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The Great Lighthouse of
Alexandria, from a Series of
The 'Seven Wonders of The World'
Artist: Ferdinand Knab
24 x 18
Giclee Print
Availability and Purchase Info
Product Description From
Art.com:
This art print was created using a sophisticated digital
printer. The Giclee printing process delivers a fine
stream of ink on archival paper, resulting in vivid,
pure color and exceptional detail that is suitable for
museum or gallery display.
This extraordinary art print features one
of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Lighthouse of
Alexandria. Sometimes called the "Pharos of Alexandria"
(Pharos in Greek means lighthouse), the Lighthouse of
Alexandria was built in the 3rd century BC, in
Alexandria, Egypt.
The tower is estimated to have been
134 m (440 ft) high. It was the first lighthouse in the
world and the tallest building in existence at that
time, with the exception of the Great Pyramid. The design of the
lighthouse was unlike the slim single column of most
modern lighthouses. It more closely resembled structure
of an early twentieth century skyscraper. The building
was constructed of marble blocks with lead mortar. There
were three levels. The lowest level of the building
contained hundreds of storage rooms and was shaped like
a massive box, probably more than 200 feet high and 100
feet square. Inside this section was a large spiral ramp
that allowed materials to be pulled to the top in
horse-drawn carts. On top of this section was an
eight-sided tower. On top of the tower was a cylinder
that extended up to an open cupola where the fire that
provided the lighthouse's light burned. On the roof of
the cupola was a large statue of Poseidon.
The interior of the upper two sections had a shaft with
a dumbwaiter that was used to transport fuel up to the
fire. Staircases allowed visitors and the keepers to
climb to the beacon chamber. There, according to
reports, a large curved mirror, perhaps made of polished
metal, was used to project the fire's light into a beam.
It was said ships could detect the light from the tower
at night or the smoke from the fire during the day up to
one-hundred miles away.
Legends tell of the light from the
lighthouse being used to burn enemy ships before they
could reach shore, however this is highly unlikely due
to the relatively poor quality of optics and reflective
technology in the time period in which the lighthouse
existed. But only slightly less impressive, and probably
more accurate, is the claim that the light from the
lighthouse could be seen up to 35 miles (56 km) from
shore.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria ceased
operations and was largely destroyed as a result of two
earthquakes in the 14th century. Its remains were found
by divers off the coast of Alexandria, Egypt in 1994, and subsequently more of it was
revealed by satellite imaging.
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