THE ALEXANDRIA LIGHTHOUSE (OR THE FAROESE LIGHTHOUSE) The amazing Egyptian wonder of the world.

IN GENERAL: The Alexandria lighthouse is a lighthouse, built in the III century B. C. on the island Pharos, near the Egyptian city of Alexandria. It is one of the 7 wonders of the Modern world. The lighthouse was built on Pharos a small island in the Mediterranean sea near the shore of Alexandria. This alive port was founded by Alexander the Great during a visit to Egypt in 332 B. C., the building was called by the name of the island. Its construction was supposed to take 20 years, but it was built in just 5 years.

THE LIGHTHOUSES APPEARANCE The total height of the lighthouse was meters, its light was visible at the distance of 51 km (according to other evidences, at the distance of 81 km). There was different equipment in the rooms, and the flat roof the basis of the middle part of the lighthouse, had huge statues of Triton at the corners. It was a 40-meter high tower, covered with white marble. The upper (third) part of the lighthouse looked like this: 8 columns carried the dome, topped by the 8-meter high bronze figure of the Lord of the sea Poseidon. Sustaining the fire required a large amount of fuel. The tree was brought on a spiral ramp on carts pulled by mules. There was a bronze plate behind the flame that focused the light in the sea. The lighthouse was also used as a defensive fortress.

THE DEATH OF THE LIGHTHOUSE In the XII century the Alexandria Bay became so poor that the ships were no longer able to use it. The lighthouse fell into disrepair. Bronze plate that served as a mirror, probably was melted into coins. In the XIV century the lighthouse was completely destroyed by the earthquake. A few years later, its fragments were used to construct the fortress of Qait-bay.

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