Obelisk

An obelisk is a tapered, four sided stone monument, usually cut from a single block and topped with a pyramidal point. The form originated in ancient Egypt, where it was called a tekhenu; the Greeks adopted the name obeliskos, which passed through Latin into English. Ancient obelisks were single blocks of stone, while most modern obelisks are built from multiple stones in masonry or concrete. The Lateran Obelisk in Rome, the tallest standing ancient monolith at over 105 feet, the Vatican Obelisk moved to Rome under Caligula in 37 CE, the paired Luxor obelisks, one of which stands in the Place de la Concorde in Paris, the Cleopatra's Needles in London and New York, and the modern Washington Monument, completed in 1884, are among the best known examples; more ancient Egyptian obelisks now stand in Rome than remain in Egypt.