Wellington Monument

The Wellington Monument is located in Phoenix Park, Dublin. It is the largest obelisk in Europe and the second largest in the world after the Washington Monument. The massive granite structure is a tribute to Arthur Wellesley, 1^st Duke of Wellington. The ‘Iron Duke’ was born in Dublin and traveled the world as a British Officer fighting for the Crown. After Napoleon escaped his exile from Elba he quickly regained control of France. It was Arthur Wellesley who was in command of an Anglo-Germanic Army who stopped Napoleon cold at Waterloo. The battle of Waterloo marked the last battle of the Napoleonic Wars. Afterwards Napoleon was again exiled to spend the rest of his days in Saint Helena.

A Dublin legend suggests that in 1820 there was a fund raiser in the vault under the pillar of the monument which was sealed up leaving the dinning ware, tables and chairs behind. A few weeks later it was noticed that a butler who was working the fund raiser at the monument was reported missing. He was last seen highly intoxicated in the vault of the monument. It was assumed that he had drunk too much and remained unconscious and unnoticed behind a screen while the room was being sealed.