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Origin and history

The Arles obelisk, also called the Arles needle, is a red granite anepograph monolith of Asia Minor, probably from Troade. Unlike appearances, it is not of Egyptian but Roman origin, dated the first century. Its tapered shape and the total absence of inscriptions distinguish it from other ancient obelisks. At a height of 20 meters (including the room), it was originally erected in the fourth century under Constantine in the centre of the Roman circus of Arles, before collapsing towards the sixth century.

Rediscovered in 1389, the obelisk was envisaged by Henry IV to adorn the Arenas, but it was not until 1676, under Louis XIV, that he was resettled Place Royale (present place of the Republic). His pedestal was engraved with Latin texts glorifying the king, while his point, found in Antonelle Square, was surmounted by symbolic ornaments (sun, phrygian cap, eagle, cock) changing according to the regimes. In 1866, these elements were replaced by a discrete bronze pyramidion.

Since 1840, the obelisk has been included in the UNESCO perimeter of the Roman and Roman monuments of Arles since 1981. Its base, decorated in the 19th century with bronze lions by Antoine Laurent Dantan, was renovated in 2023 (€142,833), financed by the State, the DRAC and the Bouches-du-Rhône department. This monument illustrates the symbolic reuses of ancient times throughout the centuries.

The obelisk also bears witness to the urban transformations of Arles: first a central element of the Roman circus (place of races and shows), it became a political symbol of Place Royale, facing the town hall and the churches of Saint-Trophime and Sainte-Anne. Its granite from Asia Minor and its turbulent history make it a unique vestige of Provençal heritage.

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