One iconic sight in New York City is ‘The Obelisk’, otherwise known as Cleopatra's Needle. As part of a conservation project, ‘The Obelisk’ is getting back in top notch shape with help from lasers.
One iconic sight in New York City is ‘The Obelisk’, otherwise known as Cleopatra's Needle. The monument is considered to be the ‘oldest man-made object’ in Central Park.
The Central Park Conservancy recently announced that it is in dire need of a cleaning. As part of a conservation project, ‘The Obelisk’ is getting back in top notch shape with help from lasers.
The lasers are actually needed to break down the accumulated pileup of dirt on the 3,500-year-old monument. The lasers’ infrared light will reportedly vaporize the buildup.
‘The Obelisk’ is certainly a very important piece. One of two discovered in 12 BCE, it transported to Alexandria. Almost two thousand years later, the Egyptian government gave one to England and the other to the US to strengthen diplomatic relations in the 19th century.
Moving 'The Obelisk' from the Hudson River to New York City alone took 40 days and required the construction of a special railroad. ‘The Obelisk’ was finally erected in the park in 1881.
A New York Times article from 1880 noted ‘There is almost nothing tangible that is older than the obelisk. There is nothing much younger than New York. The extremes have met.’
