The Obélisque d'Arles ("Arles Obelisk") is a 4th-century Roman

obelisk An obelisk (; from grc, ὀβελίσκος ; diminutive of ''obelos'', " spit, nail, pointed pillar") is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape or pyramidion at the top. Originally constructed by An ...

, erected in the center of the ''Place de la République'', in front of the town hall of

Arles Arles (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Arle ; Classical la, Arelate) is a coastal city and commune in the South of France, a subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the former province of ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

Description

The obelisk is made of granite from

Asia Minor Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...

. It does not feature any inscription. Its height together with its pedestal is approximately 20 m.

History

The obelisk was first erected under the Roman emperor Constantine II in the center of the ''spina'' of the

Roman circus The Roman circus (from the Latin word that means "circle") was a large open-air venue used for public events in the ancient Roman Empire. The circuses were similar to the ancient Greek hippodromes, although circuses served varying purposes and di ...

of Arles. After the circus was abandoned in the 6th century, the obelisk fell down and was broken in two parts. It was rediscovered in the 14th century and re-erected on top of a pedestal soon surmounted by a bronze globe and sun on 26 March 1676. Designed by Jacques Peytret, these ornaments changed in times of political regimes. During the

Revolution In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...

, the sun was replaced by a Phrygian cap; under the

Empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...

, the eagle replaced the cap; under

Louis-Philippe Louis Philippe (6 October 1773 – 26 August 1850) was King of the French from 1830 to 1848, and the penultimate monarch of France. As Louis Philippe, Duke of Chartres, he distinguished himself commanding troops during the Revolutionary Wa ...

, the royal sun took the place of the rooster hunting the eagle. Since 1866, the ornaments were permanently removed and replaced by a bronze capstone until a fountain and the sculptures around it were designed by Antoine Laurent Dantan in the 19th century.

Conservation

This obelisk was listed on the 1840 inventory of historic sites in France. Obélisque antique It is part of a 1981-designated

UNESCO World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

, the

Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments (French: ''Arles, monuments romains et romans'') is an area containing a collection of monuments in the city centre of Arles, France, that has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981. The offici ...

References

External links

*
Patrimony of the city of Arles: Obelisk

1909 detailed text about the Obélisque d'Arles
(.pdf document)
Photo of the Obelisk
at Flickr

Another page about the Roman circus
{{DEFAULTSORT:Obelisque D'arles Roman Arles

Monuments historiques of Bouches-du-Rhône Buildings and structures in Bouches-du-Rhône Tourist attractions in Bouches-du-Rhône 4th-century establishments in Roman Gaul Buildings and structures completed in the 4th century Sculptures of lions

Description

History

Conservation

See also

References

External links