The 'Dogali' Obelisk

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Map

The 'Dogali' Obelisk

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The 'Dogali' Obelisk (5.4 m), which stands in the Giardini Einaudi, near the main railway station, dates back to the reign of Ramesses II (r. 1279-1213 BCE). It was originally one of a pair from Heliopolis; its twin now stands in the Boboli Gardens in Florence. The 'Dogali' obelisk was moved from Heliopolis to Rome, where it stood outside the Temple of Isis.

The pyramidion sports a winged scarab with a sun disk and the two cartouches of Ramesses II. On each side of the shaft is a list of the names of the pharaoh and epithets declaring him beloved of one or other of the solar deities.

On June 20th 1883 the obelisk was unearthed near the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva  by the Roman archaeologist Rodolfo Lanciani (1845-1929). On June 5th 1887, it was erected in front of Stazione Termini to commemorate the Battle of Dogali (January 26th, 1887), in which 548 Italian soldiers were killed by Ethiopian troops. The base sports four bronze plaques, which are engraved with the names of the fallen soldiers.   

​The 'Dogali' obelisk was moved to its present position in 1924. 

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Old photograph of the 'Dogali' obelisk in front of Stazione Termini