Historical notes

Rome is one of the cities with the largest number of obelisks, infact, there are currently 13. The Emperor Augustus requested that the first two obelisks be brought from Egypt. Caligola later followed in his steps and requested that an obelisk be positioned in the Vatican Circle (Circo Vaticano), whilst the second be built on the Campo Marzio. Five obelisks were found in this area. The highest and most ancient obelisk in the world stands at the Lateran, measuring 32,18 meters and dating back to the 15th century d.C.

The Tour

The Tour begins in Piazza Navona where we find a monolith of red granite carried out in the 1st century a.C. in honor of the emperor Dominican. In the centre of the square we also find the River Fountain (Fontana dei Fiumi) designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini to support the obelisk. In the year 309, it was reused by the emperor Maxentius in the circo, built along the Via Appia Antica. In 1649, it was found inside the circo, broken into five pieces.

The Pope Innocenzo Pamphili 10th repaired and positioned it, in the centre of the fountain where it still, currently stands. A bronze spike was later placed to embellish the top, depicting a dove with a twig between his beak, belonging to the Pamphili house stem.

From Piazza Navona we move towards Piazza della Rotonda, which is named after the cylinder shape of the Pantheon. In the centre of the square we find a mixtilinear shape fountain, designed by Giacomo della Porta in 1575. In 1711, Pope Clemente Albani 11th requested that an obelisk be positioned in the centre of the water basin, which currently, still stands. The monolith is made of red granite, is 6.43 meters high and comes from Egypt. It was constructed by Ramses 2nd during the 13th century b.C. Walking along the left hand side of the Pantheon, we reach Piazza della Minerva. The red granite obelisk, 5.47 meters high was built in the 6th century b.C. by the Pharaoh Apries. After being re-discovered in 1655 in the Dominican convent of Santa Maria above Minerva, it was moved to the square in front of the church by Pope Alexander 7th Chigi. The project was given to Bernini who lowered the elephantine.

From Piazza della Minerva we continue towards Piazza Montecitorio, here, directly in front of the Parliament building we find the red granite obelisk erected in the 6th century at Eliopoulos by the Pharaoh Psammetico 2nd. Augustus brought it to Rome during 10b.C. where he used it as a gnomon or rather as a pole, part of a gigantic solar clock built at Camio Marzio. The obelisk was erected in the current standing position on behalf of Pope Pio 6th in 1794 and was restored, using the granite from Antonio Pio’s column which was later destroyed.

The tours ends in Piazza del Popolo where an obelisk 23,9 meters high, dated the 14th century d.C. can be found. It was originally positioned in Circo Massimo and later moved to the place in which it currently stands, where three roads converge and form the Tridente: Via del Corso, Via di Ripetta and Via del Babuino.