The Lighthouse of Alexandria

Built in 332 BC by Alexander the Great, the city of Alexandria was built near the mouth of the Nile River in ancient Egypt, quickly becoming a cultural mainstay of the ancient world, not to mention a centerpiece of knowledge thanks to the Library of Alexandria, built by King Ptolemy 1, who scoured the earth for the best books on art, science, philosophy, astronomy and mathematics.

Treacherous Approach

After the island of Pharos became linked to the mainland by deposits of silt brought from the Nile, maritime approaches to the teaming port city grew increasingly treacherous for Greek and Roman traders, made worse by exposed and hidden reefs that caused a steady and loss of ships, sailors and material inventories. Commissioned by King Ptolemy 1 and built most likely by the powerful architect and financier, Sostratos of Cnidus, the Lighthouse of Alexandria was built on the island of Pharos with a stone foundation and a granite and limestone tower finished in masonry, while after Ptolemy 1’s death in 283 BC, his son King Ptolemy II Philadelphus completed the lighthouse for a total cost of 800 talents of silver.

Symbol of Power

Depending on the source, the lighthouse towered 337 to 387 feet in height on a 90 by 90 foot base, and while the Lighthouse of Alexandria proved to be a vital navigation aid for mariners, it also became a symbol of Egypt’s authority and power over the region. Built in three tapering levels—a lower square section with a central core; a middle octagonal section and a top circular section, the seaward-facing lighthouse also boasted an inscription dedicated to Zeus. Partially cracked and damaged by earthquakes in 796 and 951, the Lighthouse of Alexandria suffered structural collapse during a followup earthquake in 956, followed by its complete destruction during the 1303 Crete Earthquake.

Final Destruction

After another earthquake in 1323 left the ancient lighthouse no more than a rubble mound, much of its stonework was used for the Citadel of Qaitbay, which was completed in 1480 atop the site of the once great Lighthouse. In more recent years, divers and archaeologists have combed over the submerged ruins of the lighthouse as early as Gaston Jondet’s 1916 description of the port ruins around Pharos Island, making the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.