It was erected in it´s original location in Heliopolis by TUTMOSIS III, with
the london´s obelisk since the year 1467 B.C.
The obelisk of New York is the twin of other stay in London, both calls
Cleopatra´s Needle.
Cleopatra ordered translate to the city of Alexandria, for his palace.
It was a gift of Khedive Ismail of Egypt in 1869, in gratefulness to the United
States by the aid in the construction of the Suez Channel, the Lieutenant Commander Henry Gorridge,of the navy of the United States, was the one in charge to transfer the obelisk. The obelisk of 21.5 meters and 193 tons and
the pedestal of 50 tons arrived to the Quarantine Station in New York in July,
20 of 1880.
32 horses were needed to transport by the city the pedestal, when this one
was installed in the Central Park in Graywacke Knoll, the obelisk star their
trip by Manhattan, the trip demand 112 days in arriving,from Staten Island to
North River and West Ninety-sixth Street, moving just 30 meters per day, to Eighty-sixth Street and after throught the park by Fifth Avenue to
Eighty-second Street, to placed near the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
In the pedestal was placed objects, sended by each department of the federal government, the Navy Department sent medals commemorating victories
of the American Navy, the State Department one constitutions, for example.
In January, 22 of 1881 was erected before the presence of 10.000 people.
On one side of the pedestal one bronze plate says: "This obelisk was erected
first at Heliopolis, Egypt in 1600 B.C.. It was removed to Alexandria in 12
B.C. by the Romans. Presented by the Khedive of Egypt to the city of New
York. It was erected here on January 22 1881 through the generosity of
William H. Vanderbilt."
Pintura de David Roberts (1796-1864)
Photos of that time, in the first, when it was erected in Alexandria, second &
thirth when it was carried in New York, and the end photo when it
was erected whith the Metropolitan Museum back.
The biggest machine was employed
to erected the obelisk
1896 image compared the New York´s obelisk
with other constractions.
Actuals views to the Cleopatra´s Needle
in Central Park - New York, U.S.A.
