Cleopatra’s Needle: Ancient Egypt, Victorian London, and Six Brave Men

I have seen many monuments in London, but this one feels different.

Here, the eyes first go upward to the ancient Egyptian stone. But the real emotional pull comes when one reads the plaque at the base. The monument is not only about Egypt or Victorian London. It is also about six men who lost their lives in the middle of the sea while trying to save others.

This is Cleopatra’s Needle, standing on Victoria Embankment, near the Thames, close to Embankment Station and the Golden Jubilee Bridges.

Cleopatra’s Needle

The name is slightly misleading. This obelisk has no direct connection with Queen Cleopatra. It is much older than her. It was originally erected at Heliopolis, an ancient Egyptian religious centre now within modern Cairo, and moved to Alexandria, the famous Mediterranean port city of Egypt, in 12 BCE. 

The obelisk belongs to the period of Pharaoh Thutmose III (c. 1479–1425 BCE), one of the powerful rulers of Egypt’s New Kingdom. Later, Ramesses II (c. 1279–1213 BCE), popularly known as Ramesses the Great, added more inscriptions. He was one of Egypt’s most famous pharaohs, remembered for his long reign, military campaigns, and massive monuments.

So, this is not just an old stone. It was made around 1500 BCE, which means it is almost 3,500 years old. The granite obelisk is tall, gradually narrows towards the top, and has ancient Egyptian inscriptions carved on its sides.

Cleopatra’s Needle

Its journey to London was equally dramatic. A plaque on the pedestal records that, through the patriotic zeal of Erasmus Wilson F.R.S., the obelisk was brought from Alexandria. It was encased in an iron cylinder for transport, but during the voyage, it was abandoned in a storm in the Bay of Biscay. Later, it was recovered and erected on this spot by John Dixon C.E. in 1878, the 42nd year of Queen Victoria’s reign.

Another plaque records the darker side of this journey. Six men,  William Askin, James Gardiner, Joseph Benbow, Michael Burns, William Donald, and William Patan, died while trying to help the crew of the obelisk ship Cleopatra during the storm on 14 October 1877.

That is why the base matters as much as the obelisk itself. The tall stone speaks of pharaohs, kingdoms, and ancient Egypt. The plaques speak of Victorian effort, engineering risk, and ordinary men who showed extraordinary courage.

The pedestal, sphinxes, and Egyptian-style decorative features show how Victorian London presented ancient Egypt in its own grand style. But beyond that grandeur, Cleopatra’s Needle carries a human story.

Look up for the history of Egypt. Look down for the story of bravery. That is where this monument truly becomes powerful.

Happy travelling.