New York, New York: Cleopatra's Needle
A 70-foot-tall, 3,500-year-old outdoor Egyptian obelisk that in fact has nothing to do with Cleopatra.
- Address:
- 1000 5th Ave., New York, NY
- Directions:
- In Central Park directly behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Enter the park just north of E. 79th St. at 5th Ave./Central Park West. Follow the path behind the Museum to the obelisk.
Visitor Tips and News About Cleopatra's Needle
Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip.
This obelisk is 70 feet tall, and at 3,500 years old, it is the oldest outdoor monument in New York City. It was a gift from Egypt and erected in Central Park in 1881. A bronze casting translates the hieroglyphs for us non-Egyptologists. Cleopatra's Needle was commissioned by Pharaoh Thutmosis III around 1450 BC -- so the Queen of the Nile actually had very little to do with it.
[Mike Gassmann, 06/08/2019]Nearby Offbeat Places
Whispering Bench, New York, NY - < 1 mi.
Giant Alice in Wonderland Sculpture, New York, NY - < 1 mi.
First Death by Automobile in U.S., New York, NY - < 1 mi.Latest Tips Across Roadside America
Catch up on the latest discoveries from the road.
Explore Thousands of Oddball Tourist Attractions!
Unique destinations in the U.S. and Canada are our special obsession. Use our attraction recommendation and maps to plan your next road trip.
The Needle was a essentially a bribe given to America by 19th century Egypt to stay out of its internal affairs. America's richest man, William Vanderbilt, paid for the shipping -- and he lived in New York City. The Needle weighs 238 tons.