Officially known as the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II, the enormous white marble white marble monument that dominates Romes's Piazza Venezia was built as a tribute to the first king of a united Italy, Victor Emmanuel I.  Construction on the monument was begun In 1885 after Giuseppe Sacconi won the architectural contest.  The northern slope of Capitoline Hill was cleared for the monument, destroying Roman ruins and medieval churches in the process.  The new monument was dedicated in 1911, at the fiftieth anniversary of the kingdom.

It's a pomous monument built with sparkling white marble from Botticino and deecorated with numerous allegorical statues, reliefs and murals, created by artists from all over Italy.  The monument, about 260 x 390 feet, consists of a large flight of stairs leading to a massive colonnade. To the right and left of the entrance are two fountains, representations of the two seas that border Italy.  At the center of the monument is the colossal equestrian statue of Victor Emmanuel, the work of sculptor Enrico Chiaradia.  At the foot of the statue is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, inaugurated in 1921. Guards of honor stand guard day and night.  The upper section of the monument consists of a massive curved colonnade with fifteen columns, framed on either side by classical temple-like wings.  Two bronze statues crown the monument, each with a statue of a winged Victory and four horses. The statue on the right represents freedom, while the one on the left represents unity. They were added in 1927, sixteen years after the monument was inaugurated.

Although tourists love the Victor Emmanuel Monument, it's not exactly known as one of Rome's most beautiful structures. It's considered too monumental and the bright white color doesn't fit well into the ochre color of its surroundings. The monument has been nicknamed "The typewriter" and "The Wedding Cake".  But, the monument is well worth a visit, even if only for the great views from the top.  A glass elevator to the top was added to the passageway at the back of the monument in 2007.

Also connecting at the back of the monument is the Santa Maria in Aracoeli, a church with a history going back to the sixth century.  To the right of the monument, a large staircase with 122 steps lead to the church.  And to the right of these stairs are the grand stairs leading to Capitoline Hill (Not shown on the miniature).