The Lighthouse of Alexandria - one of the seven wonders of the ancient world - will be rebuilt at its original location, according to Egypt’s Supreme Antiquities Council that announced its approval.
“Members of the Permanent Committee of the Egyptian Antiquities have approved an old project, submitted previously by the Alexandria governorate, aiming to revive the lighthouse,” – said Antiquities Council Secretary General Mostafa Amin. Research and the final construction plan have been submitted and now the final decision rests with Alexandria’s regional government.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria, also known as the Pharos Lighthouse, was the first of its kind in the world and remained one of the tallest man-made structures for centuries — 450 feet tall (137 meters).
It was built on the island of Pharos by the Ptolemaic Kingdom in 280 BC after the death of Alexander the Great. The original building comprised three stages: a lower square section with a central core, a middle octagonal section and a circular section at its top. The lighthouse used a mirror to guide ships during the day and fire by night. It was completely destroyed in the 14th Century and some of its pieces were used to build the Citadel of Qaytebay in 1480, which is still part of the city’s landscape even today. New discoveries of the lighthouse’s remains were last made in Alexandria’s harbor in the 1990s.
Египтяне восстановят одно из утерянных чудес света
Комитет египетских древностей представил губернатору Александрии комплексные исследования и окончательный план восстановления одного из семи чудес света — Александрийского маяка. Специалисты предлагают начать строительство грандиозного сооружения недалеко от первоначального месторасположения на острове Фарос.
Маяк был построен в годы правления династии Птолемеев, в конце третьего века до нашей эры. Высота здания составляла порядка 137 метров, таким образом, на протяжении нескольких сотен лет маяк оставался одним из самых высоких искусственных строений. Здание имело три яруса: нижний квадратный высотой около 60 метров, средний восьмиугольный со спиральным пандусом, и верхний цилиндрический, где горел огонь по ночам, а днём использовалась система зеркал для отражения солнечных лучей. Величественное сооружение сильно пострадало от частых землетрясений. В 14 веке здание было полностью разрушено, а его части были использованы для постройки крепости Кайт-Бей.
'Noah’s Survival' discusses shipbuilding in Egypt
Students from the Faculty of Mass Communication at Cairo University have shot a graduation project documentary film about the ailing shipbuilding industry in Egypt.
The film compares the history of shipbuilding in Egypt to its current status.
The documentary discusses the fact that there would be no life on Earth had Noah not built his ark to survive the flood. Unfortunately, the ships built in Egypt today have a tendency to sink.
The film also explains that ships have been built since the time of the ancient Egyptians, with attention to detail and
exquisite craftsmanship. The workmanship demonstrates the efforts people put in to build the ships, a tradition that
prevailed until the time of Mohamed Ali. Today, however, the industry is in decline due to various economic and social reasons.
In making the film, the students aimed to encourage young people to work in this important industry.
(Sourse: Al-Masry Al-Youm, 03/05/2015)
