Lateran Obelisk. The Lateran Obelisk is the largest standing ancient Egyptian obelisk in the world, and it is also the tallest obelisk in Italy.
It originally weighed 413 tonnes, but after collapsing and being re-erected 4 metres shorter, now weighs around 300 tonnes. It is located in Rome, in the square across from the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran and the San Giovanni Addolorata Hospital.
Originally, the obelisk was created by Pharaoh Thutmose III for himself and another for his father, but neither were completed before his death. Thutmose III's grandson, Thutmose IV finished the obelisks and had them erected to the east of the great temple of Amun in Karnak.
When it was completed, the obelisk now known as the Lateran Obelisk stood at 32m which was the tallest one in Egypt. Both it and the other obelisk, known as the Obelisk of Theodosius, were brought to Alexandria over the Nile by an obelisk ship in the early 4th century by Constantius II. He intended to bring both obelisks to Constantinople, the new capital for the Roman Empire.
The Lateran Obelisk never made it. After the obelisk remained in Alexandria for a few decades, Constantius II had the Lateran obelisk shipped to Rome when he made his only visit there in 357. It was erected near the Egyptian obelisk called the Flaminio, which had stood since 10 BC where it was installed by Augustus to decorate the spina of the Circus Maximus. Th
It originally weighed 413 tonnes, but after collapsing and being re-erected 4 metres shorter, now weighs around 300 tonnes. It is located in Rome, in the square across from the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran and the San Giovanni Addolorata Hospital.
Originally, the obelisk was created by Pharaoh Thutmose III for himself and another for his father, but neither were completed before his death. Thutmose III's grandson, Thutmose IV finished the obelisks and had them erected to the east of the great temple of Amun in Karnak.
When it was completed, the obelisk now known as the Lateran Obelisk stood at 32m which was the tallest one in Egypt. Both it and the other obelisk, known as the Obelisk of Theodosius, were brought to Alexandria over the Nile by an obelisk ship in the early 4th century by Constantius II. He intended to bring both obelisks to Constantinople, the new capital for the Roman Empire.
The Lateran Obelisk never made it. After the obelisk remained in Alexandria for a few decades, Constantius II had the Lateran obelisk shipped to Rome when he made his only visit there in 357. It was erected near the Egyptian obelisk called the Flaminio, which had stood since 10 BC where it was installed by Augustus to decorate the spina of the Circus Maximus. Th
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