Added: 08/20/2005 |
Lighthouse of Alexandria. One of the Seven Wonders of the World.The Lighthouse of Alexandria in Egypt is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World; the Great Library is known for its rich and colourful history. Historians argue about its emergence and disappearance until nowadays.
Another name of the Lighthouse of Alexandria is Pharos of Alexandria. It is associated with the island of Pharos where the Lighthouse was built in the 3rd Century BC. Unfortunately, it hasn't survived till nowadays as two earthquakes destroyed it completely. The first took place in 1303 and the second one in 1323. However, the Lighthouse of Alexandria existed longer than any other Wonder of the World, except the Great Pyramid of Giza. It was constructed over a very long period of time while several Egyptian rulers replaced each other. Made up of three levels, the Lighthouse of Alexandria was the tallest construction in the world at the time. Just imagine - a huge tower of 134 meters (440ft) tall made of white stone rising on a tiny island. During the day it would reflect sunlight through a special mirror; and when the night would fall a fire would be lit on its top. Some historians think that the Lighthouse also had a military function. The fire on its top was used to burn ships of the enemies. However, this beautiful theory is unlikely to be true.
Another Egyptian wonder worth mentioning is the Library of Alexandria (the Great Library). It was also founded in the 3rd Century BC, but was destroyed earlier, in the 4th Century AD. There are several possible explanations of what has caused its destruction. One theory that used to be popular was associated with Julius Caesar. During his invasion of Alexandria in 47 - 48 BC he spread a fire around the city and the library was burned. Many scientists disagree with this hypothesis believing that the Library was made of stone and the fire could not destroy it entirely, although it could have led to the loss of some 40,000-70,000 scrolls. Some scientists say that civil wars of the 4th Century caused the destruction of the library. Others blame Christians for its demolition in the late 4th Century. There are some other assumptions and their authenticity still remains a topic for scientific discussions. The Great Library used to be the largest library in the world which stored about 700 000 scrolls. The building was made of marble and was considered one of the most stunning and precious structures of its time.
Egyptians have created many mysterious and beautiful objects. The Lighthouse of Alexandria and the Great Library are only two of them (if you happen to be in Egypt, you should also visit Pyramids, some temples and see the Nile river), but they are probably the greatest. Both structures were obliterated thousands years ago, but they are still remembered.
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