Altare della Patria (Vittoriano)

Monument to Victor Emmanuel II

Monument Celebrating Italian Unification

Description

This grand (some would say grandiose) monument was erected to celebrate King Victor Emmanuel II, also known as Il Vittoriano, the first ruler of a modern day unified Italy. Adjacent to the ancient Roman Forum, the "altar of the father" offers a striking contrast to the ruins of Rome's glory. Built between 1885 and 1911, the monument, both by its placement near the Forum and its colossal design, clearly hopes to recapture the faded triumphs of the Empire. This ambition has not prevented Italians from indulging in one of their favorite pastimes of assigning it derisive nicknames, ranging from "the wedding cake" to "the typewriter." A museum archiving the process of unification, or Risorgimento, is located inside. The monument also offers spectacular views of the Rome cityscape.