Marble Arch (Libya)
Encyclopedia
The Marble Arch formerly known in Libya as El Gaus (i.e. The Arch), was a monument in Libya
built during the days of Italian colonization. It was located on the Libyan Coastal Highway between Ras Lanuf and El Agheila and marked the border between Tripolitania
and Cyrenaica
.
The arch was designed by the architecht Florestano Di Fausto after a request by the Italian governor-general Italo Balbo
, who was in office from 1934 until 1940. It was unveiled on March 16, 1937.
The monumental arch was named after the legendary Philaenus brothers of Carthage
.
It was 31 metres high, the opening was at 15.75 metres high and 6.5 m wide.
There was an inscription at the top of the structure which read: Alme Sol, possis nihil urbe Roma visere maius (Latin for "Oh kind Sun, may you never look upon a city greater than Rome"). It was demolished in the 1970s by the new revolutionary regime in Libya headed by Muammar al-Gaddafi
Remains of the two large bronze statues of the Philene brothers and parts of the marble reliefs are in a small museum in Medinat Sultan, around 50 km from Sirte
.
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
built during the days of Italian colonization. It was located on the Libyan Coastal Highway between Ras Lanuf and El Agheila and marked the border between Tripolitania
Tripolitania
Tripolitania or Tripolitana is a historic region and former province of Libya.Tripolitania was a separate Italian colony from 1927 to 1934...
and Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica is the eastern coastal region of Libya.Also known as Pentapolis in antiquity, it was part of the Creta et Cyrenaica province during the Roman period, later divided in Libia Pentapolis and Libia Sicca...
.
The arch was designed by the architecht Florestano Di Fausto after a request by the Italian governor-general Italo Balbo
Italo Balbo
Italo Balbo was an Italian Blackshirt leader who served as Italy's Marshal of the Air Force , Governor-General of Libya, Commander-in-Chief of Italian North Africa , and the "heir apparent" to Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.After serving in...
, who was in office from 1934 until 1940. It was unveiled on March 16, 1937.
The monumental arch was named after the legendary Philaenus brothers of Carthage
Carthage
Carthage , implying it was a 'new Tyre') is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC...
.
It was 31 metres high, the opening was at 15.75 metres high and 6.5 m wide.
There was an inscription at the top of the structure which read: Alme Sol, possis nihil urbe Roma visere maius (Latin for "Oh kind Sun, may you never look upon a city greater than Rome"). It was demolished in the 1970s by the new revolutionary regime in Libya headed by Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a...
Remains of the two large bronze statues of the Philene brothers and parts of the marble reliefs are in a small museum in Medinat Sultan, around 50 km from Sirte
Sirte
Sirte is a city in LibyaSirte may also refer to:* Sirte Declaration, a 1999 resolution to create the African Union* Sirte Oil Company, a Libyan oil companyIn geography:* Gulf of Sirte, alias for Gulf of Sidra on Libya's coast...
.