The lighthouse of Alexandria (or The Pharos of Alexandria, Greek: ὁ Φάρος τῆς Ἀλεξανδρείας) was a tower built in the 3rd century BC (between 285 and 247 BC) on the island of Pharos in Alexandria, Egypt to serve as that port's landmark, and later, its lighthouse.

With a height variously estimated at between 115 ~ 150 meters (377 ~ 492 ft) it was among the tallest man-made structures on Earth for many centuries, and was identified as one of the Seven Wonders of the World by Antipater of Sidon. It may have been the third tallest building after the two Great Pyramids (of Khufu and Khafra) for its entire life. Some scholars estimate a much taller height exceeding 180 meters that would make the tower the tallest building up to the 14th century.

In architecture

A well-preserved ancient tomb in the town of Abu Qir, 20 kilometres east of Alexandria, is thought to be a scaled-down model of the Alexandria Pharos. Known colloquially under various names - the Pharos of Abuqir, the Abuqir funerary monument and Burg al-Arab (Arab's Tower) - it consists of a 3-story tower, approximately 20 meters in height, with a square base, a hexagonal midsection and cylindrical upper section, like the building upon which it was apparently modeled. It dates to the reign of Ptolemy II (285-246 BCE), and is therefore likely to have been built at about the same time as the Alexandria Pharos.

• The Tower of Hercules, near Corunna in Spain, a 2nd century AD Roman lighthouse, is closely modelled on the Alexandrian Pharos.
• A replica of the Lighthouse of Alexandria was constructed in the Window of the World Cultural Park in Shenzhen, China.
• The design of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia was partially inspired by the Lighthouse of Alexandria.
• The fate of the Lighthouse of Alexandria from the Arab conquest till its collapse in the 14th century has been investigated by Doris Behrens-Abouseif in her article "The Islamic History of the Lighthouse of Alexandria"

On screen

The Pharos has appeared in a few movies and television shows, including Asterix and Cleopatra, the HBO series Rome and Alexander.

On TV

Theories on the Lighthouse's use of technology involving light refraction & amplification were discussed in episode 9 of Ancient Discoveries on The History Channel.

 In books

Matthew Reilly uses this ancient wonder as the location of a piece of the golden capstone in his latest novel Seven Ancient Wonders.

For an important new analysis of the history in the Islamic period see: Doris Behrens-Abouseif, The Islamic History of the Lighthouse of Alexandria (Muqarnas – an Annual on the Visual Culture of the Islamic World – Vol. 23[2006] pp.3-14)

Graphic reconstruction of the lighthouse according to a comprehensive study of 2006.

« Last :::