Cleopatra’s, << `klee` oh PAT ruhs or `klee` oh PAY truhs, >> Needles are two famous obelisks (tall pillars of stone) from ancient Egypt. One stands in Central Park in New York City. The other stands along the River Thames in London. The obelisk in New York rises 69 feet (21 meters) and weighs 200 short tons (180 metric tons). The one in London is 681/2 feet (20.9 meters) tall and weighs 180 short tons (160 metric tons). Egypt gave the obelisks to the United States and Britain in the 1870’s.
Kings of ancient Egypt erected such obelisks as Cleopatra’s Needles as monuments to the sun god Re. The kings built the largest of these monuments at Memphis, Heliopolis, and Thebes between 1500 and 1200 B.C.
Cleopatra’s Needles bear the name of Thutmose III, who ruled Egypt during the 1400’s B.C. They also include markings added by Ramses II, an Egyptian ruler of the 1200’s B.C. Cleopatra’s Needles originally stood at the temple of Re at Heliopolis. About 10 B.C., the Roman rulers of Egypt moved them to Alexandria to decorate a palace. Scholars do not know why the obelisks became associated with Queen Cleopatra of Egypt.
See also Central Park .
