The city of Rome has thirteen obelisksthe most in any cityout of which eight belonged to ancient Egyptian dynasties.
Erecting an obelisk on Peter’s Square in Rome.
It eventually broke or were taken down.
Due to missing pieces, the new obelisk was 4 meters shorter than the original.
It was brought to Rome by Caligula in the year 40 for the spina of the Vatican Circus.
The obelisk was discovered in 1587, broken into three pieces, together with the Lateran Obelisk.
It was excavated and restored by Pope Pius VI between 1789 and 1792.
It now stands adjacent to the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva.
The ornamental elephant base was designed by the Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
It was moved to the Temple of Isis in Rome, probably in the 1st century.
It was re-erected in 1883 to commemorate the Battle of Dogali.
It was moved to Villa Celimontana after Michelangelo redesigned the square in the late 16th century.
At 2.6 meters, it is the smallest obelisk in Rome.
