vaticano egyptian obelisk

这是圣彼得广场中心的尖塔，高达25.5米，是在公元40年从埃及那儿运过来的。觉得相当高大，表面没有刻字，最上面加一个十字架。在罗马看过不少这种尖塔，这应该我看过的最高大的一个。不过，我们去的时候，不巧，旁边的应该是圣诞树吧，工人们正在用吊车把它撤走，因为是施工中，不能靠近看，这有点扫兴。

The obelisk is probably the one thing the infamous emperor Caligula is least remembered for but I'm glad he trucked this gargantuan slab (300 plus tons) all the way from Egypt. Legend has it that the original globe at the top of the obelisk held the ashes of another famous Roman citizen, Julius Caesar. The cross that currently crowns the obelisk is thought to have relics associated with Christ himself!

The Egyptian Obelisk in the center of St. Peter's Square is absolutely fascinating. For those who say it is 'just a monument,' think again. The history surrounding this thing is amazing. First, it's over 4,000 years old. Second, it's been moved without incident three times by Augustus, Caligula, and Pope Sixtus V. Third, it's the only obelisk in Rome to have never fallen since Ancient Roman times. Fourth, Bernini thought enough of the obelisk to make it the centerpiece of St. Peter's Square (though he himself had no influence on where the obelisk was placed). It's impressive, large, and has seen more history than almost anything still standing in Rome.

A central feature of St. Peter's Square, this red granite obelisk was erected in Egypt and eventually moved to Rome. There are so many monuments, sculptures, buildings with beautiful architecture and so on in Rome that it's easy to consider this obelisk as just another monument. It's the story, however, behind the monument (where it came from, why it was moved, etc.) that makes it interesting.

there is an obelisk located in the st peters square across the basilica.its believed to be egyptian in origin n was then brought here.but it does stand out tall in this crowded square n i believe is used a s a sundial.theres nothing very wow abt it except that it stands out tall amidst the vast square.

This is how in good old days big things are transported to show power.This is quite impressive and pretty and big.This shows the old mixed history.

This obelisk is now the focal point of St. Peter's Square (and serves as a sundial) but it was originally erected in Egypt and brought by to Rome by Caligula, where it stood by the circuses (where St. Peter was executed), and was eventually moved here. Interesting to think how much this obelisk has 'seen'!

Now this was different. A beautiful, huge obelisk in the middle of the grounds in the Vatican. Such beauty.

It is not as a phallic symbol but as a ray of the sun and as a help to calculate time (as a sundial) and to calculate the Easter Equinox that the obelisks must have found favour with the popes. The markings on the floor of the St. Peter's Square help the tourist to understand these matters. In Egypt the mother of all true obelisks (although there are only half a dozen obelisks left there - and there are double that number in Rome today) there the obelisk is a ray of the sun. The Horus concept of Jesus is reflected in the sun and moon movements and the date of birth of Jesus25th December coincides with that of Horus. The obelisk shape and concept is reflected in the Rock Crosses of Kerala, India, with this difference that Kerala obelisks are born christian but the vatican obelisk was baptised when it was already a few thousand years old - by replacing the sun globe at the top with a cross. An understanding of the Egyptian symbolism of the obelisk and its christian adaptation and use would greatly enhance one's enjoyment of this unique attraction. May be your guide might tell you some of it.

Our guide told us some of the Obelisks in Rome are not Egyptian. But the red granite Obelisk in St Peter's Square was from Egypt. The basilica and everything surrounding St Peter's square are mostly made of white marble. The red granite stands out.

Crowds, crowds. Just another obelisk. This was not even Egyptian in origin. Nicer ones everywhere. Look around. Egyptian obelisks are all over the place.

Almost everybody has seen the famous Egyptian obelisk at the center of the St. Peter's Square in Vatican City. Either you visited Rome, or you watched it on television when a new pope is elected or for example during Easter. But what is the story? Why has this particular obelisk been erected here and what is the connection with the Vatican?First I want to point out that there are many kinds of obelisks. Some have been quarried in Egypt, but many have been self made. Currently there are only 28 Egyptian obelisks standing in the world. Only 6 are standing in Egypt, 13 in Rome and the rest is located around the world in cities like New York, London, Paris and Istanbul. The Egyptian obelisk which is now located at St. Peter's Square is often called Vatican Obelisk. It is not known which Pharaoh has constructed it, but it is assumed that it was erected at Heliopolis around 2500 BC. Around 30 BC the obelisk was moved to Alexandria by Emperor Augustus and erected at the Julian Forum. In 37 AD Emperor Caligula ordered the destruction of the Forum and the obelisk was shipped to Rome. It was placed on the central Spina of Caligula’s circus, later called the Circus of Nero. Much of the circus is under the basilica and square, the original spot for the obelisk is near the present-day sacristy, south of the basilica. The Circus of Nero was not only used for chariot racing, but also for countless brutal public executions of Christians, who were blamed for the big fires in Rome in 64 AD. It is believed that the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul were crucified in the Circus. The obelisk remained there for 1.500 years. Then in 1586 Pope Sixtus V decided to have the obelisk moved a few hundred meters to its present location, in front of the construction site of the (new) St. Peter Basilica. The question is what motivated Pope Sixtus V to erect the 25 meters (82 ft) high phallic pillar on the center of St. Peter's Square? Actually the idea of moving the obelisk came from Pope Nicholas V, but was never succeeded. Sixtus V, who desired to recover and restore statues and obelisks in the neglected city of Rome, was challenged by the idea of Nicholas V. At that time many believed that those who would adore and pray to an image were likely to believe the god represented by it was alive in the stone and watching their behavior. Probably Pope Sixtus V also believed this and that is why, after the obelisk was moved and before the cross was placed on top, he conducted the ancient rite of exorcism against the obelisk. After that he casted sanctified water upon the pillar in the form of a cross and spoke, “In nomine Patris, et Filij, et Spiritus sancti. Amen” (“In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen”). The text of the exorcism is carved in Latin into the western and eastern sides of the base of the obelisk. The obelisk was moved by engineer and architect Domenico Fontana. It took over 900 men and 140 horses more than 5 months to move the obelisk and pull it upright. Fontana did a good job and the obelisk still stands, in fact it is the only ancient Egyptian obelisk in Rome which remained standing since Roman times. It remains a mystery why the obelisk has no hieroglyphic inscriptions.Nowadays three different coats-of-arms can be found on the obelisk. Its base is adorned with four lions and some bronze eagles while at the top hills and stars can be seen. The lions refer to Sixtus V, the eagles (only added in 1713) to the Conti family of Pope Innocence XIII and the hills and stars belong to Pope Alexander VII‘s Chigi family. Recently Pope Benedict XVI revealed that the obelisk is in fact al huge sundial and that can accurately indicate midday thanks to a granite meridian and marble markers embedded in the square.Not everybody likes the obelisk, but we all agree that it has great history.

we saw alot of obelisks in our visit of rome and this is just one like others.that's right that this one has been located in vatican country/city,and perhaps the only one in this little country(dont know exactly),but because all the travellers who come to vatican,have visited rome and it's obelisks before,so it may seem similar.the oldness and good preservation can be appreciated,but for me, i liked some other obelisks in rome like the one in piazza Navona, with great Hiroglif alphabets on it , more.

At the center of St. Peter's Square stands this 1C BC obelisk from Heliopolis in Egypt said to have been brought to Rome on the order of Caligula. Moved to the Piazza in 1585 at the urging of PopeSixtus V, it is topped by a cross. Compared to obelisks we have seen on Egypt, This one is of moderate interest. But the juxtaposition of this ancient artifact in the renaissance/ baroque setting of the Vatican is quite startling and easily overshadowed by Bernini's colonnade and Michelangelo 's dome.

Rome is full of two things: churches and obelisks. Some say that Rome has got more obelisks than egypt. This an Egyptian Obelisk from Heliopolis but has NO hieroglyphs. In 37 AD, Emperor Caligula transported it to Rome, and erected it in the Caligula Circus . It´s the only obelisk in Rome that has not toppled since Roman times.