The Obelisks
Rome, more than any other city, is full of obelisks, many of Egyptian origin. These enormous monoliths, either bare or covered in hieroglyphics, form focus points at the centre of the great squares; but they are also symbols of the sun and immortality. There are thirteen obelisks in Rome. The most ancient and the highest (31 metres of red granite) is perhaps the Obelisk in Piazza S.Giovonni in Laterano that goes back to the 15th century BC. It was brought to Rome in 357 AD and erected here in 1587 by Pope Sixtus V, who had a fondness for these monuments. To him we owe the erection of the most celebrated Roman obelisk, that of St. Peter's Square, The Vatican's monolith made of red granite is 25,37 metres high and devoid of hieroglyphics. It was brought to Rome by Caligula and in 1586 Pope Sixtus V had placed it in front of the Basilica. It is said that the transporting was very difficult and required hundreds of horses and men. A year later, the same Sixlus V had another obelisk placed on the Esquiline hill, it is a bare 14,75 metres high and without hieroglyphics. The fourth Obelisk of Sixtus V is splendid and placed in the fomous Piazza del Popolo. It is almost 24 metres high and has hieroglyphics from 1300 BC, it was brought to Rome at the time of Augustus in celebration of the victory over Egypt. It was then Bernini's turn to erect another two obelisks:
the one in Piazza Navona (almost 17 metres high and rich in hieroglyphics) and that in Piazza Minerva, almost 5,47 melres high and supported by a small elephant (designed by Bernini).
In front of ihe Pantheon is other obelisk, called Macuteo, only six metres high and dating from time of Ramses II. Dating from the end of the 18th century is the Obelisk of the Quirinale (placed in 1786 it is 16.63 metres high and made of red granite) and from the same epoch the Obelisk on the the Trinita dei Monti.
Obelisks - Rome 
Rome - Obelisks of Rome - Obelisk 
