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Lighthouse of Alexandria
Egypt
Why this ancient Seven Wonders structure was special
The Lighthouse of Alexandria is one of the greatest
architectural feats of antiquity. It was at least as tall as a
40 story modern building and stood for over 16 centuries.
Interesting tidbits about
the Lighthouse of Alexandria
Unlike the other six ancient Seven Wonders of the World, the
Lighthouse of Alexandria had practical purposes. It helped
seafaring ships find the harbor and then safely enter it
(treacherous shoals existed just outside the harbor). The
lighthouse also served as a military lookout for approaching
enemy ships. It was also a tourist destination (with two
observation platforms).
It was obviously solidly constructed. It survived for some 1600
years despite being assaulted by fierce winter sea storms and
many earthquakes.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria employed two types of beacons
placed near the building's summit. At night, a bonfire generated
the light. During the day, a mirror created it by reflecting and
directing sun rays. The mirror was probably a large, round,
concave disc made of polished metal.
A fanciful account would have us believe that the mirror was
used to burn approaching enemy ships by focusing the sun rays on
them.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was conceived in the early 3rd
century BC by the ruler Ptolemy I, an ex-general of Alexander
the Great, the conqueror who founded and gave his name to
Alexandria. Ptolemy II (the son of Ptolemy I) finished
constructing the Lighthouse of Alexandria about 25 years later.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria had three basic structural
elements. A rectangular base, an octagonal midsection, and a
cylindrical upper section which housed the beacon (see above
picture).
Estimates for the combined height of the three sections range
from 100 to 180 meters (330 to 600 feet). A consensus of
reliable sources sets the figure at about 120 meters (400 feet).
Except for the great pyramids of Egypt, the Lighthouse of
Alexandria was the tallest structure in the world until the
Eiffel Tower was erected in 1889.
During the 1300's, the gradual disintegration of the Lighthouse
of Alexandria accelerated. The chief culprits were human neglect
and a series of unusually severe earthquakes. By 1400 AD, the
Lighthouse of Alexandria was in ruins.
What happened to the fallen building blocks of the Lighthouse of
Alexandria? Some were used by Sultan Qaitbay in the mid 1400s to
build a fortress on (or near) the lighthouse's site. Today, this
seaside fort is the focal point of Alexandria's harbor and is as
sturdy as ever.
In 1994, a scuba-diving archeological expedition explored and
mapped the harbor's seafloor near the lighthouse's site. They
located over 2,000 submerged large building blocks, which they
say were part of the lighthouse. Some critics believe that the
stones have nothing to do with the lighthouse because many of
the sunken objects came from even earlier ancient Egyptian
buildings. The archeologists counter argue that the ancient
Egyptians commonly recycled material from old structures - and
the builders of the Lighthouse of Alexandria were no exception.
The structure is also well known as the "Lighthouse of Pharos."
It was named for the small island Pharos in Alexandria harbor
upon which the lighthouse was built. A causeway connects the
island with the mainland.
The Lighthouse of Pharos became so renowned that the name
"pharos" is the root of the word "lighthouse" in several
languages (for instance, "phare" in French).
فانوس الکساندریا
فانوس
الکساندریا یکی از بزرگترین شاهکارهای روزگار باستان می
باشد. ارتفاع این بنا حداقل به اندازه یک ساختمان 40 طبقه
امروزی بود و برای 16 قرن پابرجا بود. برخلا ف 6 عجایب
دیگر, فانوس الکساندریا استفاده های عملی بسیاری داشت .
این بنا به کشتیهای دریانوردی کمک می کرد که اسکله ها را
براحتی پیدا کنند و با ایمنی کامل داخل آن شوند. چراکه
تنگه های خطرناک دﻗﻳﻗﺄ در خارج از بندرها قرار داشتند.
ارتش نیز از این فانوس برای پیدا کردن کشتیهای دشمنان
استفاده می کرد. این بنا ظاهرﺃ ساختار جامدی داشته است و
برای 1600 سال باقی بوده است اما با وجود این براثر
طوفانهای دریایی زمستان و زلزله های بسیار از بین زفته است
. فانوس الکساندریا دو نوع برج دیده بانی داشت که در نوک
آن قرار داشتند. فانوس الکساندریا 3 عنصر ساختمانی داشت ,
پایه مستطیل شکل , قطعه میانی هشت وجهی , و قسمت بالای آن
که استوانه ای شکل است و برجهای دیده بانی در آنجا قرار
دارند. تقرﻳﺒﺄ ارتفاع این سه قسمت فانوس الکساندریا به 110
تا 180 متر می رسید. بجز اهرام مصر فانوس الکساندریا
بلندترین ساختمان جهان بود البته تا زمانیکه برج ایفل در
1889 ساخته شد.
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