Besides a handful in Egypt, there are also obelisks in Arles, Istanbul, Paris, London and New York. In Rome there are 13 of them standing in prominent positions and piazzas around the city.
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Rome has more obelisks than any other country in the world, including Egypt. We know from records that 48 obelisks were shipped from Egypt to Rome under Roman rule. Today we know of, or should I say, have found only 13 of those originally brought here.
The History of the Obelisk in RomeRome has more obelisks than any other country in the world, including Egypt. We know from records that 48 obelisks were shipped from Egypt to Rome under Roman rule. Today we know of, or should I say, have found only 13 of those originally brought here.
For of the 21 ancient obelisks still standing, Egypt itself can claim fewer than five. Rome boasts 13, all snatched from the Land of the Pharaohs in Roman times, and the rest are spread from Istanbul to New York City.
Although about 30 ancient obelisks are currently well maintained and stand at the public places (plaza, square, park, etc.), but only 5 remain at the ruins of Ancient Temple in Egypt. And two more obelisks stand at the public space in Egypt. So 7 obelisks in total in Egypt.
In the 1st century B.C., Ancient Rome discovers the charm of the Egyptian culture, as a result of the conquest of Egypt by Julius Caesar and Augustus. Since then, traces of Egyptian civilization appear more and more in the city. We might think of obelisks, but they are not the only Egyptian traces in town.
The first obelisks were brought to Rome by Augustus after his victory of Anthony and Cleopatra. He brought two obelisks from Egypt to Rome in 10 BC, erecting one obelisk on the spina of the Circus Maximus, while the other was used as a sundial for the Horologium Augusti.
The Romans had such an appetite for obelisks that they not only took them from Egypt, but also carved new ones. They used Egyptian granite, including the especially popular pinkish stone from the quarries at Aswan in the far south.
The planting of obelisks in Europe is a 2,000-year-old habit, started by the Emperor Augustus in his lust for conquest and self-commemoration. In the year 10BC, Augustus ordered the removal of two obelisks, the oldest of which was then 1,300 years old, to Rome.
Story: The so-called Lateran obelisk is the largest standing obelisk in the world. Its inscriptions state that while it was begun during the reign of Tuthmosis III, it lay in the craftsmen's workshops for 35 years and was finally erected by his grandson Tuthmosis IV.
The Obelisk of Constantius (Lateran Obelisk) is the largest obelisk in Rome. It is also the oldest obelisk in Rome and the last to be brought there. It was brought to Rome by Constantius II (337-361) and erected in 357 AD on the spina of the Circus Maximus just as Augustus had done in 10 BC.
The testimonial is situated at the southeast end of the Park, overlooking Kilmainham and the River Liffey. The structure is 62 metres (203 ft) tall, making it the largest obelisk in Europe.
Some are stunningly old, for example, the Lateran Obelisk was made for Egyptian pharaohs 1500 years BC (3500+ years ago!), then stolen, winding up in Rome 1700 years later. The same obelisk is the tallest in the world, too, at 32 meters, 105 feet.