Which ancient wonder was the tallest lighthouse of the ancient Mediterranean?

The Lighthouse of Alexandria was the ancient wonder that served as the Mediterranean’s monumental beacon.

Also called the Pharos of Alexandria, it stood on the island of Pharos beside the Egyptian port of Alexandria. Construction began during the reign of Ptolemy I and was completed under his son, Ptolemy II, in the third century BC. Its purpose was practical as well as symbolic: it helped ships approach one of the ancient world’s busiest harbours.

The tower is usually described as having three main sections, with a square lower level, an octagonal middle level, and a cylindrical upper section. A fire burned near the top, and reflective material may have helped project its light, although ancient descriptions do not settle every technical detail.

Earthquakes gradually damaged the lighthouse, and its remaining stones were reused in the fifteenth-century Qaitbay Citadel. The name “pharos” became a word for lighthouse in several languages, including French, Italian, and Spanish.