Originally this obelisk was erected as a pair at Sais by Pharaoh Apries. The companion to this obelisk is now in Urbino a small town in Italy. Nobody knows when and how this obelisk was carried to Rome, but I guess this was transported probably in the 1st century. Anyway, this was used for Iseum, and toppled at unknown date, and buried underground. In 1665, Dominican monks discovered it, and then Pope Alexander VII [Alessandro VII, reigned 1655-1667] decided to re-erect it in front of Chiesa di Santa Maria Sopra Minerva. The obelisk was put on the sculpture of elephant, and official completion ceremony was held on July 11th, 1667. But the Pope could not attend the ceremony because he passed away 2 months before, May 22nd, 1667 The sculpture of elephant is called "Il Pulcino Della Minerva", which means "Minerva's Chicken". There is a long story behind the reason why it is called "chicken" despite of "elephant". Mr. Andrea Pollett has a detailed story in his website. It is made by marble, designed by Giovanni (Gian) Lorenzo Bernini [1598-1680]. This obelisk is small, but I think this is probably the loveliest obelisk. There is a single column of inscription on each side of the obelisk, each beginning with the name of the king and the followed by epithets naming Atum of the Land of Life, the cemetery of Sais. And Neit, she of the Bee Temple in Mehnet, foremost of the Land of Life. On the postament, the Latin inscriptions are carved referring to the date of its erection, the pope responsible, and "He who sees the carved images of the wisdom of Egypt on the obelisk carried by the elephant, the strongest of animals, will realize that it is indeed a robust mind which sustains a solid wisdom." Stats:
Location: Piazza della Minerva, Rome, Italy [In front of Chiesa di Santa Maria Sopra Minerva.] Pharaoh: Apries (The 4th King of the 26th Dynasty, reigned B.C. 589-570)
Height: 5.47 meters [obelisk itself. 12.69 meters including the top decoration, elephant, the pedestal and the 4-step basement.]
Stone: Red granite
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We were delighted to stumble upon Minerva's Chick when we visited the Pantheon. It is one of the smaller obelisks but is a very graceful one.
This obelisk is mentioned in our global warming thriller, Obelisk Seven.
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