Cleopatra's Needle

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Cleopatra's Needle Map
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Cleopatra's Needle

Obelisk on the Thames

Opposite Victoria Embankment Gardens
London, London SW1
http://www.akhet.co.uk/cleo.htm

This granite obelisk was first erected in Egypt around 1500BC by Pharaoh Thotmes III. Although Cleopatra had nothing to do with the obelisk, it was named after the famous queen when it was moved to Alexandria in 12BC. In 1819, it was given as a gift to the British people in recognition of Nelson's victory over the French fleet. It was later erected on the Victoria Embankment in 1878. Magnificent bronze lions guard Cleopatra's Needle. The pink-granite monolith sits on a pedestal, within which are two earthenware containers enclosing objects which are bizarre, to say the least. Some of those objects are: bibles in various languages; a box of hairpins; a box of cigars; a hydraulic jack; copies of an engineering magazine and portraits of 12 of the most beautiful Englishwomen.

Review © 2009, Wcities

Cleopatra's Needle Photo: Stephen Zopf	Cleopatra's Needle Photo: Frankie Roberto	Cleopatra's Needle Photo: William Helsen	Cleopatra's Needle Photo: Chris Sansenbach	Cleopatra's Needle Photo: citadelmonkey	Cleopatra's Needle Photo: Adam Lammiman	Cleopatra's Needle Photo: Barry Hensey	Cleopatra's Needle Photo: Anand Balaji
Cleopatra's Needle Photo: Robert Mitchell	Cleopatra's Needle Photo: Piramanayagam Arumug	Cleopatra's Needle Photo: thegoalissoul.emma	Cleopatra's Needle Photo: David Bullock	Cleopatra's Needle Photo: Richard Thorne	Cleopatra's Needle Photo: Leelee	Cleopatra's Needle Photo: Alistair Routledge	Cleopatra's Needle Photo: Cockney Laurie
Cleopatra's Needle Photo: Carmen Seaby	Cleopatra's Needle Photo: Ashley Franck	Cleopatra's Needle Photo: Jennifer Deimel	Cleopatra's Needle Photo: Martin Hetherington