Monday, November 24, 2008

Angels in Rome


Here are some angels from the monument to Victor Emmanuel, the first King of the united Italy. He was monarch from 1861 - 1878. Yesterday we passed the monument in Piazza Venezia on our way to meet friends for lunch. (Sunday was the feast of Christ the King, so I thought it is appropriate to share these angels from a king's memorial here in Rome.)

The monument was designed by Giuseppe Sacconi in 1895 and completed in 1935. It is generally regarded as an eyesore in the city of Rome.  Its construction destroyed a large area of the Capitoline Hill with a Medieval neighborhood. The monument is 443 ft wide and 230 ft high. It's glaringly white marble gives it the nickname of "the wedding cake." When I was living in Rome during my junior year of college we referred to it as the "Olivetti Typewriter." But today, not many people think of a typewriter when they see it.

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