Work / monument · monument

Lighthouse of Alexandria

c. 280 BCE · 3rd century BCE · Also known as Pharos of Alexandria

The Lighthouse of Alexandria, or Pharos, was a tower built on the island of Pharos at Alexandria in Egypt under the first Ptolemaic kings and completed around 280 BCE. Designed by Sostratus of Cnidus and probably more than 100 metres high, it was counted among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Damaged by earthquakes, it was in ruins by the 14th century, and the citadel of Qaitbay was built on its site.

Lighthouse of Alexandria
Image: Prof. Hermann Thiersch (1874–1939) · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 1 state history

Knidos

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Lighthouse of Alexandria. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/lighthouse-of-alexandria
MLA
“Lighthouse of Alexandria.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/lighthouse-of-alexandria. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Lighthouse of Alexandria.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/lighthouse-of-alexandria.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Lighthouse of Alexandria’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/lighthouse-of-alexandria (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻