Cleopatra's Needle Thames London

It is located on the Victoria Embankment of the Thames,close to the Embankment underground station. The ruler of Egypt gave it to Britain to celebrate Lord Nelson's victory at the Battle of the Nile.

This red granite obelisk is 3,500 years old. It was erected in the Egyptian city of Heliopolis in 1450 BC for the glory of Thutmose III. Hieroglyphs were later added by Ramesses II after some major military victories.

This London obelisk is one of a pair - the other 'twin' is erected in New York.

Cleopatra's name became associated with this obelisk when she decided to build a temple in Alexandria in honor of Mark Antony & the obelisks were moved from Heliopolis.

Weighing in over 200 tons it was not an easy job to transport & erect it in London. It was encased in a metal body , floated & towed from Egypt! Almost lost in a storm in the Bay of Biscay it finally arrived in London! The 6 seamen who lost their lives are commemorated on a plaque.

See also the bomb damage caused by a World War I bomb from a German air raid. The damage was left unrepaired as a memorial and gouges on the right-hand sphinx can still be seen.