6Lighthouse+of+Alexandria

Lighthouse of Alexandria Alexis E.

The lighthouse of Alexandria was located on Pharos Island, Alexandria, Egypt. I choose the Lighthouse of Alexandria for two reasons. It was also the first known lighthouse, along with being the second tallest structure in the world. Its light could even be seen from 31 miles away! The first one being because I have always liked Egypt. The second one being because I have always been interested in the history and culture of Egypt. The Lighthouse of Alexandria was a beauty! It was made of marble and stood at about 400 feet high! It had three sections. The lower section was about 200 feet high. The middle section was about 100 feet high, but this section was eight-sided! The top section was about 70 feet high with a statue of Poseidon, the god of the sea, located on top. The Lighthouse of Alexandria’s construction started in 290 B.C. and was completed in 270 B.C. It was built to withstand the beating against it from the wind and the sea. It was designed by Sostrates of Knidos. When Sostrates asked Ptolemy II if he could engrave his own name into the building, Ptolemy II said no because he wanted his name to be the only one on the building. There was one great thing about Sostrates in this situation though: he was sneaky. Sostrates carved the message “SOSTRATES SON OF DEXIPHANES OF KNIDOS ON BEHALF OF ALL MARINERS TO THE SAVIOR GODS”, in the foundation and covered it with plaster, engraving the name “Ptolemy II” on top of his message. Over the centuries, Sostrates message was revealed.

The destruction of the Lighthouse began by tremors in 365 and 1303 A.D., but the final collapse was in 1326. In addition to this, there is an unlikely story that part of the Lighthouse was destroyed through a very believable lie. In 850 A.D., the Emperor of Constantinople, a rival port, came up with a sneaky, yet clever plot to destroy the Lighthouse. He spread a rumor that there was buried treasure beneath the lighthouse. When the ruler of Alexandria heard this, he ordered that the tower be pulled down so he could get the treasure. After the great mirror and the middle and top sections were removed, the ruler realized that he had been tricked. The ruler tried to rebuild the Lighthouse, but failed. Although this story seems logical, it is believed to be a rumor (much like the story itself). The Lighthouse of Alexandria is located in Alexandria, Egypt on Pharos Island. The Lighthouse is special because it was a symbol for Egypt. Also, because it started the trend of lighthouses. Google Earth Images: