Obelisk of Montecitorio

The Obelisk of Montecitorio, an imposing testimony of the ancient greatness and artistic mastery of pharaonic Egypt, proudly stands in the heart of Rome, in front of the Montecitorio Palace, seat of the Italian Chamber of Deputies. This magnificent red granite monolith, over 21 meters high and adorned with Egyptian inscriptions and symbols, enchants visitors with its millenary history and architectural grandeur. The origins of the Obelisk of Montecitorio date back to the time of Pharaoh Psammetichus II, during the 26th Egyptian dynasty around the 6th century BC. It was erected in the temple of the sun god Ra in Heliopolis, becoming an integral part of the sacred and cultural landscape of ancient Egypt. However, it was only during the Roman era that the obelisk found its way to Rome, brought by Emperor Augustus in 10 AD to adorn the Campus Martius, a strategic area of the imperial capital. During the transportation of the obelisk from Alexandria to Rome, which took place on a special ship built specifically for the occasion, it is said that the event was accompanied by prodigious phenomena and popular superstitions. It is told that during the navigation along the Nile, an oracle predicted that the obelisk would bring prosperity and good fortune to the city that would welcome it. This episode conferred a sense of sacredness and veneration to the obelisk among the Roman population. Once it arrived at its destination, the obelisk underwent numerous transformations and relocations before finding its final position in front of the Montecitorio Palace. Here, in 1789, under the pontificate of Pope Pius VI, the obelisk was erected on a base of travertine decorated with bas-reliefs and Latin inscriptions celebrating the feat and greatness of ancient Rome.