7 WONDER OF ANCIENT

LIGHTHOUSE OF ALEXANDRIA

The Lighthouse of Alexandria is sometimes referred to as the Pharos of Alexandria. It was a tower erected between 280 and 247 BC on the island of Pharos in Alexandria, Egypt. Its main objective was to help guide mariners into the Alexandria harbour night. Having an estimated height of between 393 and 450 feet, the lighthouse was one of the highest man made buildings in the world for hundreds of years. It became one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The shape of this tower were square, octagonal and circular. 

Destruction
 The lighthouse was severely damaged in the great earthquake of 956, then again in subsequent earthquakes in 1303 and 1323. Reportedly, the two later earthquakes 1303 and 1323 wrecked the lighthouse, that access to it was no longer possible. Even the broken ruins of the great lighthouse disappeared completely in 1480, when the Sultan of Egypt, Qaitbay, established a gothic fort over the former location of the structure using some of the lighthouse stones for building materials.

Remains of the lighthouse were discovered in 1994 on the floor of Alexandria’s Harbor. A few of these ruins were brought up and were on display at the harbor in 1995. Recent satellite photos suggest more remains may still lie at the bottom of the harbour.

Sources: 

http://famouswonders.com/lighthouse-of-alexandria/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lighthouse_of_Alexandria

THANKS FOR READING! :)