Obelisk

Cleopatra's needle

Erection date: /9/1878

Inscription

{The base of the needle carries a large bronze plaque on each face: clockwise starting at the plaque facing the road,
Plaque on north-west face:}
Through the patriotic zeal of Erasmus Wilson F.R.S. this obelisk was brought from Alexandria encased in an iron cylinder. It was abandoned during a storm in the Bay of Biscay, recovered and erected on this spot by John Dixon C. E., in the 42nd year of the reign of Queen Victoria, 1878.

{Plaque on north-east face:}
This obelisk quarried at Syene was erected at On (Heliopolis) by the Pharaoh Thothmes III about 1500 B. C. Lateral inscriptions were added nearly two centuries later by Rameses the Great. Removed during the Greek dynasty to Alexandria, the Royal city of Cleopatra, it was there erected in the 18th year of Augustus Caesar BC 12.

{Plaque on south-east face – see our page for this one:}

{Plaque on south-west face:}
This obelisk, prostrate for centuries on the sands of Alexandria, was presented to the British Nation AD 1819 by Mahommed Ali, Viceroy of Egypt, a worthy memorial of our distinguished countrymen, Nelson and Abercromby. 

Pink granite, 68.5 feet high, 186 tons. Vulliamy created, and Youngs cast, the bronze sphinxes at the base, about which our colleague, Alan Patient, says: Apparently they are sited incorrectly, in that they should be guarding the obelisk rather than facing it. Presumably it was considered more aesthetically pleasing to place them the way they are.

Site: Cleopatra's needle (3 memorials)

WC2, Victoria Embankment

A misnomer since there is no connection with Cleopatra at all. In 1500 BC Pharaoh Thothmes erected two red granite obelisks at Heliopolis. The Romans took them to Alexandria in 12 BC where an earthquake brought them down. In 1819, following Nelson's victory at the Battle of the Nile, Britain was presented with this (near-buried) obelisk by the Viceroy of Egypt. It was not until 1877 that funds had been raised for shipment to London, which involved building a pontoon barge around the stone.

The 'Cleopatra' was not a lucky ship; it was holed and sunk during the launch. Salvaged, it was then almost lost in the Bay of Biscay in a storm when the barge broke loose from the towing steamer, the 'Olga'. 6 members of the Olga crew died as they tried to board the Cleopatra to bring it under control. But eventually it reached London and the obelisk was erected on a plinth containing a time capsule from that era. Its mate was given to the States and erected in Central Park, New York in 1881. The Cleopatra's needle in Place de la Concorde, Paris is also one of a pair but its mate is still in situ in Luxor.

2020: Reviewing a book on archaeology Tom Holland wrote "The shipping of obelisks to Paris, London and New York provided a brutally castratory metaphor for the way in which scholars from distant lands took ownership of the study of Egypt's past."

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Cleopatra's needle

Subjects commemorated i

Sir Ralph Abercromby

Soldier and politician. Born Clackmannanshire, Scotland. Lieutenant-general i...

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John Dixon

Civil Engineer from Newcastle. Freemason. His brother, Waynman, was an engine...

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Horatio, Lord Nelson

Born in Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk. Naval commander who became a national hero a...

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Queen Victoria

Reigned: 1837-1901, 64 years. Born Kensington Palace. Daughter of Edward, Duk...

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Erasmus Wilson F.R.S

Surgeon, dermatologist and philanthropist.  Born Marylebone High Street. Died...

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This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Cleopatra's needle

Created by i

H. Young & Co.

Foundry opened in Eccleston Street, Pimlico.

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Mahommed Ali, viceroy of Egypt

Viceroy of Egypt in 1819.  Born in what is now Macedonia.  Regarded as the fo...

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George Vulliamy

Architect and civil engineer. George John Vulliamy was the son of the clockma...

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This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Cleopatra's needle

Also at this site i

Cleopatra's needle - crew members lost

Cleopatra's needle - crew members lost

{A list of 6 names, oddly not in alphabetical sequence - see Subjects commemo...

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Cleopatra's needle - war damage

Cleopatra's needle - war damage

Londonist have a eye-witness account of this event.

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Nearby Memorials

Robert Waithman - obelisk

Robert Waithman - obelisk

EC4, Salisbury Court

Originally erected near Waithman's shop in Fleet Street at its junction with Farringdon Street, this obelisk was moved in 1951 to Barthol...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Hampstead War Memorial

Hampstead War Memorial

NW3, Spaniards Road

From the inscriptions it seems that the obelisk was created as a WW1 memorial and the flanking walls were added after WW2. We thank Davi...

2 subjects commemorated, 2 creators
East Ham war memorial

East Ham war memorial

E6, High Street South, East Ham Central Park

This is a substantial monument, often described, understandably, as a cenotaph. Designed by the architect/local politician Banks-Martin. ...

War dead | WW1
1,844 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Princess Alice Disaster - memorial

Princess Alice Disaster - memorial

SE18, Near Camdale Road, Old Woolwich Cemetery

The numbers of passengers and victims differ from most other sources. Source of biblical quotations: Resurrection - John 11:17-44 New Ki...

1 subject commemorated
Bellot memorial obelisk

Bellot memorial obelisk

SE10, Five Foot Walk, Royal Naval College

33ft high red granite.  Described in detail at the splendid PMSA.

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator