Wednesday, February 24, 2010

S6E5 LIGHTHOUSE

The Lighthouse looks very similar to the Seventh Wonder of the Ancient World, the Lighthouse of Alexandria. The Egyptian lighthouse was built by the last Pharaohs to guide ships into the Alexandria harbor. Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great, who instead of building a capitol along the Nile, he placed his city where there was a large harbor to facilitate commerce and trade.

As noted before, Alexandria was the intellectual beacon of ancient knowledge and technology. The library at Alexandria contained all the known works from scholars, scientists, inventors and writers. The lighthouse was a tourist mecca for much of southern Europe.

The Lighthouse of Alexandria contained polished glass placed directly around a large fire pit, which would then send light for tens of miles out to sea, to guide ships to the harbor.