Monument of Victor Emmanuel II di Savoia in Rome

Monument of Victor Emmanuel II di Savoia: The first king of united Italy was Victor Emmanuel II di Savoia. Before unifying Italy as its first king, he was the King of Sardinia. Sardinia is an island between Italy and Spain in the Mediterranean Sea. Victor Emmanuel assumed the title of King of Italy in 1861,

Photoblog, Rome, Italy, Europe. April 5, 2025

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Monument of Victor Emmanuel II di Savoia

The monument, which is dedicated to united Italy, features a memorial to the unknown soldier and Victor Emmanuel riding a horse created from bronze at the center of the monument. The monument is next to the Roman Forum and is the central point on the main thoroughfare through Rome.

Unlike other locations in Rome, you can’t miss seeing the monument.

Photos and notes

View of the statues at the Victor Emmanuel II National Monument. Photo from FoxRVTravel Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. — View of the statues at the Victor Emmanuel II National Monument.

Victor Emmanuel on horseback is the only statue at the Victor Emmanuel II National Monument that directly refers to the king. Photo from FoxRVTravel Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. — Victor Emmanuel on horseback is the only statue at the Victor Emmanuel II National Monument that directly refers to the king.

Victor Emmanuel II National Monument in the background is the Church of Saints Luca and Martina. The monument is made of bricks and covered with marble. Overall the monument covers a huge hillside. Photo from FoxRVTravel Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. — Victor Emmanuel II National Monument, in the background, is the Church of Saints Luca and Martina. The monument is made of bricks and covered with marble. Overall, it covers a huge hillside.

The four horse chariot at the Victor Emmanuel II National Monument. Photo from FoxRVTravel Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. — A closer view of the four-horse chariot at the Victor Emmanuel II National Monument.

Two statues at the Victor Emmanuel II National Monument. Photo from FoxRVTravel Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. — Two statues at the Victor Emmanuel II National Monument.

Victor Emmanuel II National Monument and the Church of the Gesu in the background. Photo from FoxRVTravel Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. — Victor Emmanuel II National Monument and the Church of the Gesu in the background.

At the Victor Emmanuel II National Monument the scattered numerous sculptures. Overall I think the designers focused away from making numerous statues of the king and instead focused on symbology and making statues honoring the people of Italy. Photo from FoxRVTravel Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. — At the Victor Emmanuel II National Monument, there are numerous sculptures scattered throughout. Overall, I think the designers focused away from making numerous statues of the king and instead focused on symbology and making statues honoring the people of Italy.

These two angelic bronze angles are at the Victor Emmanuel II National Monument. Photo from FoxRVTravel Monument of Victor Emmanuel II.

The sun is behind this two angelic bronze angle but the angle shows the laurel wreath on the Victor Emmanuel II National Monument. Photo from FoxRVTravel Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. — The sun is behind this angelic bronze statue; this view shows the laurel wreath on the Victor Emmanuel II National Monument. Photo from FoxRVTravel Monument of Victor Emmanuel II.

This shot of the bronze angles is as far forward on the Victor Emmanuel II National Monument as you can get and still get a closeup photo. Photo from FoxRVTravel Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. — This shot of the bronze angles is as far forward on the Victor Emmanuel II National Monument as you can get and still get a closeup photo.

Views of Rome from the top of the monument.

The Torre della Patarina, or bell tower or Clock Tower of Palazzo Senatorio, a 16th-century structure designed by Martino Longhi the Elder. It is located in Piazza del Campidoglio in Rome. The tower, built to replace a medieval structure destroyed by lightning, houses the famous "Patarina" bell. Photo from FoxRVTravel Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. — The Torre della Patarina, or bell tower or Clock Tower of Palazzo Senatorio, is a 16th-century structure designed by Martino Longhi the Elder. It is located in Piazza del Campidoglio in Rome. The tower, built to replace a medieval structure destroyed by lightning, houses the famous “Patarina” bell.

This view to the east from the top of the Monument of Victor Emmanuel II includes the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and the Church of Saints Luca. Photo from FoxRVTravel Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. — This view east from the top of the Monument of Victor Emmanuel II includes the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Church of Saints Luca and Martina.

View of the Pantheon (the dome) taken from the top of the Victor Emmanuel Monument. Photo from FoxRVTravel Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. — View of the Pantheon (the dome) taken from the top of the Victor Emmanuel Monument.

View of Saint Peters Basilica from the top of the Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. Photo from FoxRVTravel Saint Peters Basilica . — View of Saint Peter Basilica from the top of the Monument of Victor Emanuele II.

View of Trajan's Market from the Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. At the top center of the photo is the Church of Saints Dominic and Sixtus. Photo from FoxRVTravel Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. — View of Trajan’s Market from the Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. At the top center of the photo is the Church of Saints Dominic and Sixtus.

Trajan's Market is a large complex of ruins in the city of Rome, Italy, located on the Via dei Fori Imperiali, at the opposite end to the Colosseum. Photo from FoxRVTravel Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. — Trajan’s Market is a large complex of ruins in Rome, Italy. It is located on the Via dei Fori Imperiali, opposite the Colosseum.

The roof view of the Church of the Gesu in Rome photo taken from the Monument of Victor Emmanuel . Photo from FoxRVTravel Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. — The roof view of the Church of the Gesu in Rome. This photo was taken from the Monument of Victor Emmanuel.

Church of Saints Luca and Martina at the Roman Forum Monument as viewed from the Victor Emmanuel II. Photo from FoxRVTravel Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. — The roof view of the Church of the Gesu in Rome is viewed from the Monument Victor Emmanuel II.

Church of the Gesù is one of the great 17th-century churches. Note the similar design to the older Church of Saints Luca and Martina near the Roman Forum.

Church of Saints Luca and Martina at the Roman Forum view from the top of Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. Photo from FoxRVTravel Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. — The Church of Saints Luca and Martina at the Roman Forum is viewed from the top of the Monument of Victor Emmanuel II.

This church dates back to 625 A.D., but the dome is an 18th-century addition made during its expansion.

Photo of the Colosseum viewed from the top of Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. Photo from FoxRVTravel Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. — Photo of the Colosseum view from the top of the Monument of Victor Emmanuel II.

The "Tower of the Militia" as viewed from the top of the Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. Trajan's Market is in the lower part of the photo. This photo from FoxRVTravel Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. — The “Tower of the Militia” is viewed from the top of the Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. Trajan’s Market is in the lower part of the photo.

Villa Medici (white building in the distance) viewed from the from the Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. Photo from FoxRVTravel Monument of Victor Emmanuel II. — Villa Medici (the white building in the distance) is viewed from the Monument of Victor Emmanuel II.

Not liked by the people in Rome

People living in Rome since the construction of the Monument of Victor Emmanuel have mixed feelings. The Monument’s construction destroyed part of the Roman Forum and probably hundreds (or thousands) of Ancient Roman Artifacts. Some in Rome have taken to calling it the wedding cake.

The monument of Victor Emmanuel II is Altare della Patria (in Italian) or Wedding Cake. Near Piazza Venezia Square is the white and colossal monument of Vittorio Emanuele. Piazza Venezia was famous because it was the venue where Mussolini gave speeches. When we were there, the Piazza Venezia was under construction. They were putting in a new subway.

To the Italians in Rome, they refer to the monument as the Wedding Cake.

Not the White Castle

I started calling it White Castle only to find out that another place in Rome is known as White Castle. The real White Castle in Rome is the Emperor Hadrian’s Mausoleum. Who knew?

Hadrian’s Mausoleum is a prominent, cylindrical building on the Tiber River, serving as a historical and cultural landmark—but we didn’t go there or even know it existed. White Castle is the same as Castel Sant’Angelo, but we saw it from the outside on most of our bus trips to and from the Wedding Cake. Besides, Hadrian’s Mausoleum isn’t white.

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Guide to seeing the Victor Emmanual Monument

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