Marconi obelisk, Modern obelisk in EUR district, Rome, Italy.
The Marconi Obelisk is a marble-clad monument about 45 meters tall, standing in Rome's EUR district on a wide open square. The structure is built on a concrete core covered with Carrara marble panels, and its top ends in a truncated pyramid rather than a pointed tip.
Work on the monument began in 1939 as part of the preparations for a World's Fair planned for 1942, which never took place due to the war. The project was left unfinished for years and completed in 1959 in time for the Rome Olympics.
The marble panels covering the surface show scenes from Guglielmo Marconi's life, giving visitors something concrete to look at and read. The carvings depict figures, devices, and moments from his career in wireless communication.
The monument is a short walk from the EUR Marconi stop on Metro Line B, making it easy to reach by public transport. The surrounding square is flat and open, so you can walk around it freely without any barriers.
Guglielmo Marconi died in 1937, two years before work on the monument began, so he never knew it would be built. The project was part of a plan to create an entirely new district from scratch on the southern edge of the city.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
