Lighthouse of Alexandria

The Lighthouse of Alexandria, also called the Pharos of Alexandria, was a very tall lighthouse. People built it in Ancient Egypt for the Ptolemaic Kingdom. It was made during the time of Ptolemy II Philadelphus between 280 and 247 BC.

It was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and one of the world's tallest man-made structures for many years. It stood at least 100 metres (330 feet) tall.

The lighthouse was damaged by three strong earthquakes. These happened between AD 956 and 1303. After that, it fell into ruins. It disappeared around 1480. People used its stones to build the Citadel of Qaitbay nearby.

In 1994, French archaeologists found parts of the lighthouse on the sea floor in Alexandria's Eastern Harbour. In 2016, Egypt planned to make an underwater museum to show these old remains. In 2025, workers brought up parts of the lighthouse's entrance and foundation. They used these pieces to help make digital models of how it may have looked.

Origin

Pharos was a small island near the western edge of the Nile Delta. In 332 BC, Alexander the Great created the city of Alexandria across from Pharos. Later, Alexandria and Pharos were linked by a long structure called the Heptastadion, which stretched over 1,200 metres (0.75 miles).

One side of this structure became a big harbour, and the other side had a smaller port. Over time, sand and silt covered most of the structure. Today, only a small part of the island of Pharos remains, called Ras el-Tin, where a palace was built in the 1800s.

Construction

Sailing to Alexandria was hard because the shores were flat, the water was shallow, and there were hidden reefs along the northern coast of Africa. The lighthouse was built in the third century BC. After Alexander the Great died, Ptolemy I Soter became king in 305 BC and began building it. His son, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, finished the tower twelve years later. The light came from a furnace at the top. The tower was made mostly from strong blocks of limestone and granite.

Scientists looked at the sandstone and limestone blocks used for the lighthouse. They found that the stones came from quarries in the Wadi Hammamat, a desert area east of Alexandria.

Height and description

Arab writers said the Lighthouse of Alexandria was very tall, between 103 and 118 metres high. The tower stood on a base that was 30 by 30 metres wide. It was built from large, light-colored stone and had three parts that got smaller toward the top: a square bottom, an octagonal middle, and a circular top.

On top of the lighthouse was a mirror that shone in the sun during the day, and a fire that glowed at night. Coins from long ago show that statues of sea gods like Triton and Poseidon or Zeus were placed around the building. One visitor in the 12th century described the inside, noting a wide, roofed path that could fit two horses side by side. After a big earthquake in 1303 damaged the lighthouse, later visitors only saw parts of what was left.

Destruction

The lighthouse was damaged by earthquakes in the years 796, 951, 956, and 1303. These earthquakes came from areas far away, including near Africa and the Red Sea. The earthquake in 956 caused the top part of the lighthouse to fall down.

After this, people added a dome to the top. The worst earthquake happened in 1303, coming from Crete. The last bit of the lighthouse disappeared in 1480. A leader in Egypt named Qaitbay used the stones to build a fort.

Archaeological research and rediscovery

In 1916, Gaston Jondet first described the old port ruins under the water in Alexandria. Later, other experts kept working there.

In 1968, people found the lighthouse again. Sea experts saw its ruins, but they had to stop because they needed more help and the area was used by the military.

In 1994, French experts led by Jean-Yves Empereur found the lighthouse's remains on the sea floor. They took the first pictures under the water of broken columns and statues. They also found huge stone blocks, sphinxes, obelisks, and columns with old carvings.

By 1995, they had recorded over 3,300 pieces. Some of these discoveries are now in museums in Alexandria. Satellite images have shown more ruins under the water. Today, people can dive and see these ancient remains.

Significance

The Lighthouse of Alexandria was built to help ships find their way safely into the port at night. The island where it stood was known for people who would try to steal ships that ran aground.

The word "Pharos" later came to mean "lighthouse" in many languages, including French, Italian, Spanish, and others.

Proposed reconstruction

Since 1978, people have talked about building something new to replace the old lighthouse. In 2015, leaders in Egypt and the city of Alexandria talked about building a very tall building, called a skyscraper, where the lighthouse once stood. This idea was part of plans to improve the eastern harbour of Alexandria Port.

Pharos in culture

The lighthouse of Alexandria is a special symbol for the city of Alexandria and the Alexandria Governorate. You can see its shape on the flag and seal of the Governorate and on many city services, like the seal of Alexandria University.

The lighthouse has inspired many buildings and stories. An ancient tomb near Abusir, called the Pharos of Abusir or Burg al-Arab, looks like a smaller version of the lighthouse. Many early Egyptian Islamic mosques have tall towers that look like the lighthouse. In the United States, the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia copies the lighthouse's design. The theme park Universal Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando Resort also uses a model of the lighthouse as its main symbol.

Famous people wrote about the lighthouse. Julius Caesar described it in his book Civil Wars. The Jewish historian Josephus wrote about it, as did a Chinese writer named Zhao Rugua and the traveler Ibn Battuta.