Lighthouse of alexandria when was it built

The second level had eight sides and was about feet tall. The third level was a 60 foot high cylinder that had an opening at the top to allow a space where the fire burned to light the way for sailors in the night.

On top of this was a statue in honor of Poseidon, the god of the sea. The Lighthouse at Alexandria was approximately feet tall. Inside the lighthouse there were stairs that allowed people to climb to the beacon chamber. It was reported that there was a large mirror inside, possibly made of polished bronze. The purpose of the mirror was to project a beam of light from the reflection of the fire. It was damaged by three earthquakes.

After the last earthquake it was abandoned and fell to ruins. This allowed sailors to see the beam at night. The smoke from the fire was important during the day as it guided sailors during the day. While the first still stands, the latter was destroyed, almost certainly by an earthquake. This was Pharos Lighthouse of Alexandria, which of the vanished wonders of the ancient world, was the last built and the last to remain standing.

Pharos Lighthouse stood on the eastern point of Pharos Island some distance from the city center of Alexandria. Constructed at the beginning of the third century BC over a period of about twelve years and at an enormous cost and using considerable slave labor, Pharos Lighthouse was completed and inaugurated by the first Ptolemy's son, Ptolemy Philadelphus, in some say BC, when Ptolemy Philadelphus held a festival to honor his parents. Prior to its destruction, it underwent a number of modifications by later rulers.

Though only the king's name was allowed on buildings erected during their reigns in the period, Sostratos got around this by also carving his own with a dedication, which was then covered with plaster. The consecration in honor of Ptolemy was then carved into the plaster, which over time peeled away leaving only Sostratos dedication, which provides, "Sostratos of Cnidus, son of Dexiphanes, to the savior gods, for sailors.

It ceased operating and was largely destroyed as a result of an earthquake in ; some of its remains were found on the floor of Alexandria's Eastern Harbour by divers in More of the remains have subsequently been revealed by satellite imaging. Constructed from large blocks of light-coloured stone, the tower was made up of three stages: a lower square section with a central core, a middle octagonal section, and, at the top, a circular section.

At its apex was positioned a mirror which reflected sunlight during the day; a fire was lit at night.