Cleopatra's Needle — Attraction in London

Cleopatra's Needle is one of a pair of twin obelisks that were gifted by the nation of Egypt to London (1818) and New York City (1869) as a showing of friendship amongst nations. The obelisk can be found along the banks of the Thames just past the Victoria Embankment Gardens.

This monument is believed to have been erected in Heliopolis around 1450BC. It was later moved to Alexandria by Queen Cleopatra to welcome the arriving Romans in 12 BC. Later, left toppled and in ruinous condition for many centuries, it was gifted to London in 1818.

Due to a lack of interest in funding its transportation back to London, the obelisk remained in the sands of Alexandria until 1877. Finally in route to England, it was then almost lost at sea when bad weather and sea conditions were encountered at the Bay of Bascay. While the monument was eventually saved and taken to London, tragedy wasn’t altogether averted, as six rescue ship crewman were lost while attempting to assist the vessel carrying the obelisk. Arriving in London, Cleopatra's Needle was finally erected in 1878 along the shores of the River Thames.

Like its twin in NYC, Cleopatra's Needle is just over 20 meters tall, made of red granite and is covered with inscribed hieroglyphs. It is situated between two bronze Spinx statues, flanking its sides and oddly facing the obelisk itself, instead of facing outward, protecting it.

Plaques surrounding the base of Cleopatra's Needle describe its origins in Egypt as well as the 1877 troubles at sea. There is also visible bombing damage on one of the black Spinxes, which you can see quite clearly, the result of German air raids during WWI in 1917.

In the end, Cleopatra's Needle is only a minor attraction in London and probably best seen if you intend to spend time in the Embankment area. Those who have seen its twin in Central Park (NYC) or the Luxor Needle found in Place de la Concorde (Paris), which is also sometimes referred to as Cleopatra's Needle, might have a bit more interest to seek out this obelisk during their...

I saw one in Central Park in New York, and while browsing YouTube videos, I watched one that mentioned that there are only two Needles gifted to other countries: one in NYC and the other in London. So, this place was on my list.

If you stroll along the Victoria Embankment between Victoria Embankment and Temple underground stations, you will see a large obelisk flanked by two sphinxes jutting out into the sky. Cleopatra’s Needle is a distinctive landmark in London and a popular tourist spot but few people take the time to understand its history

Located in one of the most tourist-heavy areas in Central London, it’s often a sight overlooked by the thousands of daily passers-by. Known as Cleopatra’s Needle, the London obelisk isn’t just some mere replica but an authentic ancient Egyptian obelisk! This 21-metre-tall granite monument was originally erected in the Temple of the Sun in Heliopolis, Egypt around 1450 BC.

You can find the London obelisk on the Victoria Embankment in the City of Westminster. It’s located between Waterloo Bridge and Hungerford Bridge. You have a good view of it from either of these two bridges, but you can also get up close to it on street level.

History: a 3500-year-old ancient Egyptian obelisk that looms in front of the Embankment Gardens by the Thames. The red marble obelisk was carved in the quarries next to the River Nile in 1380 BC, to honor Pharaoh Thutmose III, and moved by Queen Cleopatra to Alexandria around 40 BC. Rediscovered by archaeologists in the early 1800s, it remained in Egypt until 1877, when the British Government decided that it wanted a suitable memorial to commemorate Lord Nelson’s victory over Napoleon in Egypt. At the time, Egypt was a British possession, and the authorities easily parted with their...

Facts:

Cleopatra's Needle was quarried at Aswan around 1475 BC, and dates from the reign of Pharaoh Tuthmose Ill. It was erected at the city of Heliopolis, where hieroglyphs were added by Rameses II. It didn't gain its 'Cleopatra' moniker until the Romans moved it to Alexandria in 12 BC. It was toppled soon after, and lay half- buried in the sand for 2,000 years.

When the British defeated Napoleon in the early 19th-century, the Viceroy of Egypt commemorated the victory with a gift of ancient mason. Cleopatra's Needle's tremendous weight delayed its journey back to London by several decades, arriving in London in 1878.

Before the Needle was lowered into place, a time capsule was placed under the mason. This consisted of a set of British coins, four Bibles (all in different languages), a railway timetable, some daily newspapers….. and a set of pins. The most intriguing memento, however, were a dozen photographic prints of the world's most beautiful women! • Cleopatra's Needle is flanked by two faux- Egyptian sphinxes cast from bronze that bear hieroglyphic inscriptions that say netjer nefer men-kheper-re di ankh (the good god, Thuthmosis Ill given life). The Sphinxes are actually facing the wrong way and instead of guarding the needle, they appear to be...