The Lighthouse of Alexandria

No other original Wonder of the World outstripped the Great Pyramid of Giza for height, at a whopping 146.6 metres. But the Lighthouse of Alexandria – no shorty itself at somewhere between 115 and 135 metres – came a close second.

Unlike most of the other original Wonders, it was built for a deeply practical purpose – rather than reasons of worship or prestige – and represented a technological masterpiece of the age that would provide a model for all future lighthouses. Its remains can still be viewed today, built into the walls of the castle which now stands in its place, or by diving to the bottom of Alexandria harbour.

Sostratus Was Here

Alexandria was a tricky port to navigate in its day. The Egyptian coast was very flat and lacking in landmarks by which a sea captain could get his bearings. Worse still, a labyrinth of sandbars surrounded the harbour, creating havoc for merchants. The island of Pharos – which sits just a few hundred meters out in the bay, connected by a giant man-made causeway called the Heptastadion (forming one harbour wall) – was deemed a perfect spot for erecting some kind of navigational aid to help solve this often life-threatening conundrum.

Construction of a landmark was initially ordered by Macedonian-Greek general Ptolemy I, shortly after he made himself king of ancient Egypt in 305 BC. The first stage of work was finished during the reign of his son, Ptolemy II Philadelphos (283 BC to 246 BC). It was designed and financed by the Greek merchant, architect and engineer Sostratus, who wanted to help ensure the safety of shipping traffic, although Ptolemy did his best to blot Sostratus’ role out from history by banning him from marking the structure with his name.

The architect left the following inscription on the base’s walls anyway: “Sostratus, the son of Dexiphanes, the Cnidiani, dedicated (or erected) this to the Saviour gods, on behalf of those who sail the seas.” Ptolemy had it covered up with his own words, but justly they crumbled over time, revealing Sostratus’ proud signature.
 
Legends

The Lighthouse of Alexandria wasn’t actually a lighthouse at all at first – for centuries it would have simply functioned as a large and highly visible day beacon, known as “The Pharos”. It was only when the Romans moved into the city, around the 1st century AD, that a large torch and reflective mirrors were installed in the top of the structure, allowing it to function at night too.

It was a robustly built structure constructed from large blocks of light-coloured stone in three stages: a lower square section with a central core, a middle octagonal section, and, at the top, a circular section. A statue of a triton was known to have been positioned on each of the building’s four corners. This was added to – during the Roman period – by a statue of Poseidon.

Many fantastical legends exist of the Lighthouse’s scale and power. Some ancient sources claim that its brightly burning beacon could be seen from up to 35 miles (56 kilometers) away. Others suggest that the mirror could be redirected and used to burn enemy ships before they reached shore, like ants in a magnifying glass. One story even had it that the mirror was so powerful it could act as a giant telescope for spying on cities across the sea.

Supreme Durability

While most of the tall tales attached to the Lighthouse are myths, one legend that was certainly true was that of its supreme durability, by virtue of its hardy construction. The masonry was apparently laced with molten led during building, to resist pounding waves.

But for the Great Pyramid of Giza, The Lighthouse of Alexandria stood longer than any other of the Seven Wonders, withstanding earthquakes in 956 AD and again in 1303 before finally succumbing to a third in 1322, by which point the Arab traveller Ibn Battuta reported no longer being able to enter the ruin. Consider that the Colossus of Rhodes – which was built in roughly the same period – collapsed after just one quake, and you can appreciate the quality of Sostratus’ design.

A Light That Never Goes Out

Remnants of the Lighthouse lay at the site until as late as 1480, when they were finally cleared at the behest of the then-Sultan of Egypt Qaitbay, who ordered the building of a castle on the same spot at Pharos – the same structure, known as the Fort of Qaitbay, which still stands there today. Many of the Lighthouse’s stones were actually used in the building of the fort, and are clearly visible due to their excessive size in comparison to surrounding masonry.

Some more remnants of the Lighthouse were discovered at the bottom of Alexandria’s Eastern Harbour by a diving team in 1994. Satellite imaging has further confirmed the location of more rubble. It’s possible for tourists to view the submerged ruins today by taking an organised dive.

The Lighthouse of Alexandria’s roots endure not only in a physical sense, but also in an etymological one. “Pharos” became the origin of the word “lighthouse” in many modern languages, including French (phare), Italian (faro), Portuguese (farol), Spanish (faro) and Catalan (far). It’s a fitting legacy for a building that earned its status as one of the world’s ancient Wonders.

Picture of drawing of Lighthouse of Alexandria c/o Wonders_; picture of Fort of Qaitbay by Farrukh Younus. All rights reserved.

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About The Author

Malcolm Jack (follow me: e-mail or )

Last three pieces by this author:

10 Reasons Why Socrates is Still Relevant Today | Top 10 Ancient Greek Philosophers | Interview: Bettany Hughes on The Hemlock Cup and Bringing Ancient History Into the 21st Century

Malcolm Jack is a freelance arts and entertainment journalist based in Glasgow, Scotland. He graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2004 with an MA Honours Degree in History.