

In 285 BC. the construction of Pharos begins under the leadership of the architect Sostratus of Cnidus. To perpetuate his name, the architect creates an inscription saying that he is building this building for sailors. Above, the inscription was covered with tiles with the name of Ptolemy. However, the secret has now been revealed.

lighthouse structure

The lighthouse of Alexandria had three tiers of a rectangular shape with a side of 30.5 meters. The edges of the lower tier were clearly turned to certain cardinal points. Its height was 60 meters. The lower tier was decorated with tritons on the sides and was used by workers for personal purposes. Fuel and food supplies were also stored here.

The middle tier was built in the form of a polygon, the edges of which were directed to the winds.

The third tier resembled a cylinder and acted directly as a luminary. At the top was a seven-meter sculpture of Isis-Faria, which the sailors revered as their guardian. According to some sources, there was a statue of Poseidon at the top, but this fact has not been proven. A complex design of mirrors was created here, which significantly increased the range of light. Fuel was supplied to the lighthouse by special ramps, which were transported by mules. It was for the convenience of movement that the dam was built. The lighthouse of Alexandria, in addition to its direct duties, served as the defense of the city. There was a military garrison here. For complete safety, thick walls and small towers were erected around the lighthouse.

In general, the entire structure was 120 meters high, becoming the highest in the world.

The fate of the lighthouse

A millennium later, the building began to collapse. It happened in 796 during a powerful earthquake. The ruins of a 30-meter height remained from the majestic building.

Later, the military fort of Kite Bay was built from the wreckage, inside which there are now several museums? Museum of Marine Biology and Historical Museum.

Tower on Foros, salvation for the Greeks,

Sostrat Deksifanov,

The architect from Knidos, erected,

Oh Lord Proteus!

Posidipp .

Now we'll move to the delta Nile to see the seventh wonder of the world. But to find the seventh wonder of the world is a hopeless business. lighthouse on the island Foros near Alexandria disappeared without a trace for a long time.

The French call the lighthouse " phare ", Spaniards and Italians" faro ", the Greeks" faros ", the British" pharos".

during his conquest of the world, he not only destroyed cities, but also built them. He founded Alexandria near issy, Alexandria of Troas, Alexandria near the Tigris (later Antioch), Alexandria of Bactria, Alexandria of Armenia, Alexandria of the Caucasus, Alexandria" on the edge of the world " and many others. In 332 B.C. he founded Alexandria of Egypt, the capital of the Hellenic world of Egypt. Previously, on the site of this Alexandria, there was an old fishing settlement. Rakotis. This is where he came from Memphis one day in the spring Alexander the Great along with their military leaders, historians, zoologists, botanists and dancers. Among these people arrived here Deinocrates- an architect known to us by Ephesus and Rhodes, he accompanied Alexander from Macedonia. In Ephesus, Deinocrates received his first task - to rebuild. But the “great day” of Deinocrates came only when Alexander conquered Egypt.The king saw near the island of Foros, next to the ancient Egyptian settlement Rakotis a natural harbor, on the banks of which there was a wonderful place for a port market, around the fertile Egyptian lands and the proximity of the Nile. It was here that the king ordered Deinocrates to build the Egyptian Alexandria, ordered and left, returned here after 10 years and in a golden sarcophagus (the sarcophagus of Alexander, his commander Ptolemy ordered to be placed in the royal palace in Alexandria, in that part of it that was called Sema and where the sarcophagi of all subsequent kings will subsequently stand).
Immediately after Alexander's departure, the city began to be built. After the death of Alexander in Babylonia, Alexandria was chosen as his residence by the Macedonian commander Ptolemy, who captured Egypt (first ruling here on behalf of the unborn son of Alexander, and from 305 BC on his own behalf) and founded the last, no longer Egyptian, dynasty of Egyptian pharaohs. And gradually the city became so famous for its grandeur and beauty that under the king Ptolemy X II and his sister Cleopatra(who treacherously tortured her two brothers, Ptolemy X II and X III to vacate the throne for his son Ptolemy X IV who gave birth to Julius Caesar) the Romans wanted to capture it. Over time, the Romans annexed Alexandria, along with all of Egypt, to Roman Empire.

With the advent of the Macedonian commander Ptolemy to power in Egypt and his substantiation in Alexandria, the capital of the last Egyptian kingdom, as well as the capital of the entire Hellenistic world, the era of ancient culture, which is commonly called Alexandrian, began. The heyday of this culture, which is a synthesis of Greek culture with the culture of the Eastern peoples, falls on the domination of the first three Ptolemies: Ptolemy ISotera(323-285 BC), Ptolemy IIPhiladelphia(285 - 246 BC) and Ptolemy IIIEvergeta(246 - 221 BC) Descendants of a Macedonian courtier Laga gained enormous power over millions of people. They were real pharaohs. Of course, they waged bloody wars with other heirs of the Great Alexander, but they also made a great contribution to the development of Hellenic culture. For example: Ptolemy I was one of those few rulers who understand that science brings the same glory as war, and moreover, it is cheaper and less risky. It was under their rule that two great structures were created.

In 308 BC, under Ptolemy I was opened here Alexandria musseion(“Temple of the Muses”) - one of the main scientific and cultural centers of the ancient world, and with it the no less famous Library of Alexandria, in which there were almost 700 thousand volumes of Greek and Oriental books (most of the books of which were acquired under Ptolemy II Philadelphia). At the musseion, scientists lived and worked, who were supported by the state. Ptolemy I Soter himself was the author "Campaigns of Alexander the Great". The generosity of Ptolemy attracted to Alexandria not only scientists, but also artists, sculptors, and poets. The Ptolemies made Alexandria a world center of learning.

The second magnificent building of the Ptolemies is a lighthouse on the islandFaros. He described it to us Straboin the seventeenth volume"Geography". This skyscraper of the ancient world was built on a rock in the middle of the sea and, in addition to its practical functions, it served as a symbol of the state.

As Strabo writes, he built it Sostratus from Knida, son Dexifana and “friend of kings” (of the first two Ptolemies). Before the lighthouse, Sostratus had already built a "hanging boulevard" on the island of Knida (a similar hanging structure). It is also known that Sostratus was an experienced diplomat.
The lighthouse of Alexandria stood for about 1500 years, helping to navigate the Mediterranean "cybernetos", the ancient Greeks called the helmsmen. Under the Byzantines, in the 4th century, it was damaged by an earthquake and the fire went out forever. In the 7th century, under the Arabs, this structure served as a day lighthouse. At the end of the 10th century, the lighthouse survived another earthquake and remained from it part 4. In the middle of the 13th century, it was no longer needed as a lighthouse: the shore was so close to the island that the Ptolemaic harbors turned into a sand pit. Colosseum.And the destruction of the lighthouse was completed by an earthquake in 1326. Today, the island of Pharos is completely connected to the mainland, besides, its shape has completely changed, and therefore the place where the lighthouse stood today has not yet been identified.The lighthouse on the island of Pharos, the highest lighthouse in the world, disappeared without a trace.

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One of the seven wonders of the world is the Lighthouse of Alexandria, a structure built on the island of Pharos in the third century BC. The building is located near the famous Alexandria, in connection with which it was given such a name. Another option may be the phrase "Faros lighthouse" - from the name of the island on which it is located.

purpose

The first wonder of the world - the Lighthouse of Alexandria - was originally intended to help lost sailors who want to get to the shore, safely overcoming the underwater reefs. At night, the path was illuminated by flames and signal beams of light emanating from a huge fire, and by day - columns of smoke emanating from a fire located at the very top of this sea tower. The lighthouse of Alexandria served faithfully for almost a thousand years, but was very badly damaged by an earthquake in 796. After this earthquake, five more very powerful and long tremors were recorded in history, which finally disabled this magnificent creation of human hands. Of course, they tried to reconstruct it more than once, but all attempts only led to the fact that a small fortress was left of it, which was built by Sultan Kait Bey in the 15th century. It is this fortress that can be seen today. She is all that remains of this majestic creation of man.

Story

Let's delve a little into history and find out how this wonder of the world was built, because it's really exciting and interesting. How much has happened, what are the features of the construction and its purpose - we will tell you about all this below, do not be too lazy just to read.

Where is the Lighthouse of Alexandria

The lighthouse was built on a small island called Pharos, which is located off the coast of Alexandria in the Mediterranean Sea. The whole history of this lighthouse was originally associated with the name of the great conqueror Alexander the Great. It was he who was the creator of the first wonder of the world - a thing that all mankind is proud of. On this island, Alexander the Great decided to establish a large port, which he actually did in 332 BC during his visit to Egypt. The structure received two names: the first - in honor of the one who decided to build it, the second - in honor of the name of the island on which it is located. In addition to such a famous lighthouse, the conqueror decided to build another city of the same name - one of the largest ports in the Mediterranean. It should be noted that in his entire life, Alexander the Great built about eighteen policies with the name "Alexandria", but it was this one that went down in history and is known to this day. First of all, the city was built, and only then its main attraction. Initially, the construction of the lighthouse was supposed to take 20 years, but no such luck. The whole process took only 5 years, but despite this, the construction saw the world only in 283 BC, after the death of Alexander the Great - during the government of Ptolemy II - the king of Egypt.

Construction features

I decided to take a very careful approach to the issue of construction. According to some sources, he has been choosing a place for the construction of the port for more than two years. The conqueror did not want to create a city in the Nile, for which he found a very good replacement. The construction site was pitched twenty miles south, near the dry lake of Mareotis. Previously, there was a platform of the Egyptian city of Rakotis, which in turn slightly facilitated the entire construction process. The whole advantage of the location was that the port was able to receive ships from both the Mediterranean Sea and the Nile River, which was very profitable and diplomatic. This not only increased the conqueror's profits, but also helped him and his followers build strong ties with both merchants and sailors of the time. The city was created during the life of Macedon, but the lighthouse of Alexandria was the development of Ptolemy the first Soter. It was he who finalized the design and brought it to life.

Alexandrian lighthouse. A photo

Looking at the image, we can see that the lighthouse consists of several "layers". Three large marble towers stand on the base of huge stone blocks, with a total weight of several hundred thousand tons. The first tower has the shape of a huge rectangle. Inside it are rooms intended for the housing of soldiers and workers of the port. At the top was a smaller octagonal tower. The spiral ramp was a transition to the upper cylindrical tower, inside of which there was a large fire, which served as a source of light. The entire structure weighed several million thousand tons, excluding decorations and appliances inside it. Because of this, the soil began to subside, which caused serious problems and required additional fortifications and construction work.

Start of fire

Although the Pharos Lighthouse was built between 285 and 283 BC, it only began to operate at the beginning of the first century BC. It was then that the whole system of signal lights was developed, working thanks to large bronze disks that direct light into the sea. In parallel with this, a composition of gunpowder was invented, which emitted a huge amount of smoke - a way to indicate the way during the day.

Height and distance of outgoing light

The total height of the Lighthouse of Alexandria is from 120 to 140 meters (the difference is the difference in ground height). Thanks to this arrangement, the light from the fire was visible at a distance of more than 60 kilometers in bright weather (there is evidence that the light was visible for 100 kilometers or more in calm weather) and up to 45-50 kilometers during a thunderstorm. The direction of the rays was due to a special construction in several rows. The first row was a tetrahedral prism, the height of which reached 60-65 meters, with a square base, an area of ​​900 square meters. Inventory and everything necessary for supplying fuel and maintaining the "eternal" fire were stored here. The basis for the middle part was a large flat cover, the corners of which were decorated with large statues of Tritons. This room was an octagonal white marble tower 40 meters high. The third part of the lighthouse is built of eight columns, on top of which there is a large dome, which is decorated with a large eight-meter bronze statue of Poseidon. Another name for the statue is Zeus the Savior.

"Eternal flame"

Maintaining the fire was a difficult task. More than a ton of fuel was required daily so that the fire could burn with the necessary force. Wood, which was the main material, was delivered in specially equipped carts along a spiral ramp. The carts were pulled by mules, which required more than a hundred for one climb. In order for the light from the fire to spread as far as possible, huge bronze sheets were placed behind the flame, at the foot of each column, with the help of which they directed the light.

Additional purpose

According to some manuscripts and surviving documents, the lighthouse of Alexandria served not only as a source of light for lost sailors. For soldiers, it became an observation post, for scientists - an astronomical observatory. Accounts say that there was a large amount of very interesting technical equipment - clocks of various shapes and sizes, a weather vane, as well as many astronomical and geographical instruments. Other sources talk about the presence of a huge library and a school that taught elementary disciplines, but this does not have any significant evidence.

Doom

The death of the lighthouse was not only due to several powerful earthquakes, but also due to the fact that the bay almost ceased to be used, because it was very silted up. After the port became unusable, the bronze plates that cast light into the sea were melted down into coins and jewelry. But this was not the end. The complete death of the lighthouse occurred in the 15th century during one of the most powerful earthquakes ever to occur off the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. After that, the remains were restored several times and served as a fortress, as well as a home for the few inhabitants of the island.

In modern world

Today, the Faros Lighthouse, whose photo can be very easily found, is one of the few architectural monuments lost in history and time. This is what is still of interest to both scientists and ordinary people who like centuries-old things, because many events, literary works and scientific discoveries are associated with it, important for the entire development of the world. Alas, not much is left of the 7 wonders of the world. The lighthouse of Alexandria, or rather only part of it, is one of those structures that humanity can be proud of. True, all that remains of it is just the lower tier, which served as a warehouse and a place of residence for the military and workers. Thanks to many reconstructions, the building was not completely destroyed. It was converted into something like a small castle-fortress, inside which the remaining inhabitants of the island lived. This is exactly what you can see when visiting the island of Pharos, which is quite popular among tourists. After complete construction and cosmetic repairs, the lighthouse has a more modern look, which makes it a modern building with a long history.

Future plans

The Lighthouse of Alexandria is one of the objects under the protection of UNESCO. Due to this, various repairs are carried out every year in order to protect the fortress from destruction. There was even a time when they talked about completely resuming their former appearance, but this was never done, because then the lighthouse would lose its status as one of the wonders of the world. But you must see it if you are already interested in history.

Lighthouse of Alexandria is the sixth wonder of the world.(aka Faros lighthouse). It was built in the 3rd century BC on the Mediterranean Sea.

In Egypt, on the small island of Pharos, not far from Alexandria, there was a bay of great importance for merchant ships. It was for this reason that the need arose for the construction of the Faros Lighthouse.

Hardly anyone imagined that the outstanding structure would enter. At night, flames reflected by the water surface were visible at a distance of more than 60 kilometers, allowing ships to safely pass the reefs. During the day, instead of light, a column of smoke was used, which was also visible extremely far away.

Having stood for almost 1000 years, the Lighthouse of Alexandria was seriously damaged by what happened in 796 AD. When the Arabs came to Egypt (XIV century), they decided to restore the grandiose building, reaching only 30 meters from its original height.

However, the reconstruction was not destined to be completed, and by the end of the 15th century, Kait-bey, a famous sultan, founded a fortress on the foundation of the lighthouse. By the way, it still exists.

Interesting facts about the wonder of the world Lighthouse of Alexandria

During the reign of Ptolemy II in Egypt, it was decided to build the famous lighthouse. According to the plan, the implementation of the idea was supposed to take 20 years, but all residents saw the masterpiece much earlier. The main architect and builder of this structure is Sostratus of Cnidus.

On the marble wall of the lighthouse, he carved his name, and then, applying thin plaster, wrote words glorifying Ptolemy. Naturally, after a short period of time, the plaster crumbled, and the name of an outstanding master entered the centuries. So, Sostratus completed the construction of the Pharos Lighthouse in 5 years, which, by the standards of antiquity, was generally an instant!

The lighthouse of Alexandria consisted of three towers. The first, lowest, rectangular part of the monument served technical purposes. Workers and soldiers lived there, as well as tools and equipment necessary for maintaining the lighthouse. A second, octagonal tower rose above the first part.

A ramp wound around it to carry fuel for the fire. The third tier was a majestic cylindrical building, equipped with a complex system of mirrors. It was here that a vital fire burned, spreading its light for many kilometers around.

The height of the sixth wonder of the world, the Pharos lighthouse, ranged from 120 to 140 meters. At the very top was a statue of the god of the seas, Poseidon.

Some travelers, describing the miracle that struck them, mentioned unusually arranged statues. The first one pointed with her hand at, throughout the day, and when the sun went down, the hand dropped.

The second statue sounded every hour day and night. The third constantly indicated the direction of the wind, playing the role of a weather vane.

In the 12th century AD, ships stopped using the Alexandrian bay due to the fact that it had become extremely silty. This is what caused the outstanding building to fall into complete decline. Even later, in the XIV century, due to an earthquake Wonder of the Lighthouse of Alexandria completely collapsed.

A fortress was erected in its place, which changed its appearance more than once. Now on this historical place the base of the Egyptian fleet is located and, despite various proposals, the authorities are not considering the idea of ​​restoring the lighthouse.

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Here you will learn about the only miracle of the ancient world. having a practical purpose. He allowed the ships to approach the harbor without any problems, and the observation post located at the top made it possible to notice the enemy in time. Locals claimed that the light of the Lighthouse of Alexandria burned enemy ships. If they managed to reach the shore, then the statue of Poseidon, located on the dome of the lighthouse, emitted a piercing warning cry.

Where was the Lighthouse of Alexandria

Few people don't know Where was the Lighthouse of Alexandria located?, which was built on the east coast of the small island of Pharos, located near Alexandria - the main seaport Egypt, built by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. It is also known in history as the Pharos lighthouse.

The great commander chose the place for the construction of the city very carefully: he initially planned to build a port in this region, which would be an important trade center.

It was extremely important that it be located at the intersection of both water and land routes of the three parts of the world - Africa, Europe and Asia. For the same reason, it was necessary to build at least two harbors here: one for ships arriving from the Mediterranean Sea, and the other for sailing along the Nile.

Therefore, Alexandria was not built in the Nile Delta, but a little to the side, twenty miles to the south. When choosing a place for the city, Alexander took into account the location of future harbors, paying special attention to their strengthening and protection: it was very important to do everything so that the Nile waters did not clog them with sand and silt (a dam was built specifically for this, connecting the continent with island).

Then the height of buildings usually did not exceed three floors, so the lighthouse, about a hundred meters high, struck the imagination of both local residents and guests of the city. Moreover, at the time of completion of construction turned out to be the tallest building of the ancient world and was such for a very long time.

After the death of Alexander the Great, the city came under the rule of Ptolemy I Soter - and as a result of skillful management, it turned into a successful and prosperous port city, and the construction of one of the seven wonders of the world significantly increased its wealth.

Lighthouse of Alexandria: 7 wonder of the world

The lighthouse of Alexandria made it possible for ships to sail into the port without problems, successfully bypassing pitfalls, shallows and other obstacles in the bay. Due to this, after the construction of one of the seven wonders, the volume of light trade increased dramatically.

The lighthouse also served as a guide for sailors: the landscape of the Egyptian coast is rather monotonous - mostly only lowlands and plains. Therefore, signal lights in front of the entrance to the harbor were most welcome.

A lower structure would have successfully coped with this role, so the engineers assigned another important function to the Lighthouse of Alexandria - the role of an observation post: enemies usually attacked from the sea, since the desert protected the country well from the land side.

It was also necessary to install such an observation post on the lighthouse because there were no natural hills near the city where this could be done.

Construction of the Lighthouse of Alexandria

Such a large-scale construction required huge resources, not only financial and labor, but also intellectual. Ptolemy I solved this problem quite quickly: just at that time he conquered Syria, enslaved the Jews and took them to Egypt (he later used some of them to build a lighthouse).

It was at this time (in 299 BC) that he concluded a truce with Demetrius Poliorcetes, the ruler of Macedon.

Thus, a truce, a huge amount of labor and other favorable circumstances, gave him the opportunity to begin construction of a grandiose wonder of the world (although the exact date for the start of construction work has not yet been determined, researchers are convinced that this happened somewhere between 285/299 BC. BC.).

The presence of a dam, built earlier and connecting the island with the continent, greatly facilitated the task.

The construction of the lighthouse of Alexandria was entrusted to the master Sostratus from Cnidia. Ptolemy wished that only his name was inscribed on the building, indicating that it was he who created this magnificent wonder of the world.

But Sostratus was so proud of his work that he first carved his name on the stone, then put a very thick layer of plaster on it, on which he wrote the name of the Egyptian ruler. Over time, the plaster crumbled, and the world saw the signature of the architect.

Lighthouse of Alexandria: a brief description

There is no exact information about exactly how one of the seven wonders of the world looked, but some data is still available:

From all sides it was surrounded by thick walls, and in case of a siege, supplies of water and food were stored in its dungeons;
2 The height of the ancient building ranged from 120 to 180 meters;
3 The lighthouse was built in the form of a tower and had three floors;
4 Walls ancient building were laid out of marble blocks and fastened with mortar with a small addition of lead.
5 The foundation of the structure had an almost square shape - 1.8 by 1.9 meters, and granite or limestone was used as a building material;
6 The first floor of the Lighthouse of Alexandria had a height of about 60 m, while the length of the sides was about 30 m. Outwardly, it resembled a fortress or a castle with towers installed at the corners. The roof of the first tier was flat, decorated with statues of Triton and served as the basis for the next floor. Here were located residential and utility rooms in which soldiers and workers lived, and various equipment was also stored.
7 The height of the second floor was 40 meters, it had an octagonal shape and was lined with marble slabs;
8 The third tier had a cylindrical structure, decorated with statues that acted as weathercocks. Eight columns were installed here that supported the dome;
9 On the dome, facing the sea, stood a bronze (according to other versions - gold) statue of Poseidon, the height of which exceeded seven meters;
10 Under Poseidon there was a platform on which a signal fire burned, indicating the way to the harbor at night, while during the day its function was performed by an enormous column of smoke;
11 So that the fire could be seen from a great distance, a whole system of polished metal mirrors was installed near it, reflecting and amplifying the light of the fire, which, according to contemporaries, was visible even at a distance of 60 km;

There are several versions of how the fuel was raised to the top of the lighthouse. Adherents of the first theory believe that a shaft was located between the second and third tiers, where a lifting mechanism was installed, with the help of which fuel for the fire was raised up.

As for the second, it implies that it was possible to get to the site on which the signal fire was burning by a spiral staircase along the walls of the structure, and this staircase was so gentle that loaded donkeys carrying fuel to the top of the lighthouse could easily climb up the building. .

Lighthouse of Alexandria: wreck

He served people for a long time - about a thousand years. Thus, he survived more than one dynasty of Egyptian rulers, saw Roman legionnaires. This did not particularly affect his fate: no matter who ruled Alexandria, everyone made sure that the unique structure stood for as long as possible - they restored the parts of the building that had collapsed due to frequent earthquakes, updated the facade, which was negatively affected by wind and salty sea water.

Time has done its job: the lighthouse stopped working in 365, when one of the strongest earthquakes in the Mediterranean Sea caused a tsunami that flooded part of the city, and the death toll of the Egyptians, according to chroniclers, exceeded 50 thousand inhabitants.

After this event, the lighthouse significantly decreased in size, but stood still for quite a long time - until the XIV century, until another strong earthquake wiped it off the face of the earth (a hundred years later, the Sultan of Kait Bey erected a fortress on its foundation, which can be seen and these days). There look the remains of the lighthouse today.

In the mid 90s. the remains of the Lighthouse of Alexandria were discovered at the bottom of the bay with the help of a satellite, and after some time, scientists, using computer modeling, were able to more or less restore the image of a unique structure.