Vittoriano - Rome, Italy - Corinthian Colonnade beneath the Quadriga

The sweeping Corinthian colonnade of the Vittoriano rises above Piazza Venezia, crowned by one of the monumental bronze quadrigas.

The monumental Corinthian colonnade of the Vittoriano sweeps across this upward view of Rome’s great national monument at Piazza Venezia. A bronze quadriga crowns the end of the portico, while the repeated columns, sculpted friezes and pale Botticino marble emphasize the immense scale and elaborate classical design of the building. The Vittoriano, also known as the Victor Emmanuel II National Monument, was conceived to honour the first king of unified Italy and became one of the principal architectural symbols of the country’s unification. Designed by Giuseppe Sacconi following a national competition, construction began in 1885 and the monument was inaugurated in 1911, although work continued afterward. The two monumental quadrigas above the porticoes symbolize the Unity of the Fatherland and Liberty and were installed during the final phases of construction. Seen from this close perspective, the long rhythm of Corinthian columns and the bronze sculpture above demonstrate the deliberately monumental character of the Vittoriano.