Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Lighthouse of Alexandria Pharos Island, Alexandria, Egypt

          Scholars estimate the Lighthouse of Alexandria measured between 383 and 450 feet high and was built in the third century B.C. to act as a landmark for Pharos, a small island off the coast of Alexandria, Egypt. The lighthouse's tower was built using light-colored stone, and at its highest point, a mirror was placed to reflect sunlight during the day; at night a fire burned to give off light. Some historians believe that the light given off could be seen for some 35 miles. The lighthouse was damaged by 2 earthquakes in 1303 and 1323, and its remains were destroyed in 1480, when a fort was built on the site.





1 comment:

  1. I have discovered an awesome iPhone app called "Modern Wonders" - if you have an iPhone you should download it - if not your readers may be interested.

    https://itunes.apple.com/nz/app/modern-wonders-of-the-world/id602593241?mt=8

    Cheers
    Sean

    ReplyDelete