The Obelisks of Ancient Thebes
Standing in the heart of ancient Thebes, Luxor was once defined by towering granite obelisks that reflected the sun like divine lightning. The Egyptians called them tekhenu, or “petrified sunbeams,” symbolizing the connection between pharaohs and gods. Today, only three of these majestic obelisks remain, a stark reminder of the complexities of history influenced by Roman conquerors and 19th-century French kings. The story of their disappearance is intriguing, raising questions about the fate of the missing obelisks and the enduring allure of these massive structures.
The Lonesome Giant: The Obelisk of Luxor Temple
When you arrive at the First Pylon of Luxor Temple, you might notice something that feels unusual. The entrance has large statues of Ramesses II, but only one obelisk stands to the left. The right side has an empty pedestal, a reminder of a 19th-century trade.
The Story of the Missing Twin
Ramesses II originally built two matching red granite obelisks to guard this entrance. They stood together for over 3,000 years until the 1830s. At that time, Muhammad Ali Pasha, gave the pair to King Louis Philippe of France as a diplomatic gift.
Moving a 250-ton block of stone across the Mediterranean was very difficult. It now stands in the Place de la Concorde in Paris, where it is a well-known landmark. In return, the French gave Egypt a copper clock, which is now housed in the Cairo Citadel, but it rarely functions.
What to Look for Today
The remaining obelisk in Luxor is a great example of New Kingdom art. If you look closely at the base, you will see:
– The Four Baboons: There are four baboons carved into the pedestal, raising their paws in worship of the sun.
– Deep-Cut Hieroglyphs: Ramesses II had his names and titles carved deeply into the stone. This design helps them catch shadows, making them easier to read in the bright midday sun.
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 Sky-Piercers of Karnak: A Tale of Two Pharaohs
A short drive down Sphinx Avenue takes you to Karnak, the largest religious building ever made. While Karnak used to have many monuments, only two obelisks still stand in their original spots.
The Obelisk of Thutmose I
As you walk through the Fourth Pylon, you see the obelisk of Thutmose I. It is about 71 feet tall and smaller than the other obelisks. However, it is the oldest standing obelisk at Karnak, made from a single block of granite from Aswan.
Queen Hatshepsut’s Obelisk
Deep within the Karnak temple, you’ll discover Queen Hatshepsut’s obelisk, a testament to her reign as one of the few female pharaohs. She commissioned two massive obelisks to mark her sixteenth year in power. Standing at 97 feet and weighing about 320 tons, this is Egypt’s tallest standing obelisk.
The Fallen Giants: The Ones That Didn't Make It
While only three obelisks still stand, your tour of Luxor isn’t complete without seeing the ones that have fallen. These fallen monuments give you a rare chance to see the skilled work of ancient craftsmen up close.
The Fallen Top of Hatshepsut
Near the Sacred Lake at Karnak, you can find the upper part of Hatshepsut’s second obelisk. Since it lies on its side, you can walk right up to the pointed tip, called the pyramidion. In ancient times, these tips were covered in electrum, a mix of gold and silver, to shine in the sun. Viewing the carvings at eye level lets you appreciate the precise work of ancient stone-cutters who did not have steel tools.
Fragments in the Open Air Museum
Throughout the Karnak complex, there are many fragments from smaller obelisks belonging to different pharaohs, such as Thutmose III and Seti II. These fragments remind us of how crowded these temple courtyards once were.
The Engineering Marvel: How Were They Built?
Counting the obelisks is one thing; understanding the human effort to create them is another. Every obelisk in Luxor started its journey in the granite quarries of Aswan, which are over 100 miles south.
The Creation Process
Pounding, Not Cutting: The Egyptians didn’t cut the granite with saws. They used hard balls made of dolerite to pound the stone until the shape took form.
The Great Float: After the obelisks were freed, workers loaded them onto large wooden barges during the Nile’s annual floods. Some historical records indicate it took two barges tied together to transport a single large obelisk.
The Sand Ramp: To position the obelisks upright, engineers likely used a sand ramp method. They built a large ramp filled with sand, slid the obelisk in base-first, and gradually removed the sand underneath, allowing the stone to settle perfectly on its pedestal.
Luxor Obelisks Around the World
The Paris Obelisk (Place de la Concorde)
This famous obelisk from Luxor is 23 meters tall and made of red granite. It was originally one of two obelisks at the entrance of the Luxor Temple.
Commissioned by: Ramesses II (19th Dynasty).
The Journey: In 1830, Muhammad Ali Pasha, the ruler of Egypt, gifted both obelisks to France. However, they were too heavy (over 220 tons) to transport both at once. France brought only the western obelisk, which arrived in Paris in 1833.
Fun Fact: In return for the obelisk, King Louis-Philippe I gave Egypt a mechanical clock. The obelisk still stands in Paris, but the clock (now at the Citadel of Cairo) broke soon after it arrived and has rarely worked since. Many Egyptians humorously call this “the Pharaoh’s curse.”
The Lateran Obelisk (Rome, Italy)
Located in Piazza di San Giovanni in Laterano, this obelisk is the tallest ancient Egyptian obelisk in the world. It stands over 32 meters (105 feet) tall without its base.
Commissioned by: Thutmose III and finished by his grandson Thutmose IV (18th Dynasty).
Original Location: The Great Temple of Amun at Karnak.
The Journey: Roman Emperor Constantius II moved it to Alexandria, then to Rome in 357 AD to decorate the Circus Maximus. It fell and broke into three pieces, but was rediscovered and re-erected in 1588 by Pope Sixtus V.
The Obelisk of Theodosius (Istanbul, Turkey)
This obelisk stands in the former Hippodrome of Constantinople (now Sultanahmet Square) and is part of a larger original.
Commissioned by: Thutmose III (18th Dynasty).
Original Location: The south of the 7th Pylon at Karnak.
The Journey: Emperor Theodosius I brought it to Constantinople in 390 AD. To make it easier to transport, the bottom third was cut off or broke during the move, making it look “short” on its large marble pedestal. The carvings remain clear despite the nearby salt air of the Marmara Sea.
The Durham Obelisk (Durham, UK)
This smaller obelisk is in the Oriental Museum at Durham University.
Commissioned by: Amenhotep II (18th Dynasty).
Original Location: Part of the “Thebaid” (the Luxor region), likely from a small shrine near the main temple complexes.
The Journey: It came to Britain in the 1830s through the Duke of Northumberland and was later donated to the university. It is one of the few obelisks from Luxor not linked to the “Big Three” (Thutmose III, Hatshepsut, or Ramesses II).
Got a Question?
F.A.Qs
There are three ancient obelisks currently standing in their original locations in Luxor. One is located at the entrance of Luxor Temple, and two are located within the Karnak Temple Complex (the obelisks of Thutmose I and Queen Hatshepsut).
Originally, there were two. In the 1830s, the ruler of Egypt, Muhammad Ali Pasha, gifted the right-hand obelisk to France. It was transported to Paris and now stands in the Place de la Concorde. In a somewhat lopsided trade, the French gave Egypt a mechanical clock that currently sits in the Citadel of Cairo—though it has rarely ever worked!
The tallest standing obelisk in Egypt is the Obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut at Karnak Temple. It stands at approximately 97 feet (29.5 meters) tall and is carved from a single piece of pink Aswan granite weighing roughly 320 tons.
Actually, no. While they are often confused with the Luxor monuments, the two obelisks known as “Cleopatra’s Needles” (now in London and New York City) originally stood in Heliopolis and were later moved to Alexandria before being sent abroad in the 19th century.
Rome is actually home to 13 ancient Egyptian obelisks, which is more than any other city in the world—including those in Egypt! Most were taken by Roman Emperors as trophies of conquest to decorate their stadiums and squares. The tallest of these, the Lateran Obelisk, originally stood at Karnak Temple in Luxor.
The Ancient Egyptians called them tekhenu. The word “obelisk” is actually Greek (obeliskos), which literally translates to “little spit” or “meat skewer”—a bit of a cheeky term the Greeks used because of the monuments’ long, thin shape.
It was a feat of pure engineering genius. The obelisks were carved directly out of the bedrock in Aswan using dolerite pounding stones. They were then floated down the Nile on massive barges during the flood season and pulled into place using heavy ropes, ramps of sand, and thousands of skilled laborers.
Did you know that
By purchasing through our links, you support us at no additional cost.
Thank you for your support. ♥️
