The Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II (National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II) or Altare della Patria (Altar of the Motherland) or "Il Vittoriano" is a monument built to honour Victor Emmanuel, the first king of a unified Italy, located in Rome, Italy. It occupies a site between the Piazza Venezia and the Capitoline Hill. The monument was designed by Giuseppe Sacconi in 1885; sculpture for it was parceled out to established sculptors all over Italy, such as Leonardo Bistolfi and Angelo Zanelli. It was inaugurated in 1911 and completed in 1935.
The monument is built of white marble from Botticino, Brescia, and features stairways, Corinthian columns, fountains, an equestrian sculpture of Victor Emmanuel and two statues of the goddess Victoria riding on quadrigas. The structure is 135 m (443 ft) wide and 70 m (230 ft) high. If the quadrigae and winged victories are included, the height is to 81 m (266 ft).
The base of the structure houses the museum of Italian Reunification. In 2007, a panoramic elevator was added to the structure, allowing visitors to ride up to the roof for 360 degree views of Rome.

Enorme ! breizh · 2012-03-26: 14:51

I read some place, Romans hate the monument and just call it the Giant Typewriter! I don't really know if this is true or not, I think it has quite a presence in Rome, and is very well placed in that busy intersection... atszabo · 2012-03-26: 16:20

Awesome shots !!! finbarr · 2012-03-26: 17:19

impressionnant et majestueux josy63 · 2012-03-26: 17:39

Fantastic post~!~ mallusatish · 2012-03-26: 21:48

Great shots! That elevator sounds fantastic! darfoster · 2012-03-26: 23:21

Très jolie prises ! J'aime beaucoup Dropblue · 2012-03-27: 02:42

Tagged: altare patria rome italy noptek