The Roman landmark nicknamed the wedding cake and the typewriter

Countries & Cities · Published 12 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Rising from the foot of Rome's Capitoline Hill, the Vittoriano is impossible to miss. But this massive white marble structure is as controversial as it is grand, having required the demolition of a medieval neighborhood to make way for its neoclassical splendor.

Designed by Giuseppe Sacconi in 1885, the monument was built to celebrate the unification of Italy and honor Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of the fully reunified nation in 1871. Constructed from white Brescian marble, the structure serves as a secular temple, featuring the Altar of the Fatherland. This central area includes a marble sculpture of the goddess Roma and a bronze equestrian statue of the King, which was later joined by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier following World War I.

The architecture is a neoclassical interpretation of the Roman Forum, conceived as a modern agora on three levels. The complex features a long colonnade of 15-meter-high Corinthian columns, flanked by two propylaea dedicated to the concepts of 'freedom of the citizens' and 'unity of the homeland.' The scale is immense: the structure reaches a height of 70 meters, though including the winged Victories on chariots, the height reaches 8ally 81 meters. It spans 135 meters in width and 130 meters in depth.

Despite its national importance, the monument has long been a target for derision. Its sheer size and brightness have earned it nicknames such as the 'wedding cake' and, as American forces called it in 1944, the 'typewriter.' Its history is also marked by political shifts; while it served as a setting for Benito Mussolini's military parades, the Fascist symbols were stripped from the monument after the end of World War II. Today, visitors can access a rooftop terrace via a 2007 lift or 196 steps to view the city.

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