Alexandrine lighthouse. Latter from the classical miracles, one way or another connected with Alexander [Makedonskiy]'s name, Alexandrine lighthouse.
Alexandria, based in 332 to our era, was stretched in the delta of the Nile, on the spot the Egyptian town Of [rakotisa]. This was one of the first cities the epoch of hellenism, built according to the common plan. In alexandria the sarcophagus of Alexander the Great stood, here were located [museyon] - [obitalishche] of the Muzas, center of skills and science. So here and lays etymological small filament from the Muzas to the contemporary word “museum”. [Museyon] - immediately and the Academy of Sciences, and hostel for the scientists, and technical center, and school, and the most great in the world library, in which it was to half million of rolls. Passionate bibliophile and vain person, tsar Of the [ptolomey] II suffered because in the library there were no some unique manuscripts of Greek dramatists. He directed embassy into Athens so that the Athenians would lend rolls to the period, to copy. Arrogant Athens required legendary guarantee - 15 talents, almost [poltonny] of silver. [Ptolomey] was accepted the call. Silver was delivered into Athens, and it was necessary to reluctantly carry out agreement. But [Ptolomey] it did not forgive this distrust to its bibliophilic inclinations and its word of honor. It left guarantee to Athenians, and the manuscript - to itself.
The harbor of alexandria, the perhaps most efficient and lively in the entire world, was inconvenient. The Nile bears the mass of silt, in the shoal among the stones shallow they are required skillful pilots. In order to secure navigation, it was decided to construct lighthouse on [Fariy] island, on the approach to alexandria. In 285 to our era island they connected with the continent by dam, and architect [Sostrat] [Knidskiy] approached the works. Building engaged only five years: Alexandria was foremost technical center and richest of the city of the peace of those days, to the services of builders there were huge fleet, stone quarries and achievements of [museyonskikh] academicians. Lighthouse came out in the form three-storied tower by the height of 120 meters (first and most dangerous “rival” to Egyptian pyramids). In the base it was square with the side of thirty meters, the first [shestidesyatimetrovyy] floor of tower was complex from the rock plates and supported the [sorokametrovuyu] octahedral tower, coated by white marble. On the third floor, in the round, enclosed by columns tower, the huge bonfire, which was being reflected by the complex system of mirrors, eternally burnt. Firewood for the bonfire were reached upward on the spiral stairs, such gently sloping and wide, that on it to the hundred-meter height entered the vehicles, charged by donkeys.
Alexandrine lighthouse was both fortress - the advance post of alexandria and observation post: from its apex it was possible to examine enemy fleet long before that approached a city. The set of the ingenious technical adaptations was located on the tower: weathercock, astronomical instruments, hours.
Lighthouse was so splendid that [Sostrat] [Knidskiy], [strashas] of oblivion, went for the risky disturbance of the edicts Of [ptolomeev]. In the base of lighthouse it carved the inscription: “[Sostrat], the son Of [dekstifona] from [Knida], dedicated to god- rescuers for the seafarers”. Inscription he covered by the layer of the plastering, on which was cut the name Of [ptolomeya] Of [sotera]. [Sostrat] did not hope to live until that time, when plastering crumbles, yes even not in its interests it was to learn the reaction of ruler to this act. But in the future…
The inscription Of [sostrata] saw Roman travellers. At that time lighthouse still functioned. With the fall of the Roman Empire it ceased to shine, the upper tower fallen into decay in the centuries crumbled, but for long still stood the walls of the ground floor, which were destroyed from the earthquake in XIV century. The ruins of ancient lighthouse were build it the Turkish fortress and in it there exist until now.
The reconstructions of Alexandrine lighthouse are a little similar to the New York skyscraper Of [emapayr] Of [steyts] Of [bilding].
