In photos, learn about the world’s tallest monument
By : Marwa Mahmoud
Pompey’s Pillar is one of the most famous monuments in the city of Alexandria, that Roman monument, which is considered the highest monument in the world, reaching a length of about 26.85 meters, and its diameter at the base of the column is 2.70 meters, and made of granite Red.
It is the last remaining ruins of the Serapeum Temple, which was founded by King Ptolemy III during the third century BC and was one of the largest and most important temples of Alexandria in the Greek and Roman era.
Dr. Ezzat Hamed, professor of Greek and Roman studies atAlex University , explained that the name of this Pillar dates back to Arab era, and this name may have come as a result of the height of towering Pillar between 400 columns that resemble masts, so they called it ” Saree Al Sawary “.
It was known as “Pompey’s Pillar” by historians of the Crusades, as the Alexandrians erected this column in the sanctuary of the Temple of the Serapeum
It was as a dedication to Emperor Diocletian 248-305 AD on the redistribution of thewheat share that was supposed to be sent from Egypt to Rome, where we find on the top of the column base an engraved Greek inscription can only be read when shone in the sun.
Stones were used to erect the foundations of this monument, some of which date back to ancient Pharaohs buildings, as evidenced by the inscriptions engraved on many of them. Stone blocks are found inscribed in hieroglyphs.
The western side of the column is two bases that can be reached with an underground staircase, and there are two similar sphinxes made of pink granite dating back to the era of Ptolemy VI. On one of them is an inscription of King Horemheb of the eighteenth Pharaonic family.
Dr. Hamed pointed out that the governorate of Alexandria takes this monument as its slogan, in order to consider it one of the most famous monuments remaining from the Roman era in Alexandria.
