The Lighthouse of Alexandria
What Is It?
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was an amazing structure built by the Ptolemaic Kingdom at between 280 and 247 BC on the coastal island of Pharaohs at Alexandria, Egypt.
When and How Was It Made and How Much Did It Cost?
It was about 394 feet tall and was the tallest structure in the world for about 1500 years. The amazing structure was mainly made of stone faced of white marble blocks and lead mortar. The total cost of the construction was said to be 800 talents back then, an equal amount in today’s money of about three million dollars.
What Was It’s Function and How Did It Work?
The function of the structure was to guide the traffic of the Nile River and also to guide ships into the harbor of the Mediterranean Sea. It’s light on the very top was produced by a fire and with a mirror that swiveled around the fire in order to reflect the light during the night. At daytime, it would produce a large cloud of black smoke from the fire, which could be spotted miles out at sea. This lighthouse worked during the day and through the night.
Who Was it Named After and How Was it Destroyed?
The lighthouse was named after the city of Alexandria, which was founded by the Macedonian conqueror, Alexander The Great. He established more than five cities, this one being Alexandria. The great, amazing structure was finally destroyed at around 1323 by a strong earthquake.
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