Lighthouse of Alexandria

Timeline

1. c. -280–-247Pharos Island · AlexandriaTraditionally attributed to the architect Sostratus and funded by Ptolemy II, the three-tiered lighthouse was built on Pharos Island: a square base, an octagonal middle section, and a cylindrical top, with an internal spiral ramp for transporting fuel; the fire bowl at the apex provided night and foul-weather navigation for ships entering and leaving Alexandria's harbor.
2. c. -247–-100Harbor of Alexandria · AlexandriaAfter completion, the lighthouse became the core landmark of Eastern Mediterranean shipping; working with Alexandria's twin-harbor facilities, it guided merchant and warships safely into port. Its height and the visible range of its fire made 'Pharos' a byword for lighthouse, influencing later standards of harbor engineering.
3. -30–1Pharos Island · AlexandriaAfter Rome annexed Egypt, the lighthouse continued to be maintained by imperial authorities; texts from the eras of Julius Caesar and Augustus both mention the light of Pharos. Roman engineers recorded its structure and mirror apparatus, and the lighthouse remained the most important navigational infrastructure of the imperial province of Egypt.