"Obelisco di Dogali (Egyptian Obelisk) on the Baths of Diocletian" submitted by RomeTour Editorial Team and last updated on Wednesday 18th May 2011
This is a little Egyptian Obelisk of the epoch of the pharaoh Ramses II, discovered in 1883 at the tribune of the church of S.Maria sopra Minerva. Obelisco di Dogali is small spire, crowned by a star, is situated on the ancient site of the Terme di Diocleziano (Diocletian Bath). In 1887 it was incorporated in a monument by F.Azzurri dedicated to 548 Italian soldiers ambushed at Dogali, Eritrea. The monument was first located in front of the Stazione Termini (Railway station) and gave the name to the square: Piazza Cinquecento (Square of 500). In 1924, following a restoration of the urban square, the obelisk was moved away in the gardens at the side of the Baths of Diocletian and was moved to its present position to give way for the traffic. In 1936 it was decorated with the bronze Lion of Judah plundered from Addis Ababa (later the relic was reconstituted to Ethiopia).
Address:
Obelisco di Dogali (Egyptian Obelisk) on the Diocletian Bath
Via delle Terme di Diocleziano (Baths of Diocletian)
00185, Rome, Lazio, Italy
Zone: Rione Castro Pretorio (Porta Pia) (Roma centro)
Obelisco di Dogali (Egyptian Obelisk) on the Baths of Diocletian is Shown By "Map F Zone" As "15"