In 332 BCE, Alexander the Great founded Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast opposite the small island of Pharos. The island was later joined to the mainland by the Heptastadion, a long causeway that created two harbors, making Alexandria a major trading hub. To guide ships safely into these busy waters, Ptolemy I Soter commissioned the construction of a great lighthouse. The project began under his rule but was completed during the reign of his son, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, around 280 BCE. The architect traditionally credited was Sostratus of Cnidus, though ancient sources suggest he may have hidden his name beneath a dedication to the ruling king. The Lighthouse of Alexandria rose in three distinct tiers: a square base, an octagonal middle, and a cylindrical top crowned with a statue, likely of Zeus or Poseidon. It reached an estimated height of over 100 meters, making it one of the tallest structures of the ancient world. A furnace at its peak provided light at night, while a mirror reflected sunlight by day. Ancient travelers noted its strength and design, with wide ramps inside allowing horses and workers to carry fuel upward. Coins and accounts describe statues of sea gods positioned at its corners, reinforcing its role as both a navigational aid and a monument of power. For centuries, the lighthouse stood as a symbol of Alexandria’s prominence, but earthquakes gradually undermined its stability. Major tremors in 956, 1303, and 1323 inflicted severe damage, leaving it a ruin. When Ibn Battuta visited in the 14th century, only fragments of the rectangular tower remained. By 1480, Sultan Qaitbay repurposed its stones to build a coastal fortress on the same site, sealing the lighthouse’s fate as a lost wonder. Centuries later, the remains of the Pharos resurfaced. In 1994, divers identified massive blocks scattered on the seabed of Alexandria’s Eastern Harbour, remnants of the collapsed structure. Plans emerged in 2016 to preserve the underwater ruins as part of a museum. In 2025, parts of the lighthouse’s foundation and entrance stones were resurfaced to aid digital reconstruction, offering a glimpse of the wonder that once guided ships into the great city of Alexandria.