Dogali obelisk, Military memorial monument near Termini Station, Rome, Italy

The Dogali Obelisk is a red granite column covered in Egyptian hieroglyphs, standing on a 19th-century pedestal in a small triangular plaza in Rome. The plaza sits near the Baths of Diocletian and Termini Station, making it easy to spot on foot.

The obelisk was carved under Ramses II for the sun sanctuary at Heliopolis. Emperor Domitian brought it to Rome and placed it in the Iseum Campense; Rodolfo Lanciani found it in 1883 near Santa Maria sopra Minerva. On 5 June 1887 it was dedicated in front of Termini Station to the 548 Italians killed at Dogali, and in 1925 it was moved to its present site.

The base of the obelisk carries bronze plaques listing the names of Italian soldiers killed at the Battle of Dogali in 1887. Visitors can read the inscriptions and see how an ancient Egyptian monument was turned into a modern war memorial.

The monument stands in an open plaza with no entry restrictions, so it can be visited at any time of day. It is within easy walking distance of Termini Station, which makes it simple to combine with other stops nearby.

The obelisk is the last one rediscovered and re-erected in Rome. Found on 20 June 1883 by archaeologist Rodolfo Lanciani near Santa Maria sopra Minerva, it was set up in 1887 in front of Termini Station and moved to its current spot in 1925. Its twin stands in the Boboli Gardens in Florence.