Obelisk

San Giovanni & Testaccio

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Overlooking Palazzo Laterano, this is said to be the world's largest standing Egyptian obelisk. Topping off at almost 46m, it's also the oldest of Rome's 13 ancient obelisks, dating from the 15th century BC. It originally stood in a temple in Thebes but was shipped to Rome by Constantine II and, after various relocations, placed in its current position in 1588.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

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Nearby San Giovanni & Testaccio attractions

1. Palazzo Laterano

0.05 MILES

Palazzo Laterano was the official papal residence until the pope moved to the Vatican in 1377. Adjacent to the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano, it's…

2. Battistero Lateranense

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Built by Constantine in the 4th century, this octagonal baptistery served as the prototype for later Christian churches and bell towers. The chief point…

5. Triclinium Leoninum

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This showy brick facade adorned with a gold apse mosaic is an 18th-century reconstruction of the end wall of the banqueting hall in the original Palazzo…

6. Museo Storico della Liberazione

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The apartment block at Via Tasso 145 was the headquarters of the German SS during the Nazi occupation of Rome (1943–44), and now a small and sombre museum…

7. Palazzo Merulana

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Housed within the splendidly restored Palazzo Merulana, this impressive museum exhibits artworks sourced from the Elena and Claudio Cerasi Foundation (the…

8. Basilica dei SS Quattro Coronati

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This brooding fortified church harbours some lovely 13th-century frescoes and a delightful hidden cloister, accessible from the left-hand aisle. The…

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