In every nation around the world, there are some places that somehow hold a special place and special importance for somebody or something.Alexandria is one such ancient city located along the Mediterranean Sea which holds great importance in human history. One of the most famous structures here is the famous Lighthouse of Alexandria.Have you ever heard of the Lighthouse of Alexandria? What is the Lighthouse of Alexandria famous for? Who built it? Is the Lighthouse of Alexandria well known?Alexandria City is one of the harbor cities. The Lighthouse of Alexandria is a famous lighthouse and is also popularly known as the Pharos of Alexandria. It is one of the ancient lighthouses built on a Greek island. The Lighthouse of Alexandria was built on Pharos Island. Pharos Island is a small island. Do you know about the etymological origin of the word Pharos?Pharos’ word became the etymological origin of the lighthouse. The Alexandria Lighthouse is built on Pharos Island. Did you know that ancient Alexandria was one of the largest cities located in Egypt once upon a time? Yes, indeed it was the largest city in ancient Egypt.Do you know which of the seven wonders of the world is present in Egypt? The Lighthouse of Alexandria is among the seven wonders of the world and is well known for its tall building and architecture. If we talk about present times, Alexandria is the second-largest city in Egypt as of now.Ancient sources reveal that the Lighthouse of Alexandria was a well-known architectural site. The lighthouse can also be called an underwater park as its submerged ruins are still underwater and these submerged ruins are still being searched by experts.The lighthouse of Alexandria was constructed by the architect Sostratus of Cnidus, who was an extremely powerful man of his era.After reading about the Lighthouse of Alexandria, also check out facts on ancient Egypt history for kids and ancient Egypt games for kids here at Kidadl.The Construction Of The Lighthouse Of AlexandriaDo you know in which century BC the construction of the lighthouse of Alexandria started?The construction of the Lighthouse of Alexandria started in the third century BC on the initiative of the Egyptian government. The lighthouse of Alexandria was built by Sostratus of Cnidus along the Mediterranean Sea.The Alexandria lighthouse was finished during the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus. The natural history of the lighthouse of Alexandria is well known. Do you know how much time the Alexandria lighthouse took to be built? The lighthouse of Alexandria took around a period of 12 years to complete.The lighthouse of Alexandria had a huge statue, but whose huge statue was present there? You will be interested to know that the Lighthouse of Alexandria had a huge statue of Poseidon during the Roman period.The Rediscovering Of The Lighthouse Of AlexandriaWhen was the lighthouse located in Alexandria rediscovered? Have you ever thought about why it was rediscovered? Was it dismantled at some point in time? How did its rediscovery take place? These are some of the questions that might beckon you.The Lighthouse of Alexandria was rediscovered in the year 1968.Do you know when the Alexandria lighthouse was built and when it was destroyed? It was built in the third century BC, but it is thought to have been destroyed by earthquakes in the 14th century. The physical remains of the lighthouse of Alexandria are still present along the great harbor.At the time of rediscovery, a team was sent by UNESCO of some of the marine archaeologists who were being headed by Honor Frost. The Alexandria lighthouse site was rediscovered by the team of French archaeologists headed by Jean-Yves Empereur. UNESCO is working hard to preserve the physical remains of the site.Before The Construction Of The LighthouseDo you know why the Lighthouse of Alexandria was built and constructed? The lighthouse was essentially constructed to provide some sort of guidance and protection to sailors all around the world.Alexandria is one of the coastal cities located in Egypt. It is a sort of countryside door to the sea. But if we talk about the third century BC, how was the city of Alexandria when the lighthouse was built?The city of Alexandria was one of the prominent centers of knowledge in Egypt even at that time. All the areas of study were developed, including medicine, science, literature, mathematics, science, and more. It is also one of the most well-known architectural sites located in Egypt.Permanent Disappearance Of The LighthouseDoes the Lighthouse of Alexandria still exist? What about the permanent disappearance of the Alexandria lighthouse? If these are some of the questions that are coming to your mind, then let us explore some interesting facts about the permanent disappearance of the Lighthouse in Alexandria.First, the third floor of the lighthouse of Alexandria was damaged due to an earthquake in the 10th century CE. After some time, the ruler of the place, Sultan Ahmed Ibn Tulun, gave it the kind of shape of a mosque, making it the highest mosque of that time and a significant one in Islamic history.However, at the end of the 15th century, the Lighthouse of Alexandria was completely destroyed or damaged. But what could be the reasons for the disappearance of the lighthouse of Alexandria? First of all, no proper maintenance was provided to the fort from the day it was built till the day it was completely damaged. The Muslim rulers could have repaired it. but they didn’t.At the eastern port of Alexandria, some of the pieces of the physical remains and mortals of the lighthouse still remain, but they are inaccessible. However, archaeologists are trying their best to rediscover the place.The Lighthouse As A ModelThe Lighthouse of Alexandria holds a place of importance. The main purpose of building the lighthouse was to provide support to the sailors. The lighthouse was built to provide guidance and protection to sailors.This lighthouse completely performed the function of the lighthouse that was guiding the sailors and ships to their true destinations. There are reflective mirrors present at the top of this lighthouse. The reflective mirrors present in the Lighthouse of Alexandria reflected the sunlight to give direction to the sailors and ships.The reflective mirror used the reflected sunlight to guide the sailors. The lighthouse of Alexandria is one of the most famous lighthouses in antiquity. Do you know an interesting fact regarding enemy ships? Historically, it was believed that the Lighthouse of Alexandria had the capacity to set fire to enemy ships.Architecture Of The Lighthouse Of AlexandriaDo you know about the architecture of the Lighthouse of Alexandria? What are the basic features of the Lighthouse of Alexandria? What are the significant architectural features of the lighthouse? These are just some of the questions that architecture students contemplate.If you are also wondering about the various aspects of the architecture of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, then let us share some of the most interesting facts about this architectural marvel of the ancient world.This wonder is attributed to one person by the name of Sostratos of Cnidus. What about the ancient world and the ancient writers? What information do the ancient writers give about this wonder? The ancient writers and Greek geographers, Strabo and Lucien, mentioned the origin of the lighthouse of Alexandria.The Lighthouse of Alexandria was present at Pharos Island in ancient times. The Lighthouse of Alexandria was 16.5-19.8 ft (5-6 m) high, and it also had support walls present all over.The proof of the location of the Lighthouse of Alexandria’s existence was provided by a team of French archaeologists. The lighthouse had a white marble cover around it. It had an internal staircase as well.The lighthouse was in the shape of a cylindrical tower. A colossal statue of a Greek god has also been found in the ruins of the Lighthouse of Alexandria.UNESCO led an expedition to find the remains of the Lighthouse of Alexandria. The Lighthouse of Alexandria was rediscovered under the Mediterranean Sea along with the city of Alexandria in Egypt via the above-mentioned expedition. Honor Frost led the expedition to the site of the lighthouse and was able to confirm the presence of the representing part of the lighthouse. But as the zone where these remains were found was a military zone, the expedition had to be put on hold.Jeans-Yves Empereur, a well-known French archaeologist, discovered the physical remains of the Lighthouse of Alexandria on the floor of the Eastern Harbor of Alexandria. The images of the statues and columns of the lighthouse were captured underwater by an experienced cinematographer.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for the lighthouse at Alexandria Egypt, then why not take a look at ancient Egypt for kids or Sobek Egyptian god?

In every nation around the world, there are some places that somehow hold a special place and special importance for somebody or something.