Elephant and Obelisk

Bernini's 1667 design for Pope Alexander VII: a marble elephant carrying the smallest obelisk in Rome (5.5 metres, 6th century BC, from a temple of Isis) on its back. The elephant symbolises wisdom, and Bernini chose it precisely because it was strong enough to support the weight — though structural engineers added a hidden supporting block under the belly for safety. Romans nicknamed it 'Pulcino della Minerva' (Minerva's Chick), and it's one of the most photographed monuments in Rome.