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The Lighthouse of Alexandria
The Colossus of Rhodes
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
The Statue of Zeus
The Temple of Artemis
The Great Pyramid
The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
About the Authors
Acknowledgements
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The Seven Wonders of the Ancient WorldThe Lighthouse of Alexandria
Introduction History Outcome
History
As its name implies, the lighthouse was situated on the shoreline of the Egyptian city Alexandria and was one of the two wonders of its time to have been located in the African continent. Its construction began in 290 BC under the rule of Ptolemy Soter. The architect was known as Sostratus, but many of the calculations performed during the preparations were done at the Alexandria Library/Mouseion. Completed during the rule of Ptolemy Philadelphus, the finished product was made of white marble and stood 440ft. high (approximately 30 stories), the largest roofed building before the rise of skyscrapers. Enclosed within the lighthouse was a vast network of corridors, ramps, and stairways that would eventually led one up to the top. At night, a flame was lit, producing a beam of extraordinary power. This beam was intensified through the use of bronze or brass mirrors, and could supposedly be seen from 30 miles away. Tales were told that the flame was so powerful that it could increate ships that were 30 miles out at sea.
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