Pharos of Alexandria
Pharos of Alexandria Egypt’s glory from the ancient world till now presents us with many of the world’s beauties, including 2 of the Seven Wonders of the World, The Pyramids of Giza and the Great Pharos, or lighthouse, of Alexandria. The Pharos of Alexandria is the most famous lighthouse in antiquity and is the archetype of all lighthouses since. It was built by Sostratus of Cnidus for Ptolemy I Soter and is said to have been 110 meters tall, where the only higher man- made structure of the time was The Pyramids of Giza. Alexandria’s port served as a centre of commerce and trade linking Europe and Middle East along the Mediterranean and was an important route for merchants and travelers. The lighthouse not only served a role for future lighthouses, but served a functional role as a landmark and a symbol for power and technological advancement in ancient times. The lighthouse was primarily to guide ships towards the port and to warn them of the dangers just around the coast of Alexandria. The design of the Pharos of Alexandria was unlike the slim, single column of most modern lighthouses and more like a modern skyscraper. It had 3 stages, each built on top of each other. The lowest section, and the largest, was like a massive box and was supported by major arches. On top of the first section was an eight sided tower, like an octagon and was shorter than the first section. On top of that octagon shaped tower was a cylinder that opened up to a small dome, or cupola, where there a fire, which provided the light, burned. Some even believe that on the roof of the cupola was a large statue of god of the sea, Poseidon, or Ptolemy. Surviving several natural disasters, including a tsunami that hit eastern Mediterranean and provided minor damage to it, the Lighthouse stood for nearly 1500 years. However, after several minor disasters, cracks and cracks gathered until a major earthquake shook the entire region which led to the crumbling and toppling of the Pharos