When I first researched the submerged ruins of Alexandria,
I did not realize that the ruins of Cleopatra’s city were so close to the lighthouse ruins. However, when I got to the diving center, I learned
that the ruins of the city are right next to the lighthouse ruins, which are in
the waters next to Fort Qaitbay. While people refer to these ruins as Cleopatra’s
Palace, this area where I went diving had pieces of the ancient city of
Alexandria during the reign of Cleopatra, not of her palace specifically.
I did a few
dives on different days in this area, where I could see some of the pieces of the lighthouse that
toppled over from earthquakes. By swimming a bit west, I was near some huge
walls from the ancient city and some broken sphinxes. While all of the statues (except these 2 broken sphinxes) and the artifacts were
raised out of the water during the excavation and put into a traveling museum
exhibition, larger structures still remain, like huge columns from the lighthouse and a wine press. Here are some pictures from a few
different dives around the Alexandria ancient city and lighthouse ruins.
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| Lighthouse Ruins |
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| Blocks from base of Lighthouse of Alexandria |
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| Lighthouse of Alexandria ruins |
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| A base of a column from the lighthouse |
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| Column base from lighthouse |
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| Large weight |
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| Top of weight |
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| Side of weight |
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| Me swimming through some ruins |
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| Column from the Lighthouse of Alexandria |
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| Ruins |
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| Column |
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| Column base |
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| Large column from the lighthouse |
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| Block from the base of lighthouse |
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| Ruins of the base of the lighthouse |
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| Columns from the lighthouse |
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| Wine press |
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| Column base |
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| Another column base |
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Close-up on the granite used in the columns and base
of the Lighthouse of Alexandria |
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| Columns from the lighthouse |
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| Column |
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| More columns |
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| Scalloped column |
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| Scalloped column (view from top) |
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| Base of lighthouse ruins |
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| Columns and blocks from lighthouse |
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| Blocks and columns from lighthouse ruins |
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| Lighthouse column |
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| Part of old wall in ancient city of Alexandria |
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| Column base |
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| Scalloped column |
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| Scalloped column |
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| Base block for a column |
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| Swimming under some ruins |
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| A square-shaped column base |
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| A headless sphinx |
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| Headless sphinx (looking from the back) |
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| Ruins of HUGE walls |
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| Ancient city wall ruins |
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| Ancient city wall |
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| Me swimming next to an ancient city wall |
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| Wine Press |
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| Old grooves in an ancient wall |
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| 4 pieces of a large column base |
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| Another sphinx, this one more faceless than headless |
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| A sphinx and me! |
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| Another headless sphinx |
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| Me and headless sphinx |
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| Side of headless sphinx |
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| Another angle of faceless sphinx |
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| Corner of a large column base |
Diving these sites was spectacular. Although most artifacts and pieces of cultural heritage were removed, these remaining large columns were quite impressive. It was fascinating to imagine the columns, column bases and large blocks tumbling down from the lighthouse and into the sea. Also, diving next to a city wall, which once was above-water and part of the ancient city of Alexandria, was unbelievable.
~Kristine
