Egypt
Victoria Embankment, on the north bank of the Thames in London (UK) is home to one of the many obelisks that were removed from Egypt in the 19th Century.
Not only does the obelisk survive, currently undergoing partial restoration, but a set of Egyptomaniac features are closely associated with it including twin sphinxes and public benches held up by miniature sphinxes and camels.
The Victoria Embankment obelisk, which puts up with all the wind and weather hurtling down the Thames, is referred to on all local maps as "Cleopatra's Needle". It has nothing to do with any of the Cleopatras, of course, and was actually erected by Tuthmosis III in Helipopolis.
It was transported to the UK from Alexandria and had quite an eventful journey, which is outlined at historic-uk.com. The obelisk is flanked by a pair of sphinxes and its base is encased in Egyptian-themed motifs of the era, all made of bronze.
I have very little information about the benches, which is a shame because they are great fun. The camel bench indicates that it was made by Z.D. Berry and Sons of Regent St, Westiminster, but I need to have a look around to find out who commissioned them. The benches extend along the entire of the Victoria Emankment.
Back tomorrow with a proper blog update
Andie
xx
- Photo For Today - Luxor Temple At Sunset
This was on New Year's Eve. My father and I had no idea that it was New Year's Eve until an Australian tourist pointed it out. It was a good place to be for a day which neither of us were intending to celebrate. The obelisk outside the First...
- More Re Hawass On The Ny Obelisk.
Ahram Online In New York City's Central Park stands a 21-metre-tall red granite obelisk carved during the 18th Dynasty to commemorate King Tuthmose III, grandfather of King Tutankhamun. This obelisk is one of a pair originally erected in Heliopolis,...
- Plea From Hawass To Conserve The New York Obelisk
drhawass.com With photograph. Since 1880 a beautiful obelisk commemorating King Thutmose III has stood in Central Park in New York City. This obelisk is one of a pair - the other one currently stands in Westminster in London. It has recently been brought...
- Auction: The Day Cleopatra's Needle Arrived In London
Times Online (Brendan Montague) It required some true Victorian ingenuity to bring Cleopatra’s Needle from Alexandria to the banks of the Thames. Photographs to be auctioned next month show it in the final stages of its trip, encased in an iron cylinder,...
- Commemorative Obelisk Installed
http://www.easier.com/view/UK_Property_News/Kent/article-117355.htmlA sculpture made from recycled glass, in the form of an obelisk, has been installed in a new housing project in Kent, U.K., commemorating a local resident who financed the transportation...
Egypt
Daily Photo - Victoria Embankment, London
Victoria Embankment, on the north bank of the Thames in London (UK) is home to one of the many obelisks that were removed from Egypt in the 19th Century.Not only does the obelisk survive, currently undergoing partial restoration, but a set of Egyptomaniac features are closely associated with it including twin sphinxes and public benches held up by miniature sphinxes and camels.
The Victoria Embankment obelisk, which puts up with all the wind and weather hurtling down the Thames, is referred to on all local maps as "Cleopatra's Needle". It has nothing to do with any of the Cleopatras, of course, and was actually erected by Tuthmosis III in Helipopolis.
It was transported to the UK from Alexandria and had quite an eventful journey, which is outlined at historic-uk.com. The obelisk is flanked by a pair of sphinxes and its base is encased in Egyptian-themed motifs of the era, all made of bronze.
I have very little information about the benches, which is a shame because they are great fun. The camel bench indicates that it was made by Z.D. Berry and Sons of Regent St, Westiminster, but I need to have a look around to find out who commissioned them. The benches extend along the entire of the Victoria Emankment.
Back tomorrow with a proper blog update
Andie
xx
- Photo For Today - Luxor Temple At Sunset
This was on New Year's Eve. My father and I had no idea that it was New Year's Eve until an Australian tourist pointed it out. It was a good place to be for a day which neither of us were intending to celebrate. The obelisk outside the First...
- More Re Hawass On The Ny Obelisk.
Ahram Online In New York City's Central Park stands a 21-metre-tall red granite obelisk carved during the 18th Dynasty to commemorate King Tuthmose III, grandfather of King Tutankhamun. This obelisk is one of a pair originally erected in Heliopolis,...
- Plea From Hawass To Conserve The New York Obelisk
drhawass.com With photograph. Since 1880 a beautiful obelisk commemorating King Thutmose III has stood in Central Park in New York City. This obelisk is one of a pair - the other one currently stands in Westminster in London. It has recently been brought...
- Auction: The Day Cleopatra's Needle Arrived In London
Times Online (Brendan Montague) It required some true Victorian ingenuity to bring Cleopatra’s Needle from Alexandria to the banks of the Thames. Photographs to be auctioned next month show it in the final stages of its trip, encased in an iron cylinder,...
- Commemorative Obelisk Installed
http://www.easier.com/view/UK_Property_News/Kent/article-117355.htmlA sculpture made from recycled glass, in the form of an obelisk, has been installed in a new housing project in Kent, U.K., commemorating a local resident who financed the transportation...