Obelisk of Arles

The Needle of Arles or Obélisque of Arles is a Obélisque Monolithe anépigraphe, of Roman origin, set up in the center of the place of the Republic, in front of the town hall, with Arles.

The obelisk of Arles belongs to the Roman monumental unit and novel of the town of Arles, classified in 1840 and registered since 1981 on the Liste of the world heritage of UNESCO.

Description

This obelisk, of form very frayed compared to other obelisks of Roman epoch or former, is of nothing Egyptian. The red Granite of which it is made up lets suppose an origin of minor Asia, probably of Troade (area of Troy). It is entirely deprived of inscriptions, even Roman. Its height, base included/understood, are of approximately 20 meters.

Chronology

The obelisk is set up under the emperor Constantin, at the 4th century, the center of the spina of the Roman circus of Arles, during alterations. Then as from the 6th century, the circus is abandoned: the obelisk crumbles or is reversed. It breaks in two parts.

The obelisk is redécouvert in 1389: one shows it to the hosts of mark. Henri {{IV}} dream to place it in the center of the Amphitheater (Arenas of Arles).

It is under Louis {{XIV}} that one decides finally sound leaves: the consuls decide to set it up on the place Royale (today place of the Republic), in front of the new town hall, “for the greatest glory of king Louis”. The barrel is then transported since the place of origin, as well as the point (approximately 4 m) since the Antonelle place, where it was used as bench.

The obelisk is réérigé on a stone base; March 26th, 1676, the point is installation, soon surmounted by a bronze sphere and a sun. These summit ornaments change with the liking of the times and the political regimes: with the Revolution, the sun is replaced by a Phrygian cap; under the Empire, the eagle replaces the bonnet; under Louis-Philippe, the Coq drives out the eagle, then the royal sun takes again its place. In 1866, the ornaments of the point are definitively withdrawn, and replaced by a Pyramidion of bronze, very discrete.

The base was decorated at the 19th century with a basin and Lion S of bronze, modelled by Antoine Laurent Dantan.

Sources, bibliography

Arles antique of Marc Heijmans, Jean-Maurice Rouquette and of Claude Sintes - Paris, Editions of the Inheritance, 2006, pp. 92-95 .

External bonds

Obelisk of Arles: description and historical
On the site of the inheritance of the town of Arles Photo
of the obelisk Photo
of the base
Representation of the circus of Arles

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