Overview:

The Lateran Obelisk is a red granite obelisk located in the Plaza of St. John's Lateran in Vatican City, Rome, Italy. It is one of the oldest obelisks in the world, and is believed to have been built around 1500 BC. The monument is an impressive example of Ancient Egyptian art, with inscriptions in both Egyptian hieroglyphs and Ancient Greek. The obelisk stands nearly 36 m (118 ft) tall, and was originally located in the Egyptian city of Heliopolis. It was moved to its current location in 1586 by Pope Sixtus V. The obelisk is decorated with reliefs and imagery, and is still a popular tourist site in Vatican City. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in Vatican-City
History:

The Lateran Obelisk in Vatican-City is the largest standing Egyptian obelisk in the world. It was originally erected at the Temple of Amun in Karnak, Egypt around 30 BC. It was then gifted to the Roman Emperor Constantine I in the 4th century. It was brought to Italy in 357 AD and originally placed in the Circus Maximus entertainment site before it was moved to the Lateran Palace. After many years of neglect Here it stood, until it was painstakingly moved to the central square in Vatican-City in 1586. The Lateran Obelisk has a unique story of displacement and resilience, as it has survived several tumultuous geopolitical events. The obelisk at the Lateran Palace was in near ruin when Pope Sixtus V called for an ambitious project to move the giant obelisk to the central square in Vatican City. On 18 April 1586, after two months of engineering work, the obelisk was raised from the ground with the help of nearly 1,000 workers and a crane arm of iron and rope. The contemporary newsweek reported that “in this divine spectacle…, delighting all mankind, the most obdurate stones yielded to the forces of the most powerful machinery.” The obelisk is made from granite, is 30.85 meters tall, and is inscribed with hieroglyphics that tell the story of Emperor Constantius II offering thanks for his victory over the Romans. It is also reported that nearby fountains of Trevi in Rome were built in 1629 to commemorate the wonderful achievement of moving the obelisk and of symbolic divine support from God to Pope Sixtus V for this feat. Today, the Lateran Obelisk stands as a witness to Vatican City’s resilience in the face of adversity and serves as a reminder of the enormous power and responsibility of the papacy. It serves as a witness to the power of divine faith and religious devotion. You must visit one of these historical places in Vatican-City on your Vatican-City tour

Interesting facts:

: 1. The Lateran Obelisk is one of the oldest-standing Egyptian obelisks in the world, originally erected around 1450-1470 BC at Heliopolis, Egypt. 2. It was moved to Rome in 357 AD by the Roman emperor Constantius II to be placed in the Circus of Maxentius, located in the area of the present-day Vatican City. 3. The obelisk stands about 71 feet (21.62 meters) high, and was once topped by a bronze cross with a figure of Christ. 4. The obelisk was restored and mounted on the pediment of the Lateran basilica in 1629 by Pope Urban VIII. 5. The square base at the bottom of the Lateran Obelisk is decorated with fish, flowers, sea monsters, and a wild boar, representing the four rivers said to flow through the Garden of Eden. 6. The obelisk is particularly beloved by the Catholic church, which sees it as symbolic of both the physical and spiritual foundations of the faith. Furthermore, Easter each year features a special procession with the Lateran Cross and Lateran Obelisk in order to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. Visit one of the famous monuments of Vatican-City with your friends and family.