Inside the oldest fortress-lighthouse in history

The symbol of the link with the sea is the recently restored Qaitbay Fortress, on the furthest edge of the city that originally formed the island of Pharos: there stood the signal tower considered the oldest in the history of mankind. The lighthouse had a quadrangular plinth, consisting of a series of ramps, and was erected in the 3rd century B.C. It was about 103 metres high and divided into three storeys: by means of an immense mirror, sunlight and that of the fire lit during the night in the brazier produced a constant luminous effect, capable of helping ships to find their bearings. Some of the blocks of the plinth were found in the water and can be recognised in the photographs on the walls of this fortress built on its land ruins, which also housed some Koranic schools. A tour around the perimeter of its walls and on the patrol walkways allows you to feel the flow of history and breathe in the smell of the Mediterranean. While to taste its fruits, one need only move a few metres and sit on the panoramic terrace of the SeaSide Restaurant, first choosing the fish that will be grilled, in the presence of the caulkers smoothing the keels under the open sky.