Esquiline Obelisk

A Roman-era imitation of an Egyptian obelisk, originally one of a pair flanking the Mausoleum of Augustus. Lost during the Middle Ages and rediscovered, it was relocated by Pope Sixtus V in 1587 to Piazza dell'Esquilino, behind the apse of Santa Maria Maggiore. The square is far quieter than the basilica's main entrance, and the obelisk is a useful navigational landmark when exploring the Esquiline district.