Boboli obelisk, Ancient Egyptian obelisk in Boboli Gardens, Florence, Italy

The Boboli obelisk is a red granite obelisk from Aswan, 6.34 meters tall, standing in the Boboli Gardens. Its four sides are carved with hieroglyphs naming Ramesses II and praising Atum of Heliopolis. It rests on a base with four turtles and is topped by a gilded orb.

Carved from Aswan granite, the obelisk bears inscriptions to Atum of Heliopolis and is attributed to the reign of Ramesses II (1297-1213 BCE). Domitian moved it to Rome in the 1st century CE for the Temple of Isis in the Campus Martius. Cardinal Ferdinando de' Medici bought it in the 16th century for the Villa Medici gardens; Grand Duke Peter Leopold shipped it in 1788, and it was erected in the Boboli amphitheatre in 1790.

The hieroglyphs name Ramesses II and call him "Grand Master, powerful in all countries" and "intelligent son of Atum", who is also said to love him together with Ra. The dedication to Atum and Ra points to Heliopolis, the city of the sun, as the obelisk's origin.

The obelisk is located within the Boboli Gardens, which has a separate entrance from Palazzo Pitti and requires its own ticket. The gardens spread across a hillside, so comfortable walking shoes are helpful when visiting.

The four turtles at the base and the gilded orb on top are both ancient Roman elements that travelled with the obelisk from the Villa Medici. The turtles and the orb were shipped overland to Florence ahead of the shaft, which arrived by sea at Livorno in 1788.