Which ancient wonder stood in the Egyptian city of Alexandria and was built on Pharos Island?

The Lighthouse of Alexandria stood in the Egyptian city of Alexandria and was built on Pharos Island.

The Lighthouse of Alexandria, also called the Pharos of Alexandria, guided ships into the city’s harbour. Construction is generally associated with the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus in the third century BCE, after Alexander the Great founded Alexandria in 331 BCE. The architect is traditionally identified as Sostrates of Cnidus, though the historical evidence is debated.

Ancient descriptions indicate a monumental structure with several sections, commonly reconstructed as a square lower level, an octagonal middle level, and a cylindrical upper section. A fire or reflective device at the summit helped make the harbour entrance visible from the sea. Its exact height is uncertain, but it was probably among the tallest structures of the ancient world.

Earthquakes damaged the lighthouse repeatedly between the fourth and fourteenth centuries CE. Its remains were eventually dismantled, and blocks were reused in the Qaitbay Citadel. The lighthouse inspired the word “pharos” in several languages and was one of the traditional Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.