The Origin of Light
Many people think lighthouses, like lighthouse home décor, are a more modern idea, but lighthouses date back to ancient history. Deemed the most famous lighthouse in the world, the Lighthouse of Alexandria was built on the Island of Pharos in Hellenistic, Egypt. It was from these origins that many countries got their word for lighthouse. The word pharos is the word for lighthouse in many languages, or a variation of the word. For example, the word faro is the word for lighthouse in Spanish.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was built in 280 BC and served the traditional lighthouse purpose of marking the port. For centuries the lighthouse stood as the tallest structure in the world at between 383 and 440 feet in height. It is also one of the Seven Wonders of the World.