Al Matariyyah Obelisk

Overview

The Al Matariyyah Obelisk stands in a quiet enclosure in the Matariyyah district of northeastern Cairo, on the site of ancient Heliopolis, which the Egyptians called Iunu. Raised by King Senusret I of the Twelfth Dynasty roughly four thousand years ago, it is a single shaft of red granite rising about twenty metres and topped with a pyramidion. It is the only obelisk still standing in its original position at Heliopolis, and one of the oldest obelisks surviving in Egypt.

The obelisk was quarried at Aswan and brought north along the Nile to the great temple of the sun god Ra-Atum, the religious heart of Heliopolis. Each of its four faces carries a vertical column of hieroglyphs naming Senusret I and his royal titles and dedicating the monument to the god. Obelisks symbolised the petrified rays of the sun, and the monument is often associated with the king's jubilee celebrations, although the temple that once surrounded it has almost entirely vanished.

Heliopolis was one of Egypt's oldest and most influential religious centres. Over the centuries its temple stones were reused in building medieval Cairo, and other obelisks from the city were carried off to Alexandria, Rome and beyond. Today this monument is a modest but moving survivor, set among greenery and modern neighbourhoods. A visit pairs well with other sites in Matariyyah and nearby Ain Shams, including the Virgin Mary's Tree, and shows how much of ancient Heliopolis still lies beneath the modern city.

What to see

1. 01The red granite shaft, about twenty metres tall, rising from a single block
2. 02Vertical hieroglyphic inscriptions of Senusret I on all four faces
3. 03The pyramidion crowning the top, symbol of the sun's first rays
4. 04The surrounding open archaeological area, once part of the temple precinct of Ra-Atum

Visitor tips

• Confirm opening hours and ticket arrangements locally or with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities before you go, as they can change.
• Visit in the morning for softer light on the granite inscriptions and cooler, calmer conditions; Cairo traffic is lighter earlier in the day.
• Combine the visit with the nearby Virgin Mary's Tree and other Matariyyah sites, and use a taxi or ride-hailing app to reach the area easily.

Frequently asked questions