Sostratus, the son of Dexiphanes, the Cnidian, dedicated[1] this to the Saviour Gods, on behalf of[2] those who sail the seas.
　　　　　　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　　　　　　 -- Dedicatory inscription of the Lighthouse

Of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, only one had a practical use in addition to[3] its architectural elegance: The Lighthouse of Alexandria[4]. For sailors, it ensured a safe return to the Great Harbor. For architects, it meant even more: it was the tallest building on Earth. And for scientists, it was the mysterious mirror that fascinated them most... The mirror which reflection could be seen more than 50 km (35 miles) off-shore.
Location On the ancient island of Pharos, now a promontory within the city of Alexandria in Egypt.
History Shortly after the death of Alexander the Great, his commander Ptolemy Soter assumed power in Egypt. He had witnessed the founding of Alexandria, and established his capital there. Off of the city's coast lies a small island: Pharos. Its name, legend says, is a variation of Pharaoh's Island.The island was connected to the mainland by means of a dike which gave the city a double harbor.And because of dangerous sailing conditions and flat coastline in the region, the construction of a lighthouse was necessary.
The project was conceived and initiated by Ptolemy Soter around 290 BC, but was completed after his death, during the reign of his son Ptolemy Philadelphus. Sostratus, a contemporary of Euclid[6], was the architect, but detailed calculations for the structure and its accessories were carried out at the Alexandria Library. The monument was dedicated to the Savior Gods: Ptolemy Soter (lit. savior) and his wife Berenice.For centuries, the Lighthouse of Alexandria (occasionally referred to as the Pharos Lighthouse) was used to mark the harbor, using fire at night and reflecting sun rays during the day. It was even shown on Roman coins, just as famous monuments are depicted on currency today.
When the Arabs conquered Egypt, they admired Alexandria and its wealth. The Lighthouse continues to be mentioned in their writings and travelers accounts.But the new rulers moved their capital to Cairo since they had no ties to the Mediterranean. When the mirror was brought down mistakenly, they did not restore it back into place. In AD 956, an earthquake shook Alexandria, and caused little damage to the Lighthouse. It was later in 1303 and in 1323 that two stronger earthquakes left a significant impression on the structure. When the famous Arab traveler Ibn Battuta visited Alexandria in 1349, he could not enter the ruinous monument or even climb to its doorway.
The final chapter in the history of the Lighthouse came in AD 1480 when the Egyptian Mamelouk Sultan, decided to fortify Alexandria's defense. He built a medieval fort on the same spot where the Lighthouse once stood, using the fallen stone and marble.

亚历山大港的灯塔

　　尼多斯的索斯特拉塔斯，菲勒迪法之子，谨代表那些航海的人们将此（纪念碑）献给救世主。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 ——灯塔上的题辞

　　古代世界七大奇观中只有一个除了有优雅的建筑外，还具有实用价值，这就是：亚历山大港的灯塔。对于水手们来说，它确保了他们能安全地返回港口。对于建筑家们来说，它意味着更多：它曾是世界上最高的建筑。对于科学家们来说，最让他们着迷的是那面神秘镜子……在离岸50公里（30英里）外还能看见它反射的光线。

位置：
　　位于古代的法罗斯岛，现在的埃及亚历山大港内的一个海角上。

历史：
　　在亚历山大大帝死后不久，他的指挥官，托勒密一世，也就是后来的索特王，就在埃及篡夺了权力。他目睹了亚历山大城的建立，并定都在那里。离城市的海岸线不远，有一个小岛：法罗斯岛。传说，它是法老岛的变音。石礁将小岛和内陆连接起来，而这石礁也使城市拥有了一个双层港口。因为危险的航行条件和这个地区浅平的海岸线，建造一座灯塔成为迫在眉睫的事情。

这项工程是由托勒密索特在公元前290年左右策划和发起的，但在他死后，在他的儿子菲勒迪法的统治期间完成的。与欧几里德同时代的索斯特拉塔斯，是灯塔的设计人，但对灯塔和它的附属建筑物的详尽计算却是在亚历山大图书馆完成的。这座纪念碑是献给救世主：托勒密索特（Soter意为“救星”）和他的妻子伯瑞尼丝的。许多个世纪以来，亚历山大的灯塔（有时，也被称作法罗斯灯塔）就成了这个港口的标志，夜间燃火，白天则通过反射光线（来导航）。它的形象甚至出现在罗马钱币上，就象今天著名的纪念碑被印制在流通的货币上一样。

当阿拉伯人征服埃及时，惊羡于亚历山大城和它的财富。他们的著作和游记中不断提到这座灯塔。 但是由于新统治者们和地中海区域没有任何联系，都城就迁到了开罗。（灯塔上的）反射镜被误取下时，并未被放回原位。公元956年，亚历山大城发生了地震，但灯塔并没有遭到多大破坏。只是后来到了1303年和1323年，两次强烈的地震严重损坏了灯塔的建筑。当著名的阿拉伯旅行家，伊宾·拔都塔在1349年游览亚历山大城时，他已无法进入荒废的灯塔，甚至不能攀入它的门口。

公元1480年埃及的Mamelouk 苏丹决定加强亚历山大的防御工程，于是灯塔在历史上 的最后一页来到了。苏丹在曾一度矗立着灯塔的原地，建起了一座中世纪式的堡垒。

简介： 法罗斯灯塔是古代最著名的灯塔，世界七大奇观之一。位于亚历山大城港口的法罗斯岛。传说高逾135米；分3段，每段略有收分，底段方形，中段八角型，顶段圆柱形，有盘旋坡道到达顶部。其上夜间燃火，塔尖立有巨像，作太阳神赫利俄斯姿势，毁于13世纪的一次大地震。