What do you know about the Serapeum in Alexandria??

Ptolemy built the Serapeum on the Acropolis of Alexandria ( a small hill)  in Egypt. The temple resembled the famous Serapeum in Memphis and raised on a platform , with over 100 steep steps . It was made of polished marble and gilded and painted inside. The statue of Serapis was said to be so great that each hand touched the wall on both sides. 

Pagan and Christian writers recorded that the temple officials employ clever techniques to impress the crowds. A hidden magnet was attached to the ceiling above the statue, so that the statue of Serapis seemed to rise and emain suspended in the air of its own accord. And a small window is positioned so that a ray of sun touched the lips of Serapis in a kiss renewal

Alexandria was the center of worship of Serapis , which spread throughout the Roman Empire when Britain , and pilgrimages were made to the Serapeum . Alexandria also became an early center of Christian Egyptian , and in the Serapeum was the conflict between the two communities has been more dramatically .

According to tradition, the Serapeum was about 68 AD that the pagans of Alexandria St in EGYPT. Mark dragged to death. And in 391 AD Bishop Theophilus of Alexandria desecrated the temple and walked their objects of worship in the streets, the pagans have rebelled and built barricades with  Egyptian Christian prisoners in the Serapeum themselves.

Probably as planned from the beginning, moved to the temple with the troops Theophilus. He saved the lives of heathen inside, but completely destroyed the temple. Christian crowd hesitated before hitting the image of Serapis , fearing the sky would fall , but over time a soldier struck the first blow of the ax . When the sky is still intact , head of Serapis was cut and the statue was hacked to pieces. To the delight of Christians present , the rats were left hollow inside and the great Serapis was revealed to be nothing more than an object made ​​by man.

As the temple itself was demolished , hieroglyphics on the wall were observed by Christians, who stated that the ankh (which resembles the Christian cross ) was a prophecy of the victory of Christianity. The Serapeum was replaced by a " sanctuary and a church , and all other images and temples of Alexandria were destroyed and replaced by crosses and churches systematically .

What can you see?

Virtually nothing of the temple ( or church ) remains on the site today , except for some debris on the floor and an underground vault with niches containing an annex to the Library of Alexandria. The Sphinx and " Pillar of Pompey " on the site were not part of the Serapeum A statue Apis striking basalt stone , somehow survived the Serapeum and is now in the Greco Museum , Romano The museum is also a recently discovered inscription of the temple consecration