The 'Mussolini' Obelisk

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The 'Mussolini' Obelisk

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The Obelisco di Mussolini, also known as Il Monolito (The Monolith), was inaugurated on November 4th, 1932 to mark the 10th anniversary of the Fascist regime. 

Designed by the architect Constantino Constantini (1904-1982), the obelisk stands outside the entrance to the Foro Italico, a sports complex built between 1928 and 1938, which was originally called the Foro Mussolini. 

The upper part of the obelisk is made out of a single piece of Carrara marble, while the lower part is made up of blocks of the same marble. It bears two inscriptions: MUSSOLINI DVX and OPERA BALILLA ANNO X. Dux is Latin for Duce (leader), the title that Mussolini adopted, while the second inscription refers to the Opera Nazionale Balilla (ONB), the Fascist youth organisation, and the tenth year of the Fascist era. 

The 'Mussolini' Obelisk Stands Outside the Foro Italico

Mussolini’s obelisk is now officially known as the Obelisco del Foro Italico. ​

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