Flaminio Obelisk

The Flaminio Obelisk is one of the thirteen ancient obelisks of Rome, located in the center of Piazza del Popolo.

SHORT HISTORY

The obelisk was partially built in 1300 BC, at the time of Pharaoh Seti I, and completed by his son, Ramses II, in the 13th century BC. Then, the obelisk was placed in the Temple of the Sun from Heliopolis, in Egypt.

In the year 10 BC, the obelisk was brought by ship to Rome, at the behest of Octavian Augustus, together with the Montecitorio Obelisk, and placed in the Circus Maximus.

Augustus decided to keep the original dedication of the monument to the Sun, which for the Romans corresponded to Apollo, the tutelary deity of the emperor. He also added two identical dedications on the north and south sides of the base.

Probably demolished during the barbarian invasions, it was found in 1587 together with the Lateran Obelisk, and erected again in 1589, by the will of Pope Sixtus V, in Piazza del Popolo. The works were supervised by Domenico Fontana.

In 1823, at the behest of Pope Leo XII, the architect Giuseppe Valadier decorated it with a base with four circular basins and as many stone lions.

ARCHITECTURE

The obelisk has a height of 25.90 meters. With the base and the cross on top, it reaches 36.50 meters.

HOW TO GET THERE

The closest Metro station is Flaminio, located about 200 meters away. The closest bus stop is in Piazzale Flaminio, about 80 meters away, on the bus Lines 61, 89, 120F, 150F, 160, 490, 495 and 591.