Editing Lighthouse of Alexandria (section)

==Destruction==
The lighthouse was partially cracked and damaged by earthquakes in 796 and 951, followed by structural collapse in the earthquake of 956, and then again in 1303. Earthquakes propagate from two well known tectonic boundaries, the [[African Plate|African–Arabian]] and [[Red Sea Rift]] zones, respectively 350 and 520&nbsp;km from the lighthouse's location. Documentation shows the 956 earthquake to be the first to cause structural collapse of the top 20 metres of the construction.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Abdelnaby|first1=Adel E.|last2=Elnashai|first2=Amr S.|date=October 2013|title=Integrity assessment of the Pharos of Alexandria during the 1303 CE earthquake|journal=Engineering Failure Analysis|volume=33|pages=119–138|doi=10.1016/j.engfailanal.2013.04.013}}</ref>

Documented repairs after the 956 earthquake include the installation of an Islamic-style dome after the collapse of the statue that previously topped the structure. The most destructive earthquake in 1303 had an estimated intensity of [[Modified Mercalli intensity scale|VIII+]] originating from [[Crete]] (280–350&nbsp;km from Alexandria).<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Abdelnaby|first1=Adel E.|last2=Elnashai|first2=Amr S.|date=October 2013|title=Integrity assessment of the Pharos of Alexandria during the 1303 CE earthquake|journal=Engineering Failure Analysis|volume=33|pages=119–138|doi=10.1016/j.engfailanal.2013.04.013}}</ref> The stubby remnant disappeared in 1480, when the [[sultan of Egypt]], [[Qaitbay]], built a [[Citadel of Qaitbay|medieval fort]] on the larger platform of the lighthouse site using the fallen stone.

The 10th-century Arab writer [[al-Mas'udi]] reports a legendary tale of the lighthouse's destruction, according to which, in the time of Caliph [[Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan]] ({{reign|705|715}}), the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantines]] sent a [[eunuch]] agent, who adopted [[Islam]], gained the caliph's confidence and secured permission to search for hidden treasure at the base of the lighthouse. The search was cunningly made in such a manner that the foundations were undermined, and the Pharos collapsed. The agent managed to escape in a ship waiting for him.{{sfn|Eickhoff|1966|p=40}}