Secrets of the Pharaoh’s Obelisk - Paris

 Secrets of the Pharaoh’s Obelisk Adorning the Heart of Paris

On November 29, 1830, Egypt presented France with a unique gift that symbolized mutual understanding and warm relations between the two countries. Muhammad Ali Pasha, the ruler of Egypt at the time, gifted the Luxor Obelisk to King Louis-Philippe I of France.

This obelisk, which honors Champollion's efforts in deciphering the secrets of ancient Egyptian writing, still adorns Place de la Concorde in the heart of the French capital, Paris.

The Luxor Obelisk is the oldest monument on Parisian soil, testifying to a "French fascination" with ancient Egyptian civilization. It was uprooted from its roots at the Temple of Luxor in southern Egypt and erected in Place de la Concorde during the 19th century. The obelisk has since witnessed many of France's political and national conflicts and events in an environment completely different from its original one.

The obelisk dates back to the reign of King Ramesses II, one of the most famous kings of the 19th Dynasty in ancient Egyptian history. He commissioned the construction of two obelisks in front of the Luxor Temple to commemorate his victories in military campaigns that protected Egypt from foreign invasions and the plundering of its wealth.