Cleopatra's Needle

The ancient Egyptian obelisk in London known as Cleopatra’s Needle.

Cleopatra’s Needle is situated in The Victoria Embankment Gardens near the banks of The Thames.

The obelisk has nothing whatsoever to do with Cleopatra. It was already 1000 years old during Cleopatra’s lifetime.

It seems as if every time we visit London we stroll through The Victoria Embankment Gardens and take another gander at Cleopatra’s Needle. Most recently, we did so in 2007, we did so in 2008, and we did so again this year.

The London obelisk’s twin is in New York’s Central Park. Both obelisks were gifted by the Egyptian government to London and New York in the 19th Century.