Lighthouse of Alexandria -The first lighthouse of the world
The
lighthouse was localized, between 1994 and 1996, in the port of
Alexandria by the French archaeologist Jean-Yves Empereur. This
Lighthouse is located in Egypt on the island of Pharaos in front of
the city of Alexandria.
Alexander
the Great had seventeen cities named after him. Most of them are no
longer in existence except for Alexandria, Egypt. The
lighthouse counted three floors: the first one was squared, the
second was octagonal and the third cylindrical.
In the 10th century
A.D., the lighthouse stood about 300 cubits high i.e between 450 to
600 feet high. For centuries,it marked the harbor, using fire at
night and reflecting sun rays during the day.
The
city needed a mechanism to guide the trade ships into its harbor.
Ptolemy started building the lighthouse in 290 B.C. It was completed
20 years later and was the first lighthouse of the world. The
lighthouse was created to be a guide for sea faring travelers and
safely guide them back home.
The Mediterranean Sea was known for
hostile weather and water hazards. With no navigation tools other
than stars or eyesight, the sea offered a host of challenges for sea
faring people. The structure stood as a literal and spiritual beacon
of hope for the people.
Sadly,this
marvel fell in time. In the fourteenth century, a series of
earthquakes rocked Alexandria. It is believed that the first struck
in 956 AD but only caused superficial damage to the structure.
Two
additional earthquakes struck in 1303 and 1323 AD which caused
immense damage to the structure. These structural wounds would linger
despite the restoration work done by the people of Alexandria. The
structure simply could not continue to function in the face of such
destruction.
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