The Lighthouse of Pharos in Alexandria
The Pharos lighthouse was built to protect them from the coast of Alexandria, of course, but also, according to Jean-Yves Empereur, as a work of propaganda. The entire city was built disproportionately and the Lighthouse was to be the symbol. The result was such that from the lighthouse word (from the island of Pharos, Latin Pharus) is commonly used to designate this type of building. Moreover, although there was in Alexandria other buildings just as famous as the Lighthouse (La Grande Bibliothèque, the Tomb of Alexander), it will become emblematic of the city and still is today.
Le Phare dominating the coast and allowed the sailors to have a landmark, the coast is relatively flat.One can read in Strabo that the Lighthouse was built in white stone that would actually be a local limestone (white stone Mex) which has the characteristic to harden on contact with water. It is also believed that the most critical parts of the Lighthouse were made in Aswan granite. Besides Fort Qaitbay, built on the Lighthouse site was built using the same process.
