The obelisk of Arles stands as a pivot in the center of the Place de la République, facing the town hall. It comes from the spina (central wall around which runs the track) of the Roman circus where it was installed in the 4th century. Discovered in the 14th century, the obelisk revived its vocation as a solar symbol in the 17th century and was installed in front of the newly built town hall. In 1866-1867, it was embellished with a fountain and a basin to harmonize with the facades that line the square.