Name: Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II
Address: Piazza Venezia, Rome, 00186
Telephone: +39 06 678 0664
Rating: 5.0000

Rafa Pastor

Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II

Built of white marble between 1895 and 1911, this is a grand memorial to Vittorio Emmanuel II (1830-1878), the first king of unified Italy.

It's located on the Piazza Venezia at the end of the Via del Corse and close to the Roman Forum. As soon as you enter the complex, you're greeted by two huge tri-color flags. The colossal monument is about 135m. wide and 81m. tall (including the chariots that adorn the towers on both sides).

When you climb the steps, there’s a great equestrian statue of the King. To the right, there is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier of WWI with an eternal flame and two soldiers standing permanent guard It also offers exception views of Rome, a fact which makes the tiring climb worthwhile. Although the monument was very controversial in its day and has received all kinds of humorous and derogatory nicknames over the years (the Allies famously called it the "typewriter" when they entered Rome in 1944), it is still one of the most-visited monuments in the city after the Vatican and the Roman Ruins.

The base houses a museum on the Unification of Italy.

beautifully lit at night

This monument honors the memory of the King Vittorio Emanuele II di Savoia. It's located in Piazza Venezia, but the Romans don't like it much because to build it they destroyed a good part of the historic center. But it's still there and they won't destroy it now. It's also a reminder of hard time, as it was built by Mussolini, and many military parades started there, and it's where the dictator made speeches. The monument is located near the Forum of Trajan, where it's intrusive style contrasts with the finesse of Roman ruins, and it's a shame that they had to destroy it. Vittorio Emanuele reigned over Italy only 17 years.

The rebels who wanted him to come to power said Viva Verdi (Victor Emmanuel King of Italy) so that the Austrians wouldn't understand. The monument is beautiful when all lit up at night.

Some wanted it demolished

This monument was conceived in the late 19th century in honor of King Vittorio Emmanuel II who died only a few years after managing to united the disparate states of Italy under one flag. The monument has been controversial from the start since its colossal dimensions, white stone, and pompous rhetoric seem out of place among Rome’s more classical monuments. Also keep in mind the valuable buildings that were demolished to make room for the large monument.