description Agonalis Obelisk Overview
The Agonalis Obelisk is an ancient-style granite obelisk standing at the center of Piazza Navona in Rome. It bears Egyptian hieroglyphs commissioned during the Roman imperial period rather than being a pharaonic monument transported intact from Egypt. Pope Innocent X had it erected in 1651 above Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers, where its vertical form crowns a composition representing the Danube, Ganges, Nile, and Río de la Plata.
insights Ranking position
Agonalis Obelisk ranks #19 of 255 in the Monolith ranking, behind Meteora Rocks, ahead of Devil's Marbles (Karlu Karlu).
help Agonalis Obelisk FAQ
Is the Agonalis Obelisk an original pharaonic monument from Egypt?
No, its granite came from Egypt, but the monument and its hieroglyphic inscriptions were commissioned in Rome under Emperor Domitian. The hieroglyphs are Roman-period compositions rather than text carved for an ancient Egyptian pharaoh.
Why is the Agonalis Obelisk standing in Piazza Navona?
Pope Innocent X ordered the broken monument moved to Piazza Navona as part of his family's transformation of the square. It was erected in 1651 above Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers.
Where was the Agonalis Obelisk before it reached Piazza Navona?
In antiquity it stood in Rome and was later installed at the Circus of Maxentius on the Appian Way. Its pieces were recovered there before Innocent X had them transported and reassembled in Piazza Navona.
What do the four figures beneath the Agonalis Obelisk represent?
Bernini's fountain personifies four major rivers associated with four continents then recognized by Europeans: the Nile, Danube, Ganges, and Río de la Plata. The obelisk rises above their rocky setting, topped by the Pamphili dove linked to Pope Innocent X.
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