Lateran Obelisk

The history of the Lateran Obelisk begins in the ancient temple of Karnak, dedicated to the god Amun-Ra, in the distant 14th century BC. Here, under the reign of Thutmose III, this magnificent red granite monolith was erected as part of a pair of twin obelisks, silent witnesses to the power and greatness of the ancient Egyptian kingdom. Transported to Thebes, the two obelisks stood for centuries, until Emperor Constantine I, in the 4th century AD, ordered their transport to Rome to adorn the Circus Maximus, the prestigious entertainment and competition venue of the imperial capital. However, the fate of the two obelisks would be different: while one remained in its original location, the other was transported to the heart of Rome to adorn the esplanade in front of the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the oldest and most important Christian basilica in the world. Here, in 1588, under the pontificate of Sixtus V, the obelisk was erected on a travertine base and adorned with Latin inscriptions commemorating the feat and celebrating the Christian faith.The obelisk, with its height of over 32 meters and its weight of about 455 tons, is one of the tallest and most imposing in Rome, a tangible testimony to the greatness and power of ancient Rome and its connection to the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean. Its slender shape and harmonious proportions capture the gaze and imagination of visitors, offering them a journey through time through the centuries of history hidden behind its ancient stones.