Cleopatra's Needles, Ancient Egyptian obelisk in Central Park, Manhattan, United States
This ancient Egyptian obelisk stands approximately 69 feet (21 meters) tall and weighs around 200 tons (181 metric tons), made of red granite quarried from Aswan with hieroglyphic inscriptions covering all four sides.
Originally erected in Heliopolis around 1450 BC during the reign of Pharaoh Thutmose III and later inscribed by Ramesses II, the obelisk was transported from Alexandria to New York City and installed in Central Park in February 1881.
The monument symbolizes the 19th-century fascination with ancient Egypt and was gifted to the United States by the Khedive of Egypt, representing diplomatic relations and cultural exchange between the two nations during that era.
Located near East 81st Street in Central Park, the monument is wheelchair accessible and can be viewed daily from 6:00 AM to 1:00 AM, attracting visitors interested in ancient Egyptian history and archaeology.
A time capsule was buried beneath the obelisk during installation, containing items such as a Bible, works by William Shakespeare, a United States census, and a guide to Egypt for future generations to discover.
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