Hatshepsut Obelisk

The tallest obelisk in Egypt

If you have ever stood in Luxor under the bright morning sun, looking at the tall Hatshepsut Obelisk at Karnak, you know why it is an impressive sight. This single piece of pink granite rises nearly 30 meters above the Temple of Amun and has been here for over 3,400 years. It shows the ambition of one of Egypt’s great rulers.

However, the story continues in Aswan, far to the south, where Hatshepsut had another big project. In the granite quarries, there is an unfinished obelisk that would have been even larger, but it cracked before it was completed. These two monuments — one proud and the other incomplete — tell the story of a queen who had vision and engineering skill, and her lasting impact on Egypt.

Queen Hatshepsut – Egypt’s Visionary Builder

Hatshepsut was a unique pharaoh who ruled Egypt during the 18th Dynasty, around 1473–1458 BCE. She was one of the few women to become a king, wearing the same king’s symbols as men and leading Egypt into a time of peace and prosperity.

Her reign is known for major building projects that changed the city of Thebes, now called Luxor. She built her mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahari and expanded the Karnak temple. Hatshepsut used these buildings to honor the gods and to secure her place in history.

Obelisks were an important part of her plans. These tall stone structures represented the sun’s rays and the pharaoh’s special connection to the gods, especially Amun-Ra, the main god of Thebes. By commissioning some of the tallest obelisks ever made, Hatshepsut showed that her rule had the gods’ approval and that her legacy would last forever.

Luxor Tours & Activities

Looking to save some costs on your travel? Why not join a shared group tour to explore Luxor, Egypt? Here are some activities you might be interested in:

The Hatshepsut Obelisk at Karnak – Tallest in Egypt

Walk through the large pylons of Karnak Temple and past the many columns in the Hypostyle Hall. You will reach the Wadjet Hall, where the northern Hatshepsut Obelisk stands.

Height: About 29.5–30 meters (97 feet) — this is the tallest surviving ancient obelisk in Egypt.

Weight: Around 323 tons, carved from one block of pink granite from Aswan.

Date: It was erected in the 16th year of Hatshepsut’s reign to celebrate her jubilee festival.

The four sides of the obelisk have fine carvings of hieroglyphs that praise Hatshepsut’s dedication to Amun-Ra. The inscriptions say she “made it for him with her own hands,” suggesting she took personal responsibility for building it.

Originally, the tip of the obelisk was covered in electrum, a mix of gold and silver that shone bright in the sunlight. This would have made the obelisk visible from far away. Even without its original shine, the monument still stands out, impressing visitors with its size and beauty.

The Fate of Its Twin

Hatshepsut’s project at Karnak originally included two obelisks. The southern obelisk, however, did not remain intact. At some point in the past, it fell over—perhaps because of an earthquake, structural problems, or deliberate destruction during Thutmose III’s reign, as he tried to erase Hatshepsut’s monuments.

Today, the base of the fallen obelisk is still in place, and a large piece of its upper section is near Karnak’s Sacred Lake. Seeing these remains next to the standing obelisk shows how even great monuments can be affected by time.

The Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan – A Monument That Never Stood

To truly appreciate the Karnak obelisk, visit Aswan, where granite for Egypt’s temples and statues was mined. In the Northern Quarries, you will find the Unfinished Obelisk, which was another project by Hatshepsut.

If finished, it would have been the largest obelisk ever built:
– Length: Approximately 42 meters (137 feet).
– Weight: About 1,200 tons.

A crack formed in the granite during carving, causing workers to stop. The obelisk remains attached to the bedrock, giving us a glimpse into ancient building techniques. You can see the tool marks from dolerite stones and the channels cut to separate the monolith from the quarry floor.

For archaeologists, the Unfinished Obelisk is very important. It shows both the scale of ancient projects and the challenges faced by builders in Egypt.

From Quarry to Temple – The Journey of Granite

The connection between Aswan and Karnak is important for transporting obelisks. Every obelisk at Karnak was quarried in Aswan.

Once the stone block was cut from the bedrock, workers shaped and polished it. They loaded the stone onto large wooden sledges. To move the sledges, they dragged them over specially prepared tracks that were slippery with Nile mud to make it easier.

Next, they floated the obelisk down the Nile on big barges. This transport was timed to coincide with the annual flood of the river, making navigation easier.

Historical records show that moving Hatshepsut’s two obelisks to Karnak took only seven months, which was impressive for that time.

Fun Facts & Legends

Solar Symbolism: Obelisks were seen as petrified rays of the sun, linking the pharaoh to the divine.
Global Travelers: Many ancient Egyptian obelisks now stand in cities like Rome, Paris, London, and New York — but Karnak’s Hatshepsut Obelisk has never left its original home.
Political Drama: Thutmose III’s attempts to erase Hatshepsut’s name from monuments may have spared the Karnak obelisk simply because removing it would have been too difficult.