The Lighthouse of Alexandria

Location: On the island of Pharos in the harbor of Alexandria, Egypt.

Description: The lighthouse had three sections.  The base was square, the middle section was eight-sided, and the top section was round.  A fire burning at the top of the lighthouse gave light that could be seen for miles.  The lighthouse was built of white marble and rose to a height of about 400 ft tall.  As can be seen in the image below.

Information: In the third century BC, a lighthouse was built to guide ships safely past the reefs into the harbor of Alexandria.  The lighthouse was designed by a Greek architect called Sostratos.  It took approximately 19 years to build, and was lit for the first time in 280BC.  The fire was was fueled by pine-branches, and light reflected off bronze sheets the size of ship's sails.  The light of the fire could be seen at a distance of 30 miles out to sea.  The lighthouse was used for the next 14 years, later the harbor became clogged with silt and was unable to be used.  The tower then proved useless, the large bronze sheets were melted down for coins, and the top portion of the lighthouse served as a meeting place for Muslim worshippers.

    In AD 1385 an earthquake destroyed the upper two towers, and the bottom was converted into a military fort.  Over the next centuries, the lighthouse was built and rebuilt many times.  Today a modern fort marks the place where the lighthouse used to stand.