Incription:
Sostratus, the son of Dexiphanes, the Cnidian, dedicated this to the Saviour Gods, on behalf of those who sail the seas.
Location: On the island of Pharos; now peninsula within the city of Alexandria
The lighthouse was built in 209 BC, and dedicated to Ptolemy Soter and his wife Berenice. It was used to mark the harbor using fire at night and sun rays during the day and a giant mirror that reflected these lights. When Egypt was conquered by the Arabs they took down the mirror and did not restore it. In AD 956 a small earthquake shook the lighthouse but did little damage. Later in 1303 and 1323 two stronger earthquakes shook and left the lighthouse in ruins. In 1480 Qaitbay, an Egyptian