The Lighthouse of Alexandria | The Tallest Ancient Tower

Before the rise of Rome, Alexandria was the classical world's greatest city. Founded by Alexander the Great, where the mouths of the Nile met the Mediterranean, it became the capital of the richest Henistic kingdom. Its population swelled to half a million. Greeks, Egyptians, Jews, and merchants from every corner of the known world. From Rome and beyond, tourists flocked to the city. Only scholars were granted access to the library, and only dignitaries could peer into Alexander's sarcophagus. But anyone could see the city's greatest wonder. It soared over the flat rooftops and level coast, so tall that ships 30 mi offshore could follow the glow of its beacons. The lighthouse of Alexandria. Alexandria had two harbors divided by a causeway that joined the mainland to the low limestone island known as Ferros. The lighthouse stood on that island and was often known by its name. Such was its fame that feros like mausoleum became a generic term. The French and Italian words for lighthouse far and farro derive from it. The lighthouse was built during the reigns of the first two talamies though it seems to have been at least partially financed by a wealthy courtier named Sustrados of Kidos. Construction reportedly cost 800 talants, about 46,000 of silver. The appearance of the lighthouse is known from a series of smaller replicas, most notably the Roman lighthouse at Akarunia, Spain, and a helenistic tomb in Taposerus Magna, Egypt, and from literally thousands of artistic representations ranging from Roman coins issued at Alexandria to a painted glass found at Bram, Afghanistan. From this evidence, it seems clear that the Ferros had three tiers, a square base, an octagonal middle section, and a cylindrical tower. A ramp or staircase spiraled through the structures center leading up past storage rooms and dormitories to the beacon at its top. The nature of that beacon is unclear. It may have been an open flame built on the roof of the tower, or perhaps it was sheltered by the colonated belfry that appears on some coins, surmounted by a colossal statue of Zeus Soter. The light of the flames may have been amplified by burnished bronze mirrors or even replaced by mirrors during the day. Whatever the exact arrangement, scholars agree that the beacon was about 350 ft above the sea. Among all the buildings in the classical world, only the pyramids were taller. We'll discuss the fate of the lighthouse and the recent rediscovery of its remains after a brief word about this video's sponsor, Hule. I do most of my writing in the morning, but it isn't always easy finding the energy to get started. That's why I added Hule to my routine. For the past few weeks, I've started my day with a Hule Black Edition shake. I especially like the chocolate flavor, which I drink with ice. It's a nice taste with a smooth texture, and more importantly, it gives me the energy I need to stay productive all morning. I've definitely noticed a difference, and I think you will, too. Hule offers a range of other products including nutrition bars, hot meals, and readyto-rank shakes. To save 15% on your first order of fuel, either scan the QR code or follow the link on screen and in the description and use the code stone 15. Offer applies to all orders over $75. Returning to our topic, the Lighthouse of Alexandria remained in use for well over a millennium. It survived the civil wars and confilrations that obliterated the tomb of Alexander and destroyed every book in the Great Library. It outlasted the earthquake of 365 when a tsunami roared over the harbors, smashing ships into gardens and palaces. It endured as the Roman Empire crumbled and Alexandria dwindled into a shadow of its former self. An earthquake in 956 brought about the collapse of the lighthouse's highest cylindrical stage. More damage occurred

during the earthquakes of 1261 and 1303. By 1329, when Iben Batuta first visited Alexandria, only the square base survived. When he returned 17 years later, even the base had become too dangerous to enter. The final destruction came in the 15th century when the Mamluke Sultan Kite Bay used the ruins of the lighthouse to build the fort that still dominates Alexandria's harbor. The keep of Kite Bay's citadel stands on the foundations of the Ferros. Stones from the lighthouse, like the huge granite blocks that frame the citadel's main door and the entrance of its mosque, were built into the walls. Much more of the Ferros lies beneath the surface of Alexandria's harbor, hurled there by medieval earthquakes. In 1961, an archaeologist convinced the Egyptian Navy to raise a colossal statue of Isis from the seabed. Although subsequent dives revealed more sculptures, no further work was done until 1994 when Jean Eve Amper began to survey the harbor. All around Kite Bayer found a huge debris field which covered more than 5 acres of seabed. Here up to 30 ft below the surface were about 5,000 of the limestone blocks that had formed the walls of the lighthouse. Among them were the granite monoliths weighing up to 75 tons that had served as lintils and door jambs. Umber and his colleagues also discovered columns, obelisks, and more than two dozen sphinxes, all taken from feronic temples centuries older than the lighthouse itself. Perhaps the most remarkable finds were two enormous granite statues, each 40 ft tall, of a Telmic king in the guise of a pharaoh and a Telmic queen as Isis. Fragments of four more Colassi, apparently representing other Telmic royals have come to light. They seem to have stood like guardians at Lighthouse's base, looming over a sculpture garden of sphinxes and obelisks. The work of recovering relics from the seabed continues. Recently, 22 huge blocks were hauled up from the harbor to help researchers create a digital twin of the lighthouse. If this project succeeds, the lighthouse of Alexandria may, after seven centuries, rise again from the sea. If you would like to visit Alexandria and Egypt's other historical highlights, including the Giza Pyramids and the Valley of the Kings, you might want to join my November 2026 tour to Egypt. Follow the link on screen and in the description for more details. There's another link my scenic roots video on the visible ruins of the lighthouse and Alexandria's other classical monuments. You can learn Coptic, the language of the pharaohs with Dr. Lydia Bremer McCllum at the Religion Department, an online learning platform associated with the Religion for Breakfast channel. Follow the link in the description to learn more. You'll also find links for my spring 2026 group tours, the Roman ruins of Spain, and In the Footsteps of Alexander. Please check out the Tolenstone Patreon. Don't forget my other channels and as always, thanks for watching.