The Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II, known as Vittoriano, designed by Giuseppe Sacconi, was built to honour the first King of Italy. Work began on the monument with its imposing terraces in 1885 and finished in 1911 with a lavish inauguration that included a dinner inside the stomach of the horse statue. Decoration work continued until 1935 and involved artists from all over Italy.
After much controversy and discussion, the monument was built in Piazza Venezia, a location situated between the ancient city of the imperial Forums and the Papal city of the historic centre that made it the symbol of the Third Rome. The choice required the destruction of the existing medieval neighbourhood and a large part of the Franciscan convent of Santa Maria dell’Aracoeli.
Following WWI, the Vittoriano received an addition which would solidify its later identity: on 4 November 1921 in memory of the thousands of soldiers who had lost their lives in the war, the Unknown Soldier was buried at the heart of the monument beneath the statue of the Goddess Rome. This part of the monument is called the Altar of the Country, a term often used improperly to describe the entire building which today hosts the Museo Centrale del Risorgimento and temporary exhibitions. The roof terrace “delle Quadrighe” which offers a view of the entire city has been accessible since 2007.
Roma Lazio Film Commission
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