The Amazing Lighthouse of Alexandria

Long, long ago, in a city called Alexandria in ancient Egypt, people built an incredible tower called the Lighthouse of Alexandria. It was so tall, it was like having a giant friend standing guard over the ocean! This amazing building was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, which means it was one of the most spectacular things people had ever built.

It helped ships find their way safely to shore, especially at night.

This lighthouse was built by people called the Ptolemaic Kingdom, way back between 280 and 247 BC. That's almost 2,300 years ago! It was at least 100 meters tall, which is taller than a statue of liberty on its pedestal! It was made of big stone blocks. For a super long time, it was one of the tallest buildings humans had ever made, helping sailors see it from far away.

The most important job of the lighthouse was to shine a bright light out to sea. At the very top, they probably had a big fire burning, and maybe even a shiny mirror to make the light even brighter. This light was like a friendly beacon, guiding ships away from dangerous rocks and helping them find the harbor. It was super important for trade and for keeping people safe on their journeys.

Sadly, over many years, earthquakes shook the lighthouse and damaged it. Between 956 and 1303 AD, three big earthquakes made it fall apart. For a long time, it was just a ruin. But guess what? Some of its stones were used to build a new castle called the Citadel of Qaitbay! Even today, divers find old pieces of the lighthouse at the bottom of the sea, showing us it was a real wonder.