Why are Egyptian obelisks all over the world?

The international transportation of Egyptian obelisks dates to the Roman conquest of Egypt following the death of Cleopatra, and in modern times to Egyptian gifts to other major cities such as the Luxor Obelisk at the Place de la Concorde in Paris, and the Cleopatra's Needles on the Victoria Embankment and in Central ...



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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.

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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.

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The History of the Obelisk in Rome 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.

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Built in the shape of an Egyptian obelisk, evoking the timelessness of ancient civilizations, the Washington Monument embodies the awe, respect, and gratitude the nation felt for its most essential Founding Father. When completed, the Washington Monument was the tallest building in the world at 555 feet, 5-1/8 inches.

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Pope Gregory was driven by a passion for learning. He ordered that all Egyptian and “Egyptianized” artifacts in the Pontifical states (and Roman antique markets, private villa collections etc.) be gathered together in a new museum.

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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.

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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.

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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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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.

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The monolith was brought to Rome from the fabled Alexandria by Caligula in the year 37, ostensibly to honor the great Julius Caesar. However, there was once another theory: that the obelisk was not just part of a memorial to a great man from history, but also his mausoleum.

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Scholars believe that obelisks represented eternity and immortality, and their long, tapering form functioned to connect the heavens and the earth.

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During the Napoleonic invasion of Egypt, the French attempted to steal the two obelisks and take them back to Paris. The campaign ended before they were successful, but the French did not give up then. A mere 30 years later, the obelisks were “gifted” to the French by the Ottoman monarch Muhammed Ali Pasha.

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