Do you see that towering obelisk before you? This is Cleopatra’s Needle. It stands here on the Victoria Embankment. But its story began long before it reached London.
Cleopatra’s Needle is not really connected to Cleopatra. It was carved around 1460 BC for the Pharaoh Thotmes III. That makes it almost 3500 years old. It became known as Cleopatra’s Needle because it was brought to London from Alexandria. Alexandria was Cleopatra’s royal city.
In 1819, the Sultan of Egypt and Sudan gifted the obelisk to Britain. This commemorated British victories. Lord Nelson won at the Battle of the Nile in 1798. Sir Ralph Abercromby was victorious at the Battle of Alexandria in 1801.
Despite the gift, Cleopatra’s Needle remained in Alexandria for decades. Shipping expenses and logistical challenges delayed its transport. It wasn’t until 1877 that Sir William James Erasmus Wilson stepped in. He was a distinguished anatomist and dermatologist. Wilson covered the transportation costs.
Moving Cleopatra’s Needle was an engineering feat. The obelisk weighs over 200 tons. The solution? Encasing it in an iron cylinder. This innovative craft was named Cleopatra. It was fitted with a deckhouse, mast, rudder, and steering gear. A crew of Maltese sailors manned it. The steamship Olga was to tow Cleopatra to Britain. They set sail on September 21, 1877. Captain Henry Carter commanded the Cleopatra. Captain Booth commanded the Olga.
Disaster struck in the Bay of Biscay. A violent storm caused the towropes to break. Six men from the Olga drowned attempting to rescue the crew of Cleopatra. Captain Carter and his men were eventually saved. Cleopatra was adrift and presumed lost. But she was later sighted off the coast of Spain. The Fitzmaurice towed her to Ferrol Harbour. Finally, the paddle tug Anglia towed Cleopatra to Gravesend. She arrived on January 21, 1878.
On September 12, 1878, Cleopatra’s Needle was erected on the Thames Embankment. Two bronze sphinxes were added in 1881. They are Victorian versions of Egyptian originals. Look closely at the pedestal and one of the sphinxes. You can see scars from a bomb dropped during the Blitz in 1940. A plaque commemorates the event.
Zahi Hawass, a former Egyptian Minister of Antiquities, has expressed concern. He fears the weather conditions in London are damaging the obelisk. He has called for its restoration or repatriation.
So here stands Cleopatra’s Needle. It is a testament to ancient craftsmanship. It is a symbol of Victorian ambition. It is a landmark that has survived storms and wars. Take a moment to appreciate its history. Imagine its journey from ancient Egypt to the heart of London.