For over 1,500 years, a tall lighthouse guided ships into the Egyptian port of Alexandria. It was about 100 meters high and known as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. However, earthquakes, especially a strong one in 1303, caused the structure to fall into the sea. Its remains were lost underwater for centuries. Recently, a team of divers has brought parts of this lost wonder back to the surface.
Archaeologists have recovered 22 large stone blocks from the harbor floor. These blocks weigh between 70 and 80 metric tons each. Special equipment from the company GEDEON Programmes was used to lift the heavy stones from the seabed. The recovered pieces include floor sections, supports, and foundation stones. The team also found a previously unknown gateway, which shows a mix of Greek and Egyptian building styles from the Hellenistic period.
The lighthouse was built in the early 200s BCE by Sostratus of Cnidus for Ptolemy I. It stood on the island of Pharos and had a rectangular base, an eight-sided middle section, and a round top with the light. The light was so strong that sailors could see it from about 40 to 50 kilometers away.
Researchers believe the lighthouse was like humanity's first skyscraper. The underwater discovery allows experts to study the actual remains and learn more about how it was built. This project, called the PHAROS Project, involves French and Egyptian experts and builds on earlier research. Digital scanning has been used to document many submerged pieces, and now the newly found blocks are being scanned to create a 3D digital model of the entire lighthouse. This model will help understand its construction and eventual collapse. The recovery work is also being filmed for a documentary.