The lighthouse of the city of Alexandria. As far as is known the first lighthouse ever built. It was commissioned by the first Hellenistic king of Egypt Ptolemy II. The tower was built between 297 and 283 B.C. and served for nearly 1,500 years for successively the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Arabs. It stood on the island of Pharos in the Mediterranean, just outside the port of Alexandria, Egypt. In the foreground right Ptolemy II and the architect of the lighthouse, Sostratus of Knidos. The print has a Latin caption and is part of a series on the eight wonders of the world, Lighthouse of Alexandria Pharos The eight wonders of the world (series title), print maker: Philips Galle, (mentioned on object), Maarten van Heemskerck, (mentioned on object), Hadrianus Junius, print maker: Antwerp, Haarlem, Haarlem, publisher: Antwerp, 1572, paper, engraving, h 214 mm × w 266 mm