Vittorio Emanuele II Monument Tours

The Vittorio Emanuele Monument in Rome goes by many names - some official, and some not at all so. In addition to “Vittorio Emmanuele Monument,” other official names include the “Altare della Patria” (Altar of the Fatherland) and simply “Il Vittoriano.” Less formal nicknames - given by Romans who don’t exactly love the monument - include “the wedding cake,” “the typewriter,” and “the fake teeth.”

No matter what you call it, it’s impossible to miss the imposing Vittorio Emmanuele Monument on the massive Piazza Venezia in central Rome. Built in the early 1900s to honor a unified Italy’s first king, the structure serves double-duty as the home of the tomb of Italy’s unknown soldier as well as the Museum of Italian Reunification.

Another reason to visit the Vittoriano is to ride the “Roma del Cielo” elevator to the top of the monument for some of the best views overlooking the city of Rome.