Obelisk

The Obelisk in Hyde Park was erected by the Municipal Council in 1857 and dedicated by the Mayor George Thornton (1819-1901).  The obelisk was originally a sewer vent, allowing the escape of noxious gases from the sewer system below the street.  Its specific location was determined by the fact that this was the highest point on the city’s sewage system when the vent was built.  Completed in the Victorian Egyptian style, it was modelled on Cleopatra’s Needle on the banks of the Thames in London.  The overall structure is 22 metres high, which comprises a square sandstone base (6.5 metres high). 

Oblelisk Fun Fact – In November 2014 a giant pink condom was lowered onto the obelisk to promote the fight against HIV/AIDS.