JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF ROME

VICTOR EMMANUEL MONUMENT

Officially known as the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II, the enormous white marble monument that dominates Piazza Venezia was built as a tribute to the first king of a united Italy, Victor Emmanuel II.

As King of Sardinia and victor over the Austrian army in Lombardy, Victor Emmanuel had become a symbol of the Risorgimento, the movement for a united Italy. After his army joined forces with Garibaldi and defeated the papal army, the Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed in 1861 with Victor Emmanuel as king.

In 1885 construction of the monument started after a design by Giuseppe Sacconi, winner of an architectural contest. The northern slope of the Capitoline Hill was cleared to make way for the monument. Roman ruins and medieval churches were destroyed in the process.

Sacconi never saw his monument completed; he died in 1905 and was succeeded by three architects: Manfredo Manfredi, Pio Piacentini and Gaetano Koch. The new monument and national symbol of Italy was inaugurated in 1911, at the 50th anniversary of the kingdom.

The Monument to Victor Emanuel II, also known as Il Vittoriano and sometimes also referred to as the Altare della Patria Altar of the Nation, is a bombastic monument built with sparkling white marble from Botticino in the province of Brescia. It is decorated with numerous allegorical statues, reliefs and murals, created by artists from all corners of the country. 

The monument, about 80 meters high and 120 meters wide (260 x 390ft), consists of a large flight of stairs leading up to a massive colonnade. To the right and left of the main entrance - which is closed off by a gate at night - are two fountains, allegorical representations of the two seas that border Italy. The left one depicts the Adriatic Sea and the right one is the Tyrrhenian Sea. 

At the center of the monument is the colossal equestrian statue of Victor Emmanuel, the 'Father of the Nation'. The statue, the work of sculptor Enrico Chiaradia, weighs 50 tons and measures 12 meters long (39ft). It rests on a pedestal decorated with allegorical reliefs representing Italian cities.

The Victor Emmanuel Monument is not exactly known as one of Rome's most beautiful structures. It is considered too monumental and the bright white color does not fit well into the ochre color of its surroundings. The monument has been given nicknames such as typewriter and wedding cake. 

The monument is nevertheless well worth the visit, even if only for the great views from the top. The top of the monument is also connected to the Campidoglio Square, saving you another climb of the Capitoline Hill.

PYRAMID OF CAIUS CESTIUS

The Pyramid of Caius Cestius was built around 12 BC by praetor Caius Cestius as his tomb. The pyramid was later integrated into the Aurelian Wall, which helped its preservation.

The pyramid, which was constructed in a mere 330 days, is more than 36 meters high and 29.5 meters wide (118 x 97ft). It was built of concrete and brick on a travertine foundation and covered with Carrara marble blocks. Thanks to the use of concrete it was possible to build a pyramid with a sharper angle - and relatively taller - than those in Egypt.

On the east and west sides are inscriptions with the names and titles of Caius Cestius. A corridor at the northern side led to the burial chamber. The walls of the rectangular chamber, which measured 6 by 4 meters (20 x 13ft), were decorated sumptuously with frescoes and panels framing female figures.

The pyramid was originally surrounded by four columns and the entrance was flanked by two bronze figures, now on display in the Musei Capitolini at the Capitoline Hill.

Aurelian Wall

While the interior is badly preserved the exterior has survived relatively well thanks to the incorporation of the pyramid intoV the Aurelian wall in 275 BC. Its marble casing was restored in the 12th century.

Sources  :
                        www.wikipedia.org
                        www.traveleye.com