The Pharos Lighthouse of Alexandria, Egypt from an archaeological perspective.

This was accomplished by means of a fire which blazed at the summit during the night and a mirror which reflected the sun 's rays by day . The mirror was also used to amplify the light of the fire , and was mostly likely made from a curved sheet of polished metal . Achilles Tatius likened the structure to "a mountain , almost reaching the clouds , in the middle of the sea

Soldiers or slaves - the lighthouse keepers - tended Pharos 's huge fire in a great cauldron on the tower 's top level , filling the skies

with bright flames and luminous smoke . Although the range of Pharos beacon was said to have reached up to 50 km , in all probability it could have reached only half that distance , and that too in fair weather conditions . However it had been sometimes claimed that it was even visible a hundred or hundred and fifty kilometers out in the sea , like a brilliant star guiding the course of mariners

Certainly , this imposing structure must have had a profound effect on the consciousness of Alexandria 's inhabitants , in the similar manner as Acropolis had on the citizens of Classical Athens , and the Eiffel Tower had on Parisians around the turn of the century . Pharos was more than a lighthouse . Every day it was crowded by visitors , Alexandrians as well as travelers from every corner of the world . It was approached first through the Heptastadion at the entrance to Alexandria 's excellent harbor , a wall of solid granite that extended the length of seven stadia (1250m ) and connected the city with Pharos Island (Humphrey et al , 1998 472 . The lighthouse consisted of three sections . The base was of square construction , the middle portion octagonal , and the top cylindrical . The structure was topped by the statue of Poseidon , the...