The periods of rise and decline of Ancient Egypt replaced each other, leaving behind pyramids, temples, tombs and obelisks — stone topped columns with. One of the highest obelisks, the well-known monument to Pharaoh Ramses II, is erected in Paris at the Place de la Concorde.
The present suburb of the Egyptian Cairo, the city of Heliopolis five thousand years ago was the spiritual centre of the country. Egyptians named it Anu, Greeks have named it Heliopolis — city of the sun. It was erected in honour of the father of gods Atum on the top of a hill above the Nile. On the hill there used to be numerous temples, up to us send in addition only ruins of the most important of them — temple of Atum. The stone column, devoted to the father of gods was inside stored. In essence it was protoobelisk which supported stone Benben covered with gold. During an epoch of pyramids (nearby 1700–2180 B.C.) Benben was gone. The periods of rise and decline of the country Kem began to replace each other, leaving pyramids, temples, tombs and obelisks — stone topped columns. During the days of the New Empire under the powerful governor Tutmos III Egypt became the greatest world power. In commemoration of victories the Pharaoh decorated a temple of sun Atum-Ra with four obelisks. The height of the biggest made 32 meters. However, even that stone giant was spared with time and interstine wars.
The graceful constructions — stone needles, ancient skyscrapers today are known far outside Egypt: so it is a lot of them in the different countries. A star of the Egyptian archaeology Labib Khabashi participated in opening of Tutanhamon’s tomb with indignation has described abduction of granite obelisks. Them took out obviously and secretly, from the sanction of time governors and without any sanction. There has come time when in the ancient country Kem remains only four stone needles of Pharaohs. In Rome, where thousand the fountains marked each new water-waters murmur, delivered pure water from apart, now it is possible to see at once thirteen obelisks. All of them have been transported there under the order of emperors, and placed on the areas and squares, in the centre of some fountains, in an environment of sculptures. Under the order of the Roman emperor Konstantin the Great huge obelisk of Ramses has been taken out from the Upper Egypt across the Nile to Alexandria. After death of emperor his son Konstantsy ordered to transport a stone monument by sea up to a mouth of Tiber, and there from to Rome. Established near to circus of emperor of August the obelisk has been tumbled down at intrusion into Rome barbarians, but then restored and now decorates Sacred John Lateransky Square.
The most surprising, that has occurred to ancient monuments of Pharaohs, — that at will of daddies have topped them a symbol of Christianity that, certainly, was not provided at all by ancient builders, and emperors too. Second obelisk to Tutmos III has been taken out to Constantinople in 390 year by the Byzantine emperor Feodosy and put on the marble base on the Hippodrome. Two obelisks have transported to Rome on an order of August and have established — one in the Big Circus, another on the Field of Mars.
One more Pope, the head of the Christian world, has taken care of transferring the pagan monument which has been taken out in due time for emperor Neron, on a place, suitable to Christian ceremonies. The history with this obelisk is especially interesting, because procedure of carry in 1586 has been reflected in many certificates and historical notes. Roman architect Domenik Fontana to whom the papal secretary has charged moving, long and scrupulously prepared for carry of a granite vast object to 40 thousand pounds. In city there was a terrible heat, and the works begun in April have suspended till September. For transportation of a stone used one and a half thousand horses and nine hundred workers. Under the decree of the daddy, for prevention of accident under fear of a death penalty it was forbidden to be near to made works. Also it was not authorized to shout, call, knock, make any noise. Before St. Peter Cathedral have established the gallows on which in case of failure it was supposed to execute both breaking the papal decree, and the architect. Fontana, known hardness of word Sikst V, has just in case prepared all for flight from Eternal city. However, the obelisk managed to be forwarded safely to the area before a cathedral and even to establish on the base within day! The volley from a fortress of the Sacred Angel has informed Romans on the termination of works. The daddy was so happy with moving of the Egyptian obelisk that ordered to cut out an inscription on a pedestal: Domenik Fontana, from the village which are being near Kolie brought the monument and put it on the pedestal.
The founder of egyptology Champolion has received the order from king — to deliver from Egypt one of two obelisks of Alexandria erected about 3500 years ago. It has been decided to establish it on the area of the Consent where originally there was an equestrian statue of the Louis XV, and within revolution — the guillotine which has torn off a life of the Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Details of a choice of a place for the stone needle specifying in the star sky, unfortunately were not kept. Delivery of a stone in weight about 230 tons and height 23 meters was business hard, and assistants advised Champolion an obelisk on a part. To realise conceived Lawn Apollinaire Lebas on vessel Luxor specially constructed for this purpose could only. It has delivered a monument from the Upper Egypt to Toulon, then on the river to Paris. October, fifth, 1836, at presence almost 200 thousand townspeople the obelisk has been established on the area between the Louvre and the Triumphal arch. It became a symbol of returning of royal authority to France. In Egypt obelisks were considered as mystical symbols of divine authority of Pharaohs. Stone needles in the European cities can be treated in this connection as a reminder on force of ancient knowledge.
Two obelisks of Tutmos III wrongly named “Needles of Cleopatra” have been taken by the Roman emperor August for an ornament of the Temple of Caesars in Alexandria. In the end of the 1870s in England and then and the USA began to apply for them. On quay of Thames in London the stone needle has appeared in XIX century. Delivery of a monument by the sea at that time was considered as top of seaworthy and engineering art. America also has wanted to have an original Egyptian obelisk and has established it in the central park of New York. The first American who has got diplomatic negotiations with the Turkish sultan about purchase of a unusual souvenir, was William Henry Gerlbert — the publisher the New York Worland. Transfer of an obelisk, in opinion of the newsdealer, promoted preservation of friendship between the countries. Pasha has agreed, having taken an interest for what of the remained obelisks America applies. Helbert has answered: “Your Highnes, will descend any if only was old”.
In Egypt on the place there was only obelisk Sensusert I, the governor of the Middle Empire, put about 1940 up to A.D. To steal a stone monument so to anybody and it was not possible, though needles stood by a number have disappeared. Near to ancient monuments fountains murmur, cars are carried by, pedestrians walk. And the magic of mysterious obelisks continues both to excite, and to involve, and to remind of a riddle of stone giants, whose form has been invented more three millennia ago, but till now and not solved. In texts of pyramids sacred Ben-Ben in whom gods Ra, Set, Osiris, Mountains rose on the sky is described. God Ptah in the city of Anu (Heliopolis) has constructed the temple which has received in chronicles the name Ben-Ben where the heavenly room gods settled down. Translated from the Coptic the word Ben is translated as shine, to fly up in the sky. In spite of the fact that the temple Ben-Ben has been destroyed, a sanctuary in Heliopolis revived again and again. There were kept painted images Ben-Ben reminding a conic tetrahedral cabin, with a figure on one plane. Pharaohs approved: entering into a heavenly room of gods, governors receive gift of an eternal life “in sacred mountain”.
Obelisk of Cleopatra. Egypt. Engraving. XIX [zoom (34k)]
It is necessary to note, as all history of the country Kem, its knowledge and myths of a divine pantheon continued to influence centuries minds, to generate own rituals and imitations.
Destiny of the city has been connected with mysticism of Egypt. In the arms of the French capital is ancient boat with a female figure. The symbol concerns to years of aggressive campaigns of the Roman legions which have attached the Gallic grounds to own empire. Then there was a legend about the patroness of the Gauls, the Egyptian goddess Isis floated on own vessel on the overseas grounds, distributing knowledge, laws and the rights. With cult of Isis the manuscript of 1402 from the National library where on a miniature it is represented Isis in a suit of the woman of quality, arriving in Paris can be considered as the proof of communication of Gauls and inhabitants of Paris. This boat of ancient Isis, goddesses and tsarina of Egyptians, is similar on a tracing to a ship placed in the arms of city of Paris. Historian Lemer Belgian per 1512 wrote, that on a place of abbey Saint Germain de Pret the pagan temple in which people worshipped to an idol of goddess Isis settled down. Publicists of XVII century Pierre Bonfon and Jacque Dubreil do a following conclusion of this certificate and documents of abbey: “In that place, where king Hildeberg has constructed church St. Vincenth where nowadays there is abbey Saint Germain, there is no time there was temple of Isis, wife of Osiris, the Floodlight known also under a name Fair”.
And if to consider, that since times of Roman empire cult of Isis has extended on all incorporated grounds ceremony in essence came back to pagan reverence of the nature, the natural forces granted long before regulated dogmas of a cult of an official deity. Napoleon has gone to the well-known Egyptian campaign from which has brought enormous quantity of values of the ancient state Kem. It not only has forced scientists to come back to studying cult of Isis, but also has approved in 1811 a figure of the goddess with its star in the updated arms of Paris. It has appeared, that the architectural axis of the Egyptian temple in Luxor is focused on rising of Sirius. This star was considered as the bulletin of a birth of Pharaohs. Napoleon has made a decision to note the main axis of Paris the area of the Star, having established on it in honour of the victories a triumphal arch. In 1831 when construction of a monument has been completed, to Paris from coast of the Nile have delivered the well-known Egyptian obelisk. So historical events find parallels in the different countries, after a symbol of mystical force and authority.
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