Cleopatra’s Needle, a towering obelisk situated in London, Paris, and New York City, is a monument shrouded in darkness. Its history is rife with tales of tragedy and disaster, from the dangerous transportation of the London obelisk to the loss of six lives during its installation.
But it is the ghost stories that surround Cleopatra’s Needle that truly send shivers down the spine. Reports of suicide phantoms haunting the area have been circulating for years, leaving visitors and locals alike feeling uneasy.
Ghost Stories
Visitors to the Victoria Embankment in Westminster have reported sightings of mysterious figures leaping from the parapet near the obelisk without making a sound.
Witnesses claim to have seen a tall, naked figure leaping from the parapet by the obelisk, only to disappear without making a sound. Others tell of a woman in identical dress approaching police officers and urging them to come to the banks of the River Thames, only to see her throw herself into the water moments later.
These apparitions, known as the suicide phantoms, have been haunting Cleopatra’s Needle for decades, leaving many spooked and unsettled.
Legend has it that the phantoms are the spirits of those who have taken their own lives by jumping into the River Thames.
Some say they are tormented souls who cannot rest in peace, while others believe they are simply lost and seeking a way out.
Whatever the truth may be, the suicide phantoms continue to haunt Cleopatra’s Needle, reminding us of the dark history that surrounds this ancient monument.
The stories of suicide phantoms are enough to make anyone feel like they are being watched, even in broad daylight.
The Obelisk’s History
The history of Cleopatra’s Needle, a trio of obelisks located in London, Paris, and New York City, reveals that the London obelisk was transported to its current location on Victoria Embankment in 1878 at a cost of £10,000. Despite its lack of connection to Cleopatra, the obelisk has become a symbol of the queen’s legacy and a popular tourist attraction. It is flanked by two fake bronze sphinxes that still bear the scars of a German air raid during WW1, adding to the eerie atmosphere that surrounds the obelisk.
However, the obelisk’s most famous legends involve suicide phantoms who haunt the area. The phantoms are said to be the spirits of those who have taken their own lives by jumping from the parapet near the obelisk and into the River Thames below.
Witnesses report seeing a tall, naked figure leap from the bridge without making a splash, while others claim to have been stopped by a woman who urges them to come to the banks of the river, only to see her jump in the water wearing the same dress as the one she was wearing when she approached them.
The stories continue to circulate, adding to the dark and chilling aura that surrounds Cleopatra’s Needle.
Transportation and Installation
Transporting and erecting the London obelisk was a costly and dangerous feat that resulted in six lives lost during the process. The obelisk had been buried in sand for almost 2000 years and had to be extracted from its resting place and transported to London. The transportation process was not easy, as the obelisk weighed about 180 tons and stood at a height of 68 feet.
To transport the obelisk, it was encased in a large iron cylinder and placed on a floating pontoon named The Cleopatra. The pontoon was then towed to London by the ship Olga. However, disaster nearly struck during the transportation process, as a storm caused the pontoon to capsize. Six men lost their lives in the accident.
Despite the tragedy, the obelisk was eventually erected on Victoria Embankment in August 1878, flanked by two fake bronze sphinxes. The transportation of the obelisk cost £10,000, a hefty price for such a dangerous feat.