Obelisks

It is not a secret that there are many churches in Rome, but it may come as a surprise that it is also the city with the greatest number of obelisks in the world.

There are 18 obelisks in Rome, located in various squares of the city. Exactly half of these was brought to Rome from ancient Egypt in the heyday of the Roman Empire.

The obelisks are made from a monolithic block of basalt. In Egypt they were seen as symbols of the sun and place in pairs at the entrances of temples. The sides were adorned with memorial inscriptions.

Later, imitations were made of the Egyptian obelisks and some of Rome’s more recent ones, like the Stele di Marconi, can as well be seen as independent works of art based on the original versions.

Several of Rome’s obelisks have known different locations in the Eternal City and some even spent centuries underneath the ground. After having been excavated these were placed in various strategic spots all over town, often on top of especially created monuments. Bernini’s central fountain in the Piazza Navona is an example.

Trinità dei Monti Obelisk

Trinità dei Monti obelisk

The obelisk located in front of the Trinità dei Monti church at the top of the Spanish Steps was originally placed in the Orti Sallustiani (Gardens of Sallust). Unlike many obelisks in Rome it is not an original Egyptian one, … Continue reading →

Obelisco Mussolini

The Mussolini Obelisk (Obelisco Mussolini) is located on the Foro Italico, just south of Rome’s Olympic Stadium. It is right in the middle of the Piazza Lauro de Bosis, a square not unexpectedly characterized by mosaics exalting fascism and youth. … Continue reading →

Esquilino Obelisk

In 1587 the Obelisco Esquilino was placed on the Piazza dell’Esquilino, on the Via Cavour side of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major. It is almost 15 meters tall and is a Roman imitation of an Egyptian original. The obelisk … Continue reading →

Mattei Obelisk

The so-called Mattei obelisk (Obelisco Mattei) can be found on the Via della Navicella in the Villa Celimontana park in Rome. The Villa Celimontana used to be the residence of the Mattei family, but has been a public park since … Continue reading →

Obelisco Agonale (Piazza Navona)

The Obelisco Agonale can be found right in the middle of the Piazza Navona in Rome. It is located on top of the Fountain of the Four Rivers (Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi), which was constructed by Bernini in 1651. The … Continue reading →

Obelisco Aureliano

The Aurelian Obelisk (Obelisco Aureliano) is located on the Piazza Bulgaria in the Parco del Pincio in Rome. With its 9m (but 17 if you add the basis and the star crowning it) it is one of Rome’s smallest obelisks. … Continue reading →

Saint Peter’s Square – Obelisk

The obelisk in the center of Saint Peter’s Square is more than 25m tall, but when adding the base and the cross its height reaches slightly more than 40m. The obelisk, which is made of red granite, started its existence … Continue reading →

Quirinale Obelisk

The obelisk presently located on the Quirinal Hill used to embellish the Mausoleum of Augustus, together with what is now known as the Obelisco Esquilino. It embellishes the Fontana de Monte Cavallo, between the statues of the Dioscuri Castor and … Continue reading →

Lateran Obelisk

The Lateranense Obelisk (Obelisco Lateranense) is located on the Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano and is the oldest existing Egyptian obelisk in Rome. The obelisk itself is more than 32m tall, but when counting its base, its total height reaches … Continue reading →

Stele di Marconi – Modern Obelisk in the EUR Quarter of Rome

The Stele di Marconi is a 45m obelisk in the EUR quarter of Rome. It is completely made of concrete and covered with 92 marble panels depicting events from the life of the Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi. The marble panels … Continue reading →

The Obelisks in Villa Torlonia

In the Villa Torlonia, a small museum park along the Via Nomentana in Rome, two obelisks can be admired. The Villa Torlonia became a public park in 1977. Until then it was the property of the Torlonia‘s, a family of … Continue reading →

Montecitorio Obelisk

The obelisk in the Piazza di Montecitorio in Rome is of Egyptian origin and was made by Pharaoh Psammetico II. Its original location was in Heliopolis, but it was transported to Rome by the Emperor Augustus in the year 10 … Continue reading →