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Where are the obelisks erected by Thutmose III located?

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Map showing the extent of the Ancient Egyptian Empire during the New Kingdom period of Thutmose III, highlighted in orange, covering Egypt, the Nile River valley, Sinai, and stretching northeast through Palestine, Phoenicia, and Syria. The map also marks the Fertile Crescent and neighboring regions such as Assyria and Babylonia in pink, with key cities and geographic features labeled.
Thutmose III

Thutmose III commissioned several obelisks during his reign, many of which were later relocated from their original sites in Egypt to various international locations:

  • Rome, Italy: The largest extant ancient obelisk, which stands in the Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano, was originally erected by Thutmose III at Karnak.1
  • New York City, USA: One of the two obelisks known as Cleopatra’s Needles, which were originally dedicated at Heliopolis, now stands in Central Park.12
  • London, UK: The second of the Cleopatra’s Needles is located on the Thames embankment.12
  • Istanbul, Turkey: Another granite obelisk erected by the king at Karnak is now located in Istanbul.2

While these monuments were originally placed at sites such as the Temple of Amon at Karnak and the temple of the sun god at Heliopolis, their current global distribution reflects their historical transport by later empires.12