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What was it?
Of all the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, only one had a practical use: The Lighthouse of Alexandria. For sailors, it made sure they had a safe return to the Great Harbour. For architects, it meant even more: it was the tallest building on Earth. And for scientists, it was the mysterious mirror that fascinated them most... The mirror which reflection could be seen more than 50 km off-shore.
Location
On the ancient island of Pharos, which is no longer an island, but joined to the shoreline within the city of Alexandria in Egypt.
History
Shortly after the death of Alexander the Great, his commander Ptolemy Soter took power in Egypt. He had seen the start of building the city of Alexandria, and made it his capital. Off of the city's coast lay a small island: Pharos. Its name, legend says, is a variation of Pharaoh's Island. The island was connected to the mainland by means of a dike - the Heptastadion - which gave the city a double harbor. And because of dangerous sailing conditions and the flat coastline in the region, the construction of a lighthouse was necessary to show ships where to sail.
The project was started about 290BC. For centuries, the Lighthouse of Alexandria (occasionally referred to as the Pharos Lighthouse) was used to mark the harbour, using fire at night and reflecting sun rays during the day. It was even shown on Roman coins, just as famous monuments are shown on currency today.
When the Arabs conquered Egypt, they admired Alexandria and its wealth. The Lighthouse continues to be mentioned in their writings and travelers accounts. But the new rulers moved their capital to Cairo. When the mirror was brought down by mistake, they did not put it back into place. In AD 956, an earthquake shook Alexandria, and caused little damage to the Lighthouse. It was later in 1303 and in 1323 that two stronger earthquakes damaged it badly.
The final chapter in the history of the Lighthouse came in AD 1480 when a medieval fort was built on the same spot where the Lighthouse once stood, using the fallen stone and marble.
Description
Of the six vanished Wonders, the Lighthouse of Alexandria was the last to disappear. Therefore we have fairly accurate knowledge of its location and appearance. The total height of the building including the foundation base was about 117 m, equivalent to a 40-story modern building. The internal core was used as a shaft to lift the fuel needed for the fire. At the top stage, the mirror reflected sunlight during the day while fire was used during the night. In ancient times, a statue of Poseidon stood on top of the building.
Although the Lighthouse of Alexandria did not survive to the present day, it left a great influence. The monument has been used as a model for many lighthouses along the Mediterranean, as far away as Spain. And it gave its name -- Pharos -- to all the lighthouses in the world... Just look up the dictionary for the French, Italian, or Spanish word for lighthouse.