Six Amazing Obelisks Around The World

Some of these aren’t technically obelisks, which, by definition, is carved out of a single piece of stone. Even so, these impressive structures are a sight to behold across a range of cultures.

Heliopolis Obelisk, Cairo, Egypt

Located in Ayn Shams, a suburb of Cairo, it is the only remaining structure from the ancient city of Heliopolis dedicated to the sun god Ra.

© Melissa Tait

Vatican Obelisk, Vatican City

Before Pope Sixtus V moved it to its current site, Emperor Caligula ironically placed the Vatican Obelisk in the center of Nero’s Circus, overseeing countless religious executions.

Cleopatra’s Needle, New York City © Julie Feinstein | Dreamstime

Cleopatra’s Needle, New York City, London and Paris

There are three Cleopatra’s Needles in existence, transported from Egypt to New York, London and Paris in the 1800s. They were built long before Cleopatra’s reign, made of red granite and weighing about 224 lbs.

© Jorg Hackemann | Dreamstime

Obelisk of Axum, Ethiopia

Building “stele” was a long-standing tradition in ancient Ethiopia. They were usually used to mark underground burial chambers. In 1935, it was taken to Italy as part of Benito Mussolini’s conquest of the country, before returning to Axum in 2008.

Obelisco de Buenos Aires, Argentina

Architect Alberto Prebisch, one of the main pioneers of Argentine modernism, designed this national icon of Buenos Aires.

© Seth Anderson | Dreamstime

Washington Monument, Washington, D.C.

America’s favorite stone tower is also the world’s tallest stone structure, let alone tallest obelisk. It took 40 years to complete, though it won’t open to the public again until 2019.